Hi friends! I want to take a moment to add a note to everyone watching this reaction. First off, I want to acknowledge that I went into this movie completely unprepared. I didnt even realize it was WW2 until several minutes into it. I knew it was a war movie, but I didn't know which war. There's a lot that I don't know about war and history. Maybe because I'm from Colombia and they only gave us the broad-strokes about a war we were barely involved in... or maybe because I just didn't pay attention in school. Regardless: yes, I fully admit, I don't know much about the subject matter. Throughout the video, you'll also hear me express sentiments like "war is so horrible," "why do we do this?," "what a waste of life." These reactions come from a place of shock and sorrow for the loss and suffering that war brings. However, I want to be clear that in saying these things, my intention is not to diminish the incredible bravery and sacrifices made by the soldiers in WWII. Their fight against tyranny and oppression was necessary and heroic, and I have a LOT of respect and gratitude for what they endured and accomplished. Some of you have pointed out that war is sometimes an inevitable part of our history. My comments are a reaction how shocking and horrific those battles are, not a judgment on those who bravely face it. Thank you to all who have served and sacrificed.
You're one of the only people I've seen come back and say something like this. Most people say stuff like "this is all so pointless" during their reactions and maybe they mean the same thing as you, but they never try to say anything else about it like this. It comes off as very detached and cold to our history and the men that died to shape it and their personal struggle inside of the grand picture of these chaotic times. There's a lot to be said about the difference between the world my grandfather and great uncles endured this horrible war for and the one we've actually ended up with, but they didn't do these things for no reason and their sacrifices weren't pointless whatever the case. Thank you for taking the time to clarify your feelings.
And BTW Tom hanks character saying their casually number was 35 dead, he meant that many just from his company died. That's not counting all the other casualties from other us units or the British and Canadian forces
Great comment, Christy. While I don't think you necessarily had to defend yourself since it's obvious what you meant, at least to everyone who isn't simply looking to argue, I do appreciate that you took the time to write a comment and further explain what you were thinking. The thoughtfulness of your commentary is one of the reasons that I enjoy your reactions. Lots of reactors "react" to movies, but they don't necessarily let us know what they're thinking or feeling which, for me, is the main appeal of watching reaction videos. I want to know what the person watching a film that I love is thinking and feeling. I want to know that someone else out there experienced the same thing I did when I saw it, or maybe they experience something totally different than I did and I can get a different perspective from them. You're great at letting us know what you think and feel as you watch these films, and I appreciate that.
The 'best' war movies, like this one, are the ones that do NOT glorify the killing and show how terrible the sacrifices are. Another such movie is We Were Soldiers with Mel Gibson.
35 weren't killed on the beach, 2,500 were killed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Everyone needs to understand WW2 in its entirety. Humans forgetting history is what allows it to repeat itself.
What's really sad is young American's don't believe in freedom anymore. They increasingly say democracy and the Bill of Rights isn't important. They are headed toward communism if things keep going the way they are.
I hear today's kids making jokes about Hitler, Jewish folks, WWIII in general. Seriously, their asses wouldn't be alive if it weren't for the many who survived this war, who stopped Germany and Japan from demolishing the entire world.
Yeah I think you missed the story line there just like Cristy did. He wasn't saying he lost 35 men at Omaha Beach that day. He was talking about another mission that happened later on. So the cuts that Christy or crew made here didn't give the entire context of the 35 dead figure. One of the lines he stated after talking about the dead and wounded was "they just didn't want to give up those 88s". That is specifically referring to the German 88mm flak/anti aircraft gun that was repurposed as an anti tank gun since it did amazingly well at that job. You didn't see them engage any 88s in the Omaha Beach scene. Just MG34s and MG42s and smaller arms. Even on the off chance he was referring to the Omaha Beach bit obviously he wouldn't be trying to give the major a tally of ALL dead from all commands along the Omaha Beach area. Just the people under his own command.
Oh, good to know that she believed the casualties to have been 35, so I don't have to watch this reactioon at all. My blood pressure would be off the charts hearing that.
One of the most meaningful messages in the history of film. We rarely, or never, earn the sacrifices that have been made for us ... and never less than now ... at this point in our history.
@chadbennett7873 Well said. The reactor, in this case, seems to fit right into your scenario. She is clueless to the reasons of why WW2 was fought. Perhaps because Colombia did not send an army overseas but rather became a haven, to include the whole of Latin America, for the Nazis'.
Thank you damn right it means earn the life you have is an American because you didn't have to do what other people did... So that you could have a better life.. it means to do the best you can with your life that you are permitted to have because someone gave theirs for yours
In the cemetery at the end you can tell Ryan never told his family what happened. His wife didn't recognize Capt. Miller's name. Ryan carried the burden alone for his whole life.
As many did. My grandfather was at Omaha Beach and the Battle of the Bulge. He wouldn't say a single word. He would ignore questions like they hadn't even been asked. He was an Army Col and liberated numerous towns and villages. I can not even imagine the horrors he witnessed during his time there. This movie gave me a tiny ounce of understanding. How many med died under his command following his orders?
My father worked in the oil fields during the war, so he was "exempt" because of his job. His 3 brothers were in, tho. They never talked about it and we just understood to not ask about it... they'd tell us when they were ready. My dad died in early '86 and one of my uncles talked about his wartime experiences while we were at the cemetery...maybe for 25 minutes. My dad's brother's all died within the next 18 months so I never heard anything more about it.
@@mikeeckel2807 Yep for us as kids all of our Grandpa's had fought in the war so it wasn't something that was a big deal we never asked as we were told not to ask him about the war it wasn't till I was in High School and we dove into WWII that I started to understand what Grandpa did and the other young guys as well from all the allies I wanted to ask so many questions but never did they kept all those things they did and seen close to their vest and took it with them to the grave. It was only after he passed away in 1985 did we find letters and other memorabilia from overseas in Europe he fought with the Canadian Army and landed at Juno after the beaches were secured fought in France then on to Holland getting wounded from a bullet that grazed his face some of his letters from Holland are heartbreaking about the kids ( He left my dad and two of my Aunts behind as young kids Dad was only 4 when Grandpa shipped out in 1942 ) and how everyone was starving to death he came home in mid-1946 went back to work had 4 more kids after the war worked in construction and drove a cement till he was 60 and retired I think he wanted to build stuff rather then destroy stuff after what he had seen in Europe during the war he died young I think was all the stress he carried with him after war. Grandpa I never got to say this to you in person but you are my Hero and I am so proud of you and everyone else from that Generation
Its ironic how we all thought what a douchebag Ryan will be when the team finds him. But at the end of the movie the real db is Upham the ammo runner with a working rifle. Wtf
The soldier calling out for his mom hits hard and remember this all actually happened. Just kids 18-19 sometimes even younger if they lied about they're ages
I am sure somebody else has already said so but this depiction of Normandy/D Day was so realistic that when they showed it to a bunch of Veterans who were there they all had to leave the theater because of flashbacks and PTSD
There was one vet interviewed that said it was the closest depiction in a movie of the Omaha landing that he'd seen... but the landing in reality was even much more hellish.
As a war veteran myself, I'll repeat something I heard a long time ago. I don't remember who said it but they nailed it... "There is no such thing as an un-wounded warrior".
@@giacomodibos7229 I would say it's a common sentiment but yes one of them on BoB either Lipton or Winters narrating that even those that were never hit or physically injured at Bastogne were wounded nonetheless.
31:36 "I don't think you can do more morphine right now. I think they do specific amounts." You are correct. The "ampules" of morphine were pre-measured so that 1 would dull your pain, 2 doses would probably knock you out. More than that could be lethal. When Wade said "I could use a little more morphine." he was asking them to kill him with painkillers so he wouldn't have to bleed to death in agony. He knew it and they all knew it too. His death always gets me more than any other death in this movie, begging for a mercy killing and crying for his mama right after telling that sad story about his mom coming home early.
