Saving Private Ryan
Overview
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 war film directed by Steven Spielberg, set during World War II. The film is famous for its realistic depiction of war, particularly its opening sequence depicting the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The film stars Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller, a US Army Ranger who is tasked with finding Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), a paratrooper whose three brothers have been killed in action. The film is set in June 1944, following the D-Day landings. Miller and his squad of eight men are sent behind enemy lines to find Ryan and bring him home. The squad includes: Sergeant Horvath (Tom Sizemore), Miller's loyal second-in-command; Private Reiben (Edward Burns), a cynical soldier; Private Jackson (Barry Pepper), a sharpshooter who is deeply religious; Private Mellish (Adam Goldberg), a Jewish soldier; Private Caparzo (Vin Diesel), a soldier who is killed early in the mission; and Corporal Upham (Jeremy Davies), a translator who has never seen combat. The film follows the squad as they search for Ryan. They encounter enemy soldiers, they suffer casualties, and they debate the morality of their mission. Why is one man worth the lives of eight? The film is a meditation on sacrifice, duty, and the cost of war. The film ends with a battle in the French town of Ramelle, where Miller and his squad help Ryan defend a bridge against a German counterattack. Miller is killed, and he tells Ryan, "Earn this." The film ends with an elderly Ryan, visiting Miller's grave, asking his wife if he has lived a good life. Saving Private Ryan was a critical and commercial success, earning over $482 million worldwide. It won five Academy Awards, including Best Director for Steven Spielberg. It was nominated for Best Picture, losing to Shakespeare in Love. The film is widely considered one of the greatest war films ever made.
