Saving Private Ryan (film)
"Saving Private Ryan" is a 1998 war film directed by Steven Spielberg, set during World War II in German-occupied France in 1944. The narrative follows Captain John Miller, portrayed by Tom Hanks, who leads a squad on a mission to locate Private James Ryan, played by Matt Damon, after Ryan's three brothers are killed in action. The film opens with a stark and realistic depiction of the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach, noted for its graphic portrayal of the brutality of war and the psychological impact on soldiers. This intense realism is emphasized through the use of desaturated colors and immersive sound design, which reflects the harrowing experiences of foot soldiers.
As the story unfolds, the squad grapples with the moral dilemma of risking multiple lives to save one, ultimately leading to an exploration of duty and sacrifice. When they locate Ryan, he chooses to remain with his fellow soldiers, rejecting the chance to return home. While the film is celebrated for its authentic representation of warfare and is regarded as a tribute to World War II veterans, it has also faced criticism for its limited historical context and portrayal of the war's complexities. "Saving Private Ryan" received widespread acclaim, winning numerous awards, including five Academy Awards, and is recognized for its impact on American perceptions of the war, instilling a sense of patriotism and honoring the sacrifices of veterans.
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Subject Terms
Saving Private Ryan (film)
Director Steven Spielberg (1946- )
Date Released on July 24, 1998
A commercial and critical success, this World War II drama honored U.S. soldiers.
Set in German-occupied France in 1944, Saving Private Ryan follows Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) as he survives the Normandy invasion and then leads a mission to locate and bring home Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), a missing paratrooper. Ryan’s three brothers had recently been killed in battle, and military authorities did not want another war death in that family. Miller’s squad questions the worth of the mission, wondering why the life of one soldier is worth risking the lives of eight other soldiers. Despite their resentment, the soldiers do their duty. When they finally find Ryan, he refuses to go home, preferring to continue to fight the enemy with his brothers in arms.
The film’s twenty-five-minute depiction of the D-day invasion of Omaha Beach is often praised for its realism: graphic depictions of soldiers dying and gritty details including men vomiting and body parts flying, all seen in desaturated colors from the point of view of a foot soldier and accompanied by sounds of screaming and machine gun bullets. The brutality depicted prevents the film from being a glorification of war. The depiction of battle throughout the film helps viewers understand how combat affects soldiers.
After the invasion, the film focuses only on the squad’s mission, which undercuts the film’s commitment to authenticity and leaves it open to historical criticism. Very little of the context of the war is shown; the film ignores the reasons why U.S. troops were in Europe and the importance of the role of America’s allies in winning the war.
Impact
The 1990’s marked the fiftieth anniversary of World War II, bringing a revival in films about the war. Americans had long been dealing with the painful legacy of the Vietnam War and the controversies of the more recent Gulf War, so a patriotic film about World War II, “the good war,” was reassuring. World War II has become a mythic moment symbolizing American unity and both moral and military triumph against an evil enemy; heroic soldiers could easily identify the enemy and fight with what are now considered conventional weapons, rather than the space-age aerial bombardments of the Gulf War.
Saving Private Ryan won many international film awards and five Academy Awards. Many critics hailed this film as an homage to the brave soldiers of World War II. The military community also lauded the film: Spielberg received honors from the American Legion and the U.S. Army, and both Spielberg and Hanks received awards from the U.S. Navy for raising awareness about veterans. Overall, this film served to inspire patriotism; dying Captain Miller’s words offer a challenge both to Ryan and to the audience, “Earn this.”
Bibliography
Auster, Albert. “Saving Private Ryan and American Triumphalism.” In The War Film, edited by Robert Eberwein. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 2005.
Lewis, Jon, ed. The End of Cinema as We Know It: American Film in the Nineties. New York: New York University Press, 2001.