Wade's story was an interesting insight on men. There's something in us that's stubborn, rebellious, sometimes even dark. Clearly Wade loved his mom, but some wild spirit within him pushed him to pretend to be asleep. I feel like there's a lot of peeks into the psyche of men in this movie - how they can joke right after a lethal engagement, how hard men can feel compassion for a little French girl defying all logic.
Yes, we caried a grease pencil and when we injected morphine, we put an "m" on the forehead and time. That way when they were medevac'd to an aid station, they knew when more could be given. I never had a case where extra morphine was given to a fatally wounded man to ease their death, but I know some corpsman did. Most folks will never be exposed to what hi velocity bullets and shrapnel do to a human body, not a pretty picture. Thats enough, I have said all I wanted to say.
which is ultimately why they end up giving him the morphine to try & help him die with as little pain as possible. They clearly weren't able to save him or give him the attention he needed let alone get him stable to move or to a hospital where skilled doctors might be able to do something in their position & alone with no help possible. Even if he was hit at a hospital or a medic tent I doubt he would have survived in any form. You also have to take into account even if they could save him would he want to be saved with the limited abilities or results of his injuries like being paralyzed or having to spend the rest of his life with unknown health issues etc. Especially in their situation the best they could do was let him die as painlessly as possible & feeling as much love & support as they could I know many don't want to hear that or admit it but considering his issues his survival even at a hospital would be unlikely & in the miracle he did certainly likely life changing.
I once read a quote from Sergei Krushchev son of the Cold War-era Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev (who was a Soviet soldier in WW2) who told him "you can read books about war, you can interview people who were in the war, you can write about war, you can see movies about war, but unless you were there experiencing it personally, you cannot imagine how horrible it is".
Thanks for allowing your feelings to show. I am a vet (Vietnam), my dad was in the Navy (WW2) and my Grandfather lost both his legs in the Battle of Ardennes (WW1). My son was in the Navy as well in the 90s. None of us, from my son to my grandfather, ever sat down and talked about combat ever. This movie did a good job of showing some of the horrible things that happen during war. I am so glad that you have been spared from war. BTW, watching your reaction to the captain dying, made me cry (don't tell anyone).
I know everyone hates Upham but there are more Uphams out there than people realize. He wasn’t a combat soldier. He was wimpy and clumsy. He did not like the idea of using his weapon in a firefight. He was assigned in the army as a clerk and translator, not for full combat duties. He was scared out of his wits to do anything and I felt for him. War is a terrifying thing and if you’ve never been in war then you really don’t know how you would act until you are in it.
@@genghisgalahad8465false! You’ve never been in a combat firefight huh? It depends on your MOS (military job) I was 11B (Infantry) in Iraq and Afghanistan. When fire fights would break out in the initial invasion of the wars, those without combat MOS would freeze, not because they’re scared, but because they didn’t train for combat like we did. Sometimes you had to just push them down to the ground so they don’t get killed. And cover for them as they remembered their basic training and eventually entered the firefight.
@genghisgalahad8465 when the military has to draft 3 million people, standards become less important. It's about having more boots than the enemy a lot of the time. Especially with the weapons of the time. They were cranking people through basic like a factory production line. If you made it through basic you were good enough. Some went on to additional training etc. Many became clerical staff. They needed a translator and he happened to be there so he got transferred. He was in no way prepared by extra training for all of that. He hadn't even fired a weapon since basic. The strongest bravest person you know could break completely and be a sobbing terrified lump on the ground and there is absolutely no shame in that. War is not a game. It is literal hell with the highest stakes. And you are being asked to murder in the name of your country. Some people can't square with that. No matter how big their balls are.
@@mycroft16killing the enemy in war isn't murder. The definition of homicide/murder is the unlawful killing of one human being by another. Killing combatants in war as well as defense of self/others are not the same as murder.
Upham being hesitant is what happens when a noncombatant sees the horrors of war in such a short span of time and freeze due to the fear. Upham’s job during the war was to translate papers and maps, not take part in missions behind enemy lines. By comparison, the US Rangers recieved combat training from the British commandos and are the WWII-equivalent of modern day special forces soldiers. Had both of Miller’s translators not been killed prior to the mission, Upham wouldn’t have gone.
There’s dialogue between Hanks & Sizemore (RIP) when they’re putting the mission together where Hanks asks for a guy and Sizemore informs him he’s been killed in action, and Hanks says “OK, Mellish then.” We know what happens to Mellish, and it was as simple as he was alive and the other guy had already been killed. The randomness always got to me.
Ive seen people freeze and even shake afterwards in real life when confronted by 5 guys that probably would have attacked him at the subway. Some people react that way
Upham is such an important character. No one believes that they'll be an Upham, but you never really know until you're in that situation. But the Upham's of the war were also still worthy soldiers who worked behind the scenes to make things tick. I know in the US military every soldier is meant to be a rifleman, but tossing an unprepared POG on the front is just as much a failure of leadership and circumstance as it is a failure of the man himself.
@@Carakav I fully believe I would be an Upham in that situation. I know I'm not brave, which gives me all the more respect for those who display bravery in the face of death
Shame the dialogue snipes at the British effort, then steals the adversaries the British were fighting (the 'Tiger' tanks) and shows the Americans stopping them. Nauseating and unnecessary.
@@cmac007 Well technically the Canadians would be included in the "taking his time moving on Caen" jibe, seeing as Caen was a joint British/Canadian operation......... so the Canadians are including in that mock. 😝
@@scarecrowman7789 But there was no need to have that disrespectful bit of dialogue. It was totally irrelevant to the story and completely unnecessary. It adds nothing to the film. Band of Brothers also shows disrespect and clichéd silliness towards the British military (Episode 4) and now the new Spielberg/Hanks series Masters of the Air does the same, in Episode 2. Spielberg and Hanks productions keep doing it. There is a pattern there. It's not necessary and it's mean spirited. It puts me off watching these productions. Cheers anyway. Best wishes.
At 10:27, the Czech soldiers say: "Please don't shoot me, I am not German, I am Czech, I didn't kill anyone, I am Czech!" These men were taken prisoner and forced into service by the German army.
I remember seeing this is the theater. The scene near the end when the tanks are coming and the ground was shaking so hard that the stones and rubble were vibrating was so terrifying. The surround sound in the theater made you feel it in your bones. I will never forget that scene or this movie.
I remember that, too. And in the opening scene, the sound was all-encompassing. It just held you in an iron grip. I knew after that opening scene that I had never seen or heard anything like that in a movie before and maybe never would again. It was just a cinematic game-changer.
For Rangers? Mostly volunteered. For serving in the Army? Well.. some did, some didn’t. My Old Man and all of my Uncles signed up on the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked.
My Dad enlisted when he was 17 in WWII. His mother accompanied him. At his class's graudation ceremony. there was an em;ty chair on the stage for him. He got his GED in the Navy and was on a submrine, which he wanted to do becuase it double pay, which he sent back to his single mother, my grndmother.
@@custardflan salute to your dad! My grandfather fought in Germany. I have his framed map of where his unit (9th Armored Division) served/fought over there.
I am a combat veteran ( Vietnam ) don't worry about what you said . We said it also and I think it's normal so don't worry. Thank you for this and God bless you.
Upham is surely the most contentious issues raised by this movie. To the uninitiated, his actions would seem weak, even cowardly. In his defence, he was not a veteran of war. He had received only the basic military training & this was his first involvement in active combat. I, in no way, condone his behavior but, until you've been in such intense situations, it's simply not possible to imagine the depth of his trauma. I'm sure that, as he made the decision to shoot the German soldier, much of his internal empathy had been lost, possibly for ever.
You make it sound like he changed in the span of a few minutes. The human brain doesn't work like that. One battle doesn't sap someone of all their empathy. It takes weeks or months of continuous trauma to do that, especially as an adult. He killed that guy because he felt guilt for failing his brothers during the battle.
My uncle drove the Landing craft on Omaha beach. He died from his wounds on 08 June, 2 days later. He made 3 trips to the beach...1st with troops, 2nd and 3rd with ammo; the 2nd and 3rd wave already had troops in the boats so he brought ammo to the fight. He is buried in Cambridge, England. He survived other assaults before D-Day; North Africa, Sicily, Anzio & Salerno Italy, before the Normandy landings
My absolute favorite part of this movie is when the General is reading the Lincoln Letter, he stops actually looking at it halfway through and starts reciting it from memory. He knows that in the position he's in, he is sending potentially thousands of men to their deaths every day, and you can tell by giving the authorization for an incredibly risky mission to rescue one man those deaths must weigh enormously heavy on him.
George Marshall, that Genral, was the Chief of Staff of the Army, and a very important military advisor to the President. Marshall is one of the great, but lesser known leaders of the US war effort, and the architect of the Marshall Plan to rebuild the devastated nations after the war.
I read somewhere that it was him Gral. Marshall the one who was supposed to lead the Allies in the invasion of Normandy, but President Roosevelt didn`t felt save without him, so he ordered Eisenhower to lead the Operation on D day.
General Marshall was whom Pres. Roosevelt depended on to build a World Class Military. The US had a tiny standing Army of 187,000, smaller than Portugal's military, ranked between 17th and 19th in size. Marshall built it up to 8,300,000. Our entire industrial base was no used to produce War materials, guns, planes, ships, tanks etc. Without Marshalls understanding of what was needed and how to use our resources to accomplish it, we could have easily lost the War. We lost around 400,000 soldiers and kept our civilians and country safe. In contrast, Russia, where by far, the largest land battles in the history of warfare took place, lost a combined 25,000,000 soldiers and civilians.
It’s crazy you posted this. I was just watching a Band of Brothers reaction today and was thinking you should react to it. Then I immediately thought actually she needs to watch Saving Private Ryan first. You’re always a step ahead of the game.
The german soldier stabbing mellish is telling him "stop fighting, its better for you this way. You'll see, it will all be over and you'll see." Nobody ever mentions that scene.
The reason people don't mention it, is because they don't know what he's saying. I didn't understand the language, but I kinda knew that he was trying to comfort him as he died.
The movie "The Longest Day" portrays both parties neutrally. This movie portrays the enemy as cowardly, sneaky and devious. Typical patriot cinema from Spielberg. If you know who is evil, the day has structure.
The blimps are barrage balloons. They are tethered to the ships. If enemy planes try to dive bomb, torpedo or strafe the ships they risk getting snagged and entangled in the steel cables that tether the blimps to the ships, causing the enemy planes to crash.
For context, when this movie was released in theaters, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs had to open an emergency hotline because many WWII veterans saw the movie and experienced severe episodes of PTSD. The opening scene is widely renowned as the most accurate depiction of warfare in cinematic history. It took a level of bravery, many of us will never know, just to make it off that beach.
Answer: The "more morphine" part...... Doc knew he was dead, he asked for the morphine so he wouldnt be in so much pain while he died. Thats what Captain Miller realizes when Docs asks. Yes, there is only so much morphine that can be taken before problems arise and eventually death by overdose. This however wasnt them overdosing him, it was just giving him slightly over the normal amount to ease his passing. That's historically something that has happened quite a lot......when the patient isn't able to be saved and as long as supplies arent in dire need, we have used drugs to ease the pain while the patient finishes dieing.
By the way, Upham is a translator, service guy. The others in the platoon are Rangers. Thats a type of higly trained commando-type outfit, trained in close combat, climbing, enemy weapons etc. You can't blame Upham for not being like those guys. He is what he is. Freezing of fear in a terrible situation. Can't blame him.
I've never met a combat veteran who doesn't absolutely despise Upham. Just because you can understand it doesn't mean you can find it even remotely acceptable.
@@TheGoIsWin21 That doesn't change anything about what ducomaritiem7160 said though. You can despise him all you like, it won't magically turn him into a trained experienced Ranger like Miller's squad. Not taking a minute to think about and sympathise with what that situation might do to someone like Upham is just callous.
@@Musabre Nah that's cool, it just man's you're a coward too because you'd rather excuse the fact that he got his brothers killed than stand for the fact that he should have been a goddamn man and did everything he could within his training to protect them.
The best war movie ever made. Steven Spielberg is the GOAT. I saw this twice in the theater, and both times it was like leaving a funeral. People crying, hugging each other. It was something.
I saw the screening of Masters of the Air by Spielberg and Hanks. Wait until you see this new masterpiece. Saving Private Ryan is definitely one of the best war films ever made, but Masters of the Air is yet another brilliant story adapted from the book with the same title. A good bit of CGI but still another Gem with the GOAT behind that project as Executive Producer. Anything with Hanks and Spielberg attached, is a must see!!
@@jb4054thank you for commenting on this. I was just about to sign up for Apple plus for this series but I'm quite the purest and any hint of obvious CGI infuriates me and takes me completely out of the story. That along with the bar being set so high with their previous projects I'm now nervous to watch Masters of the Air. What do you think?
Yeah it was intense. I went to a bar and got pretty drunk afterward with the buddy who I saw it with. We were both trying to figure out how we'd react to the different situations they were forced into.
WOW!!😲 You made it through! For someone New🆕 to War movies, you picked it up pretty quick. Grew up on lots of 50's,60's and 70's era war movies on TV, so Saving Private Ryan is a 5 star Spectacular compared to those films... The horrors of War are fully shown here and 1st time seeing it is traumatic... Your reactions were just as they should be...Also incredibly well made Film and authentic; so many great scenes, not just the combat ones...But that scene where Captain Miller's lying there wounded shooting at the Tank with his .45 just works because it's Spielberg shooting it!... So Glad I saw this in a movie theater. Not military, never seen combat, but that final scene when Captain Miller dies, after completing his mission...saving Ryan, but will never get home to see his wife again... If you don't cry after that, then you have no emotions or Heart!!😭😭😭I knew that ending was going to get you,😢.. Even Reiben(Edward Burns character) was crying when John Miller died...
"Imagine the smell of blood..." I'm a RN and worked trauma ICU for a bit. Once you've smelled massive blood, you never ever forget it. You'll recognize the smell years later, which I did when I was working in a different ICU and a patient was bleeding out under her blankets. I knew it the minute I came into the room. I'm sure all of the surviving men from this war were irretrievably traumatized.
Unfortunately, I smelled blood of a friend who had an accident few years ago... For one entire week I was smelling the blood, It was as if my nose had blood in it.
Me too, for 8 years. You’re correct. Also: I’d be floated to the burn unit every so often, and bc of our Union contact they gave ICU level patients to the ICU RNs - despite us not being burn nurses. Anyway I cared for a young woman with 85% TBSA full thickness. I was smelling gauze and oozing fluids for probably two weeks. The day after I actually started putting mentholated ointment under my nose to get some relief
I don't watch war movies but here I am at 79 yrs old and decided to watch this movie. I was in my war in Vietnam in 66 and 67. I served as a medical corpsman with the 3rd Marine division for 13 months. I identify with Wade, the army medic. There was, and I hope still is, a real special bond between corpsmen/medics and their men that existed. It was a job that I really enjoyed for 4 years. Saw some of America's finest young men die but it still was a special time. Semper Fi. Thanks for posting.
Great reaction to a powerful and IMPORTANT movie. My granfather, landed on that same beach. He was wounded by shrapnel. His legs and back were scarred and he NEVER talked to us about it. He was a wonderful, loving man. He saw so much and we owe an immense gratitude to that ENTIRE GENERATION. Thank you for your beautiful reaction. .. Side note, Opham was like a lot of young men in that war. It's hard for me to judge him or others. It's easy to SAY that i wouldn't be like him, but it's impossible to know for sure. Nobody knows until they are thrown into HELL how they'd respond. It's frustrating to see cowardice, but in reality, we just never know.
I've had to call 911 multiple times due to accidents/car crashes. It's amazing how many people completely freeze when something "horrible" happens to them/near them.
When Tom Hanks reports to his CO that he has 35 dead and about 70 wounded he is only speaking of his company, which would have been about 150- 200 men. So his company was devastated. It is at half-strength at best. Other companies would have had their own surviving officers or NCOs providing their own casualty reports to the Lt. Colonel.
at 10:30 those 2 soldiers were actually Czech and weren't speaking German. They said "Please don't shoot me! I am not German, I am Czech, I didn't kill anyone! I am Czech!" At times Soldiers from other countries were conscripted after being invaded and captured by Nazi Germany. So they were probably forced in serving by being threatened etc.
There's a really interesting quote from Jeremy Davies, the actor who plays Upham, that I think adds a lot to what Spielberg was trying to do with the movie: "Halfway through the shoot, Steven took me aside and said he'd seen some of the dailies, and that he'd been inspired to start telling 'Ryan' from Upham's POV. He told me that Upham represented the audience more than any other character, given that, of course, most of us will never experience war, and Upham was only trained to serve as an interpreter in noncombat situations."
nice to know! That's exactly how I took Upham to be after my 2nd viewing (1st viewing I hated him) cos I knew with me having ZERO experience in war, I'd probably freeze up on the beach, & realized Upham didn't even go through the beach scenes & arrived fresh & prepared only to translate. Most of us couldn't even translate, but he was definitely meant to be us as we're introduced to the squad & then along the way through the action. We are Upham.
I wouldn't be too sure on the fact that most won't experience war, mate. We're overdue a massive conflict, and with what's going on around the world at the moment... I'm not too sure nowadays.
I hear you. I think about this a lot, especially now that we can see these conflicts in detail with things like bodycams and smartphones, it just hammers home how conflict is Hell on Earth. Still, all we can do is carry on and deal with things if, or when, they happen.@@KingDomsKingdom85
@@meminustherandomgooglenumbers well ofc depends on the scenario. If the D-Day was called of because of weather in 1944. Russia would have had 100 divisions of quality and the full war machine facing them. The biggest production for Germany happened in 1944, the allied bomb raids didn't really hurt the production anymore. Russia would have been stopped. No Lisbon there.
Upham had never been in combat and was paralysed with fear. No one knows how they'd react, suddenly finding themselves amongst all that. You should cut him some slack! Poor Upham.
@@dwood21851 I have never met a combat veteran who doesn't absolutely despise Upham. Just because it's understandable doesn't make it something acceptable.
I enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1977. I served 6 years as a Expeditionary Airfield Equipment Technician. I am thankful that I never saw combat. I have the utmost respect for combat veterans. I came back home and served my community and my state as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher and a Correctional Officer. I am now retired, but as a member of the Marine Corps League, AmVets and American Legion, I am part of an honor guard, performing military funeral services for our fallen veterans. I have this movie on BluRay in 7.1 surround sound and I pull it out to watch every Memorial Day, just to remind me of the horrors of war and to give me incentive to continue doing what I can for our combat veterans.
As one who had spent most of his adult life in the military and seen combat I want to thank you - thank you sincerely for you honest and heartfelt reaction to the movie and to include the tears that you shed for those "brothers in arms". My father was in the Korean War - was shot down and was a POW - and I turned 18 in Vietnam and then went through Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Desert Storm etc. I am now retired and can appreciate young people such as yourself that seem to "get it" and really care. Thank you once again Christy - may God Bless you and keep you safe.
@@christiankirkwood3402 It sounds right to me "The Czech hedgehog (Czech: rozsocháč or ježek) is a static anti-tank obstacle defense made of metal angle beams or I-beams (that is, lengths with an L- or 𝐈-shaped cross section). It is similar in shape (and design) to a much larger version of metal knucklebones or caltrops."
@@billwieland8497 ... That is correct. The Czech hedgehog should not be confused with the British hedgehog, which was an anti-submarine weapon. It fired up to 24 mortars at a U-boat.
When the Captain said he had 35 dead, he was talking about another unseen battle after that beach scene. In reality, the U.S. lost nearly 4,000 guys on that Omaha Beach invasion on D-Day. That battle lasted for more than eight hours--not the 35 minutes that the movie portrayed. Most men in that war were drafted--they were not volunteers. The Army trained them and then told them where to go. Very few had a choice. It was basically a civilian army. As to the war--WWII was a very necessary war to stop Hitler and fascism.
There were not 4,000 lost on Omaha beach. There were only about 4,400 KIA throughout all the beaches and including the paratroopers. The misunderstanding is that many people see numbers about casualties and think that means killed. Casualties aren't just killed; that includes wounded, missing people that may be found later or were taken as POWs and later released, even troops that just get sick are counted as casualties.
Defilade means you have protection in the form of a structure, vehicle, or natural barrier. The death toll for D-Day was about 4500, with Omaha Beach accounting for 2500 dead. FUBAR stands for F*#k Up Beyond All Repair or Beyond All Recognition. The "balloons" were attached to cables that were meant to stop enemy planes from strafing the soldiers.
I’m a 23 year Army combat veteran, 1980-2003. I was in Desert Shield/Storm, and Enduring Freedom. You never forget the sounds or smells.And the sounds and smells are what triggers my PTSD. Why did I go to war? To serve and defend my country, family, and loved ones so that they could continue to live their lives with the freedoms that they grew up and lived with. To fight the battles, defend and protect others who had been killed or over run by dictators or other evil men bent to make the world in their image. I’ve lost friends and brothers in both wars. Would I do it all again? Yes, in a heartbeat. I was hired as a DoD civilian in September of 2010, and spent almost two more years in Afghanistan. FUBAR = Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition.
World War II started because Germany/Hitler invaded Poland. The U.S. was trying to stay out of the war but then Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, and that brought the United States into the war. Also, yes there was a draft but there were also many volunteers. Movies and shows like this are a great reminder of the sacrifices so many people made to defend our freedoms, and they are also a great reminder of how horrific war is.
Don’t forget the Soviet Union was apart of invading Poland with Nazi Germany at the beginning of WW2. They only switched to the allied side after being backstabbed by the Nazi’s.
@@ProtossWannabe1984the whole 1930’s saw episodes of totalitarianism expansion. Italy in Africa, Japan invading parts of Asia and China, Hitler with Czechoslovakia etc; though Poland was the breaking point that led to the official declaration of war by Britain and France. Until then, their policy of appeasement and Americas policy of isolationism allowed these totalitarian leaders (Hitler, Mussolini, Hirohito) to commit these invasions relatively unchecked and with no punishment. This is why people went to war (though many were drafted), Hitler/Nazi Germany had its sights set on Europe and eventual world domination.
My dad is beneath one of those marble crosses, and I still remember the officer kneeling to hand my mother the folded flag from his coffin. He was a very brave man who was at the invasion of Normandy, and later, he helped liberate a concentration camp. He described some of his experiences to me, and I honestly would tell him this minute that, yes, you were a good man and you did live a good life. Thank you Cristy, for helping me relive a few precious moments of my dads' life...
A massacre is exactly what it is, and why war is often referred to as "the meat grinder", as one side normally only wins by throwing more bodies at a particular situation. The opening scene shows how war can be strategic at times, as once they got enough bodies on the beach, they could then come at the enemy positions with a little more care. But when they first hit the beach, it was just a numbers game at that point, which is the sad realities of war.
Before starting the movie: ''I'm ready, I have my water, my headphones, let's do it!'' Me, a multiple time veteran of watching this film. You're not ready for this movie until you also get a box of tissues at hand, lady.
This one is brutal. Band of brothers is another series that shows the horrors of war. Nothing can really show you the reality and the absolute terror but this is as close as it gets.
@@burkhartlaw1 Yeah. I preferred the Pacific, exactly for how much worse the fighting was. I know I know. BoB is supposed to be superior. Not to me. Also I loved Letters from Iwo Jima. It humanizes the Japanese and shows the battle from their side, for a change. Highly recomend.
"Nobody deserves a medal; it’s just the ridiculous situation you find yourself in and how you react to it. Courage isn’t a tap you can just turn on or off. Courage isn’t permanent. It’s a tenuous and fickle thing. Courage and cowardice exist in every man."
2:49 those are called “Dragons’ Teeth.” They are designed to dig into the dirt and immobilize vehicles that try to drive through them, the only way to get vehicles through is to either move them aside or demolish them like we saw a combat engineer doing during the assault.
You shouldn't dislike Upham, everyone will react to the horror of war differently and he was only drafted into the team as a translator, not a soldier. But he redeems himself at the end. We needed this character just as a juxtaposition.
The Upham apologists again. He's done basic training but the overall performance of men and women sent abroad in whatever capacity to serve aren't reflected by the inactions of a fictional character. He actually doesn't redeem himself. There's just nobody now to know of his cowardice nor his rooting for that guy who shot his captain when Upham could have stopped him even if he himself got killed. No redemption.
I agree that he had been in a position he should never have been in, and it's not his fault. That said, I don't think someone like Upham even considers that redemption. More like loss of self.
@@genghisgalahad8465 The guy who killed Melish wasn't the guy they released. The guy who shot Cpt. Miller was the guy they let go but not the one that killed Melish where Upham froze.
that scene where the medic was dying and they gave him more morphine, that was the medics way of asking them to put him down. He just wanted to ve relaxed as he was dying, and they all knew it, thats why they all had a slight pause after he asked
It doesn’t matter how many times I see a female watch this it never ceases to amaze me how beautiful the heart of a woman is. I thank God for y’all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the only thing that matters is 1 it happened 2 some survived and 3 the rights you have in this country are because they died and survived to make it reality. capeche? so the next time you see an old man crossing the road grab his hand whether he served or not. that generation IS THE REASON YOU ARE HERE. MAN UP
If not already covered--Defilade: a depression that provides some protection. In this case, it was created by their bangalore (a pipe containing explosives that could be scewed onto other sections to drive the first one where you want it). Baloons are barrage baloons, intended to interfere with low-flying enemy aircraft trying to attack. The Army had dedicated units that collected and tried to identfy bodies. A bit like CSI, they could often deal with bodies in very poor condition. My last pastor had been a bomber pilot in WW2. When he learned I was deploying, he caught be in the parking lot. It was eerie how the officer in him just came streaming out. He ended by saying "People today could not comprehend the level of destruction in WW2; they couldn't get their head around it." When this movie aired, my brother said he did not sleep for four days afterwards. I thought, this helps us understand why so many could not share their experiences.
We took my grandpa to see this when it came out. He walked out after the opening battle scene in tears. I never could get him to watch it. He said it was too close to the real thing.
That's exactly what Spielberg was going for when researching the real d-day to film the opening sequence. He knew to truly respect the men who died taking that beach, he had to make the assault as realistic as possible
I cry with this movie every single time I see it. Even though this particular film is fiction, it represents what a lot of men went through, and I cry for them. It doesn't bother me, they deserve at least, my tears.
Upham still pisses me off till this day. And i watched this movie like 15 years ago. Never been so pissed at a movie character before. Well done for a movie so well written. Its so gritty and real. The other must watch war movie is Band of Brothers... Its so good
Your reaction is genuine and your questions are valid. It is, as you said, " too much". War is an awful and terrible thing, but it's our duty to these brave soldiers to watch, learn, honor, and never forget their sacrifices.
"Why did people do this? Were they drafted or did they volunteer?" Most of the US troops who died on Omaha Beach were members of a division made up of draftees and National Guardsmen, while the unit led by Capt. Miller were the highly trained (and experienced) Army Rangers, who were all specially selected, as were the 101st Airborne which Pvt. Ryan was in.
I am a retired Combat Veteran and I watch it every year. Every memorial Day. And a few others. And I have the same reaction every single time. Crazy allergies the entire ending make my eyes water uncontrollably. So I feel your emotion! So many gave so much that are taken for granted.
I saw this opening weekend in Sacramento (I’m Canadian) and the theatre was packed with vets and active duty military, the veterans said they could smell gunpowder and diesel while watching this. Some walked out because the ptsd was just too much. Gives u an idea of just how realistic this movie is
This movie did a good job of coming close to depicting how brutal and horrific the war was, and war is in general.. Men were drafted for that war, for that invasion.. many volunteered, but there were many who were drafted and didn't have a choice.. millions..
Even Steven admits there were some things he just couldn't put on screen that did happen during D Day. You are correct though as Steven did a great job of NOT glorifying war but showing it at it's ugliest. Better than any other had at that point other than Platoon.
So the stuff on the beach are called Czech hedgehogs and they are for the immobilization and repelling of tanks. It's a simple design - basically just rough pieces of angle iron welded together - but a tank would drive into one and it would obstruct the tracks. Then you would normally place some mines next to it so that the tanks are funneled right into your trap. So on Omaha beach, these contraptions were there to provide an obstacle for the Allied tanks. Unfortunately for the Americans, their bombardment of the shore defenses failed AND almost all their tanks got wiped out in the surf - a double blow that almost cost them the day. As an added benefit, the hedgehogs also proved to be an obstacle for the landing craft, meaning you had to deploy your landing force a good few meters back where you would have wanted to. Which means a good minute or so for a soldier.
The beach obstacles main purpose was to sink or damage as many landing craft as possible. The enemy thought the invasion force would land at high tide since it would reduce the distance the troops would have to cross to reach the enemy positions. The allies decided to land at low tide so that the combat engineers would destroy as many of those obstacles as possible before the tide came in. That way the following waves would have a better chance. However, it meant that the troops would have to cross 300-400 yards of open ground. Captain Miller would have known all this so wouldn’t have argued with the combat engineer about destroying the obstacles. As for the tanks, there’s a lot more that landed than most people realize. Of the 106 tanks scheduled to land before and during the first wave, almost 60% actually made it. Unfortunately, they don’t get much attention because well placed antitank guns kept them essentially pinned for quite awhile. Some were disabled simply because of the rising tide flooded engine compartments. Once the breakout from the beach began, they proved their worth and helped a lot. There’s an excellent video about the DD-tanks at Omaha by the TH-cam channel WW2TV you can check out.
There were also long sloping poles with a trigger and explosives supported by legs. aA tiny error in the movie is they are sloping in the wrong direction.
Cristy, I was born 9 years after the end of WWII. Never in my life did I ever hear a word spoken of it, from my father, uncles, or anyone else. Only POW's would reveal the guilt and shame they personally felt years later. I don't believe those individuals had anything to regret, as they were captured doing their duty. People who experience war NEVER have a desire to share those memories, and those memories often die hidden inside. I thank them all for that!
I think the branch of the service matters here. My father flew Lancaster bombers in WWII. He spoke often of his close calls but then he did not observe death first hand. The in-your-face reality of ground warfare is infinitely more intense than air combat.
Upham is such an important character. No one believes that they'll be an Upham, but you never really know until you're in that situation. But the Upham's of the war were also still worthy soldiers who worked behind the scenes to make things tick. I know in the US military every soldier is meant to be a rifleman, but tossing an unprepared POG on the front is just as much a failure of leadership and circumstance as it is a failure of the man himself.
What many ppl may not realize is that prior to this time frame of the deaths of these 3 Ryan brothers in the movie, causing the Army to return the sole surviving son (Private Ryan) back home to his family, the 5 Sullivan brothers (referred to after the 13:30 mark) were all killed in action at the same time aboard the USS Juneau in 1942, in which President Franklin D Roosevelt had to send a letter to the Sullivan parents and notify them that ALL 5 of their sons were killed at the same time. This is one of the main incidents that led to the military implementing a Sole Survivor Policy, where any sole surviving son are excused from active service. (which is the basis and entire reason for this mission to return Private Ryan back to his family)
The Sole Survivor Policy only applies during peacetime, not during war. The US military has discharged personnel to prevent occurrences like what happened to the Sullivan family, but it is at the US military's discretion, it's not a binding law. Check out the DoD regulations under the heading, "Special Separation Policies for Survivorship". Additionally, either the servicemember themselves, or someone from his/her family must submit a request. If the request is approved, that servicemember will be reassigned to a non-combat role, but won't necessarily be released from the military, although they can be (up to the military's discretion). Officers are not eligible for this policy. Here is the relevant passage from the regulation: 4.1.3. The separation eligibility provisions in paragraphs 4.1.1. and 4.1.2. shall not apply during a war or national emergency declared by the Congress.
@@MrVvulf "The Sole Survivor Policy only applies during peacetime, not during war" Nevertheless, the US military had implemented a de facto sole survivor policy by the final year of WWII. My father (US Navy) avoided combat duty because of it.
@@robertstallings6020 Indeed. I wanted to make folks aware that it's a soft guideline, not a law they can count on. If they're an only child and we ever have a major war where a draft is instituted, they should expect to be called upon.
I'm always surprised how no one knows or has even heard of the expression FUBAR. I thought it was a lot more common an expression than I've discovered through reactions to SPR
If they don't know FUBAR, they definitely won't know SNAFU. I think most (not all) people over 40 will have heard the term FUBAR, as well as most who served in the military, but since it was primarily a WW2 term (first known use was in 1944), it isn't in regular use among younger generations.
I went to the theater when Private Ryan debuted in theaters. When I was walking out after it was over, these two WW2 veterans came out together and both had tears in thier eyes. Even though it the war had been over for decades, the experience was still with the veterans.
21:38: that may have been (probably was?) inspired by Carlos Hathcock, a legendary Marine sniper who fought in Vietnam and reportedly once killed an enemy sniper by shooting through the enemy's own scope, hitting him in the eye and killing him.
Great reaction Cristy like always, love this masterpiece. My grandfather serve with Sergeant Frederick Niland in 501 company, Sergeant Frederick Niland was the inspiration for this movie he had 3 brothers that were killed in action. This movie is based on a book. Robert Rodat (screen writter) was first inspired to craft the narrative upon reading Stephen Ambrose’s nonfiction retrospective D-Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II. Rodat was fascinated by an honorary memorial dedicated to families who had lost multiple sons in the war. Rodat began writing Saving Private Ryan after studying the true story of Sergeant Frederick “Fritz” Niland. Fritz Niland’s brothers Preston and Robert had enlisted for service, and his brother Edward had volunteered. In May 1944, Edward was shot down over Burma and presumed dead. In June, Robert was killed on D-Day and Preston was killed on Omaha Beach. Frederick had gone missing during the Normandy Invasion, and the U.S. Army commissioned him to be rescued and sent home. An army unit under chaplain Fr. Francis Sampson identified Frederick’s location and sent him back to his parents Michael and Augusta Niland. Frederick’s brother Edward was also discovered to be alive and was rescued from a Burmese POW camp and also returned home safely. The rescues were the result of the U.S. War Department’s “sole survivor” policy, which was adopted in 1942 after the five Sullivan brothers who served in the U.S. Navy had all been killed during the sinking of the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal. So, while Saving Private Ryan is unquestionably inspired by true events, the film's story of Captain Miller's risky mission to save one man is entirely fictional. And congrats for not mistaken some characters. A lot of reactors confuse the guy who was let go, and later shot Capt. Miller and then was shot by Upham, with the soldier who stabbed Mellish. They wore different uniforms: the prisoner who was released and later returned was regular Wehrmacht, and the guy who stabbed Mellish was SS, They chosen two actors for those roles that looked so similar they did that literally to tell the viewers that war is confusing. Steven Spielberg explained this. He most likely didn't kill Upham because he instantly recognized he wasn't a threat. Upham even takes his hands off of his gun and holds them up in surrender to the SS soldier. Not a lot of satisfaction in killing someone who's basically curled up in the fetal position. You should watch the mini series Band Of Brothers,Keep up the amazing work.
I've never served in the military, but my paternal grandfather was a British Army paratrooper in WWII. (In the late 60s early 70s my Dad was also a British Army paratrooper.) Although this movie was told from an American perspective, I genuinely appreciate it's historical accuracy as well as it's artistry. It was the first war movie I ever saw that was told from a point of view of grief. My only minor niggle was the fact that the most "cowardly" character was named Upham. It's not an especially common name and the only Upham I know of in WWII was Charles Hazlitt Upham who was an officer in the New Zealand 2nd Division.The 2NZ Division was the division that experienced the most continuous combat of any unit in the war, from Greece and Crete then years of fighting in North Africa, then Italy and finally Austria.Both my maternal Great Uncles served in the 2NZ Division, from the same part of the country as Upham and both knew him well. Upham is famous for being the only combat soldier in history to be awarded the worlds premier decoration for valour, the Victoria Cross, twice. He survived the war after many bad experiences (including being captured after being severely wounded and imprisoned in Colditz Castle.) I remember his funeral in Christchurch Cathedral and the Army Honour Guard. It was so unusual to see uniformed soldiers back in NZ in the 90s.
Nice comments and info, especially on such an impactful movie. I think it makes all viewers teary eyed! As for the Sullivan brothers on the Juneau in 1942, there were 5 brothers, and not four. They all perished.
You should watch Taking Chance with Kevin Bacon after Saving Private Ryan. It’s about how the Military escorts a KIA from the battlefield. It’s amazing, bring tissues. Also wait until you see We Were Soldiers, another true story about the Vietnam war. Mel Gibson stars.
A modern, classic movie that's both a powerful and emotional rollercoaster, but that end scene gets me every time - now where did I leave those tissues...
Thank you for reacting to this movie. Grandfather served in the 5th Ranger Battalion on D-Day +33 in WW2. Got the Bronze Star & 2 purple hearts on June 6th. Fought at the Battle of Saint-Lo with the 29th Infantry Battalion, was wounded, saved by a Sherman crew, tank commander died saving him and other GIs and was discharged by 1945. Died in 2000 from cancer 2 years after Saving Private Ryan.
I just read that everyone hated that improv, but Spielberg left it in to underline the point that Ryan was just an average guy, and maybe even a bit of an a88hole.
This is a powerful reaction and it's OK that you don't know much about WWII, not everyone knows a lot about history especially since you're from a country that wasn't intolved in the conflict. That's why movies like these are important. They connect current audiences with a time that could easily be forgotten, reminding us of the sacrifices many went through
Without getting into the backstory of why (RIP Ssgt Milo Fish 106th Golden Lions), I've been studying military history (particularly WWII) since my very early teens. Saw this film several times when it came out in the theaters (in my college years). Will try to answer some of your questions as I watch. - The x-shaped obstacles in the surf and on the beach at the beginning were Czech hedgehogs. Intended as anti-tank obstacles, they also worked to thwart landing craft at higher tides and/or to prevent tanks from being disembarked from seacraft at low tide. - Defilade means a position that is sheltered from enemy view and/or fire. You could find defilade behind a tank or a building or a hill, etc. - Re surrenders, it depended on the circumstance. In active combat, prisoners are not a viable option. Whereas if you've secured an objective and the active fighting was over, if someone surrendered you'd likely (were required to) detain and send to the rear for intel purposes. An ugly reality of war, POWs captured in active/hot combat were probably statistically rare. - The "35 dead" referred to the men from Captain Miller's unit, not the total number of fatal casualties. The casualties (injured and dead) were in the multiple thousands. - Regarding the disposal of dead soldiers, there were companies of the Quartermaster's Graves Registration Service that did their best to document and properly bury casualties. - My opinion on Upham is that he wasn't so much afraid to die (though he was that), he was afraid to kill. He was a poet and a reader who didn't understand what he was involved in. He tried to stop Steamboat Willie's death, he was terrified to go save Mellish because he knew he would have to kill to do so. Only when he saw Steamboat Willie shoot Captain Miller did he finally understand that he would not get out of the war without killing. Fitting (in a literary sense) that his first kill was Willie. If you ever react to Band of Brothers I'd be honored to share my Uncle Milo's story with you. He and his friends deserve to be remembered.
In the early 2000s I met a german catholic bishop, Bernardo Witte. He passed away a few years ago. He was serving the last decades here in Argentina, then he retired and went to Germany. He didn't find himself there and came back to my country. Because he had respiratory issues, he lived his last years in Mendoza province, close to the Andes, a dry an desertic climate. Even thou he was retired had permisson to celebrate the sacrament of confession. His sister was buried in Africa where she served as a nun and she spent her family inheritance on behalf of the poor. I don't recall if he had another sister also a nun. He recommended that we watch this movie because he said that it was very faithful to reality. Then he told us that he was 16 when he was enlisted to the army. Was a sentry in a V-2 facility. He promised God that if he survived the war he would become a priest. Saved his life and that of his companions cause he shouted in english: "Don't shoot" when the site was taken by US soldiers. Thanks to his mother that forced him to learn english when he was younger. He was kept prisoner for 2 years and began seminary in prison. He also recommended The Devil's Advocate film.
All the men that fought their families, friends, and country, thank you. God bless, I hope future generations appreciate your sacrifice, and not turn their backs on you. Respect your military men/women, it is only because of them you can live a comfy life. 🙏
I watched your reaction to Saving private Ryan and to tell you the truth I was disappointed when you said you didn't like Upham you truly don't understand the horrors of war I'm a veteran of the Vietnam War and have seen things that I'll carry for the rest of my life as far as Upham is concerned Noone knows what they'll do in war I've seen guys freeze in battle he even told Captain Miller that he hadn't fired his weapon since basic please don't judge someone if you have never been to war or seen what war can do to someone
This is true! And maybe I forgot to see him as a human being and instead grew frustrated with him as a "character in a movie." No one knows how they would react in these scenarios
I’m so glad to see the movies you’re watching from suggestions. This one has got to be in the top 20 greatest films. You should check out Band Of Brothers (on your own but would love to see the reaction). Tom Hanks and Spielberg put it together and the cast is top notch. Enjoyed the reaction as always, keep up the great work!
It’s great you pointed out the sounds in the beginning. I heard a few interviews that many WWII vets left the theater because the immersion was too much. Also, there were priests on the battlefield to ensure dying soldiers were read last rights. It was considered an unspoken rule/agreement (and made a war crime as part of the Geneva Convention) that priests and medics were not to be shot at.
I had the same initial reaction about Upham. But upon reflection I don't know that I wouldn't have frozen up too. Not everyone has it in them to survive mentally or physically in that situation. I have never been in such a situation, so I dare not judge him for what he would have to live with for the rest of his years.
Upham didn't choose to go with them. He knew he couldn't handle combat but they brought him anyway. I absolutely don't think he's responsible for anyone dying.
I’m only 4:00 into your reaction, but I feel I HAVE to point out a detail I feel is more impactful than most. During combat, there is no music. No romanticizing or even a triumphant battle cry, just the chaotic sounds of conflict and the ensuing confusion and choices one makes in those scenarios.
You will love "Band of Brothers". It is basically a mini-series like this, except you get to know each (historical) person for a much longer period of time.
Oof, this one. Well, it's a mandatory watch as one of the best war movies overall, and it is certainly one of the best WWII movies. In addition, the Normandie invasion scene is, to this date, the greatest and most realistic I have ever seen.
Hey, did you notice the pocket compass that Tom Hanks carried in this movie is the same type of compass Steve Rogers used in Captain America in the MCU? He kept a picture of Peggy Carter inside the lid, so he could see her face every time he popped it open. ❤ Love the accuracy that Marvel used authentic period pieces in a superhero movie.
I totally agree with the "Title" of your review. This movie is so hard to watch i can't even watch any reaction after one time time seeing in a theater. So horrible most of those "kids" getting killed were 18 to 22 years old. My great uncle was on that beach and he never talked about since so traumatic. Thank You for reviewing for those who have never seen.
Basically, Upham is us if we found ourselves thrust into that situation. It's easy to comfortably watch movies about war, but not so easy to summon extreme valor when paralyzed by the cold grip of fear. Imagine the lasting guilt of veterans who experienced this sort of thing and were forever haunted by it. The last thing Spielberg intended was for us to hate Upham.
Fantastic reaction christy it's an emotional roller coaster you took it pretty well I think this is Steven Spielbergs best all time masterpiece thank you for your honesty
You did a great job … some of your reactions made me laugh because of your girlish questions and comments. Women and Men are so different, it’s really fascinating hearing a female point of view about a war movie. I’m glad you enjoyed the ride… I think Hanks is a national treasure - he’s kinda like a modern day Jimmy Stewart. There were so many young up and comers in that move. Giovanni Rabisi was a kid - now he’s iike, 49 and the kid that was mistaken for the Ryan they were looking for, that was Nathan Fillian, the guy who played in Firefly, Castle and currently the lead in the Rookie - he’s 53. Upam was such a beta male in this movie - I hated him…. But, he’s a fine actor, his name is Jeremy Davies…. Anyway, you have great personality, and you were fun to watch…
Hi friends! I want to take a moment to add a note to everyone watching this reaction.
First off, I want to acknowledge that I went into this movie completely unprepared. I didnt even realize it was WW2 until several minutes into it. I knew it was a war movie, but I didn't know which war. There's a lot that I don't know about war and history. Maybe because I'm from Colombia and they only gave us the broad-strokes about a war we were barely involved in... or maybe because I just didn't pay attention in school. Regardless: yes, I fully admit, I don't know much about the subject matter.
Throughout the video, you'll also hear me express sentiments like "war is so horrible," "why do we do this?," "what a waste of life." These reactions come from a place of shock and sorrow for the loss and suffering that war brings.
However, I want to be clear that in saying these things, my intention is not to diminish the incredible bravery and sacrifices made by the soldiers in WWII. Their fight against tyranny and oppression was necessary and heroic, and I have a LOT of respect and gratitude for what they endured and accomplished.
Some of you have pointed out that war is sometimes an inevitable part of our history. My comments are a reaction how shocking and horrific those battles are, not a judgment on those who bravely face it. Thank you to all who have served and sacrificed.
Christy, your reactions and comments were just fine. 👍
Anyone criticizing your comments is just being self-righteous and rude.
You're one of the only people I've seen come back and say something like this. Most people say stuff like "this is all so pointless" during their reactions and maybe they mean the same thing as you, but they never try to say anything else about it like this. It comes off as very detached and cold to our history and the men that died to shape it and their personal struggle inside of the grand picture of these chaotic times. There's a lot to be said about the difference between the world my grandfather and great uncles endured this horrible war for and the one we've actually ended up with, but they didn't do these things for no reason and their sacrifices weren't pointless whatever the case. Thank you for taking the time to clarify your feelings.
And BTW Tom hanks character saying their casually number was 35 dead, he meant that many just from his company died. That's not counting all the other casualties from other us units or the British and Canadian forces
Great comment, Christy. While I don't think you necessarily had to defend yourself since it's obvious what you meant, at least to everyone who isn't simply looking to argue, I do appreciate that you took the time to write a comment and further explain what you were thinking. The thoughtfulness of your commentary is one of the reasons that I enjoy your reactions. Lots of reactors "react" to movies, but they don't necessarily let us know what they're thinking or feeling which, for me, is the main appeal of watching reaction videos. I want to know what the person watching a film that I love is thinking and feeling. I want to know that someone else out there experienced the same thing I did when I saw it, or maybe they experience something totally different than I did and I can get a different perspective from them. You're great at letting us know what you think and feel as you watch these films, and I appreciate that.
The 'best' war movies, like this one, are the ones that do NOT glorify the killing and show how terrible the sacrifices are. Another such movie is We Were Soldiers with Mel Gibson.
35 weren't killed on the beach, 2,500 were killed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Everyone needs to understand WW2 in its entirety. Humans forgetting history is what allows it to repeat itself.
Humans arent forgetting history. In the west they are actively trying to rewrite the history of WW2.
What's really sad is young American's don't believe in freedom anymore. They increasingly say democracy and the Bill of Rights isn't important. They are headed toward communism if things keep going the way they are.
I hear today's kids making jokes about Hitler, Jewish folks, WWIII in general. Seriously, their asses wouldn't be alive if it weren't for the many who survived this war, who stopped Germany and Japan from demolishing the entire world.
Yeah I think you missed the story line there just like Cristy did. He wasn't saying he lost 35 men at Omaha Beach that day. He was talking about another mission that happened later on. So the cuts that Christy or crew made here didn't give the entire context of the 35 dead figure. One of the lines he stated after talking about the dead and wounded was "they just didn't want to give up those 88s". That is specifically referring to the German 88mm flak/anti aircraft gun that was repurposed as an anti tank gun since it did amazingly well at that job. You didn't see them engage any 88s in the Omaha Beach scene. Just MG34s and MG42s and smaller arms.
Even on the off chance he was referring to the Omaha Beach bit obviously he wouldn't be trying to give the major a tally of ALL dead from all commands along the Omaha Beach area. Just the people under his own command.
Oh, good to know that she believed the casualties to have been 35, so I don't have to watch this reactioon at all. My blood pressure would be off the charts hearing that.
The "earn this" from Captain Miller at the end of this was not only meant for Ryan. It was meant for each one of us
Well said
@@blitzer6858 wow
One of the most meaningful messages in the history of film. We rarely, or never, earn the sacrifices that have been made for us ... and never less than now ... at this point in our history.
@chadbennett7873
Well said. The reactor, in this case, seems to fit right into your scenario. She is clueless to the reasons of why WW2 was fought. Perhaps because Colombia did not send an army overseas but rather became a haven, to include the whole of Latin America, for the Nazis'.
Thank you damn right it means earn the life you have is an American because you didn't have to do what other people did... So that you could have a better life.. it means to do the best you can with your life that you are permitted to have because someone gave theirs for yours
In the cemetery at the end you can tell Ryan never told his family what happened. His wife didn't recognize Capt. Miller's name. Ryan carried the burden alone for his whole life.
As many did. My grandfather was at Omaha Beach and the Battle of the Bulge. He wouldn't say a single word. He would ignore questions like they hadn't even been asked. He was an Army Col and liberated numerous towns and villages. I can not even imagine the horrors he witnessed during his time there. This movie gave me a tiny ounce of understanding. How many med died under his command following his orders?
My father worked in the oil fields during the war, so he was "exempt" because of his job. His 3 brothers were in, tho.
They never talked about it and we just understood to not ask about it...
they'd tell us when they were ready.
My dad died in early '86 and one of my uncles talked about his wartime experiences while we were at the cemetery...maybe for 25 minutes. My dad's brother's all died within the next 18 months so I never heard anything more about it.
@@mikeeckel2807 Yep for us as kids all of our Grandpa's had fought in the war so it wasn't something that was a big deal we never asked as we were told not to ask him about the war it wasn't till I was in High School and we dove into WWII that I started to understand what Grandpa did and the other young guys as well from all the allies I wanted to ask so many questions but never did they kept all those things they did and seen close to their vest and took it with them to the grave. It was only after he passed away in 1985 did we find letters and other memorabilia from overseas in Europe he fought with the Canadian Army and landed at Juno after the beaches were secured fought in France then on to Holland getting wounded from a bullet that grazed his face some of his letters from Holland are heartbreaking about the kids ( He left my dad and two of my Aunts behind as young kids Dad was only 4 when Grandpa shipped out in 1942 ) and how everyone was starving to death he came home in mid-1946 went back to work had 4 more kids after the war worked in construction and drove a cement till he was 60 and retired I think he wanted to build stuff rather then destroy stuff after what he had seen in Europe during the war he died young I think was all the stress he carried with him after war. Grandpa I never got to say this to you in person but you are my Hero and I am so proud of you and everyone else from that Generation
She asks, this was him?
Its ironic how we all thought what a douchebag Ryan will be when the team finds him. But at the end of the movie the real db is Upham the ammo runner with a working rifle. Wtf
The soldier calling out for his mom hits hard and remember this all actually happened. Just kids 18-19 sometimes even younger if they lied about they're ages
I am sure somebody else has already said so but this depiction of Normandy/D Day was so realistic that when they showed it to a bunch of Veterans who were there they all had to leave the theater because of flashbacks and PTSD
There was one vet interviewed that said it was the closest depiction in a movie of the Omaha landing that he'd seen... but the landing in reality was even much more hellish.
she literally says this herself at the start of the video lol
As a war veteran myself, I'll repeat something I heard a long time ago. I don't remember who said it but they nailed it... "There is no such thing as an un-wounded warrior".
band of brothers maybe?
Thanks for your service, sincerely! I have a military family too.
dad came back from vietnam but wish i knew the man before it? thank you for your service.
@@giacomodibos7229 I would say it's a common sentiment but yes one of them on BoB either Lipton or Winters narrating that even those that were never hit or physically injured at Bastogne were wounded nonetheless.
I know for a fact I am not the man I was before the First Gulf War.
31:36 "I don't think you can do more morphine right now. I think they do specific amounts."
You are correct.
The "ampules" of morphine were pre-measured so that 1 would dull your pain, 2 doses would probably knock you out.
More than that could be lethal.
When Wade said "I could use a little more morphine." he was asking them to kill him with painkillers so he wouldn't have to bleed to death in agony.
He knew it and they all knew it too.
His death always gets me more than any other death in this movie, begging for a mercy killing and crying for his mama right after telling that sad story about his mom coming home early.
Wade's story was an interesting insight on men. There's something in us that's stubborn, rebellious, sometimes even dark. Clearly Wade loved his mom, but some wild spirit within him pushed him to pretend to be asleep. I feel like there's a lot of peeks into the psyche of men in this movie - how they can joke right after a lethal engagement, how hard men can feel compassion for a little French girl defying all logic.
Yes, we caried a grease pencil and when we injected morphine, we put an "m" on the forehead and time. That way when they were medevac'd to an aid station, they knew when more could be given. I never had a case where extra morphine was given to a fatally wounded man to ease their death, but I know some corpsman did. Most folks will never be exposed to what hi velocity bullets and shrapnel do to a human body, not a pretty picture. Thats enough, I have said all I wanted to say.
That much blood loss and that much morphine….defiantly lethal. Better to go in peace than agony/pain.
which is ultimately why they end up giving him the morphine to try & help him die with as little pain as possible. They clearly weren't able to save him or give him the attention he needed let alone get him stable to move or to a hospital where skilled doctors might be able to do something in their position & alone with no help possible. Even if he was hit at a hospital or a medic tent I doubt he would have survived in any form. You also have to take into account even if they could save him would he want to be saved with the limited abilities or results of his injuries like being paralyzed or having to spend the rest of his life with unknown health issues etc. Especially in their situation the best they could do was let him die as painlessly as possible & feeling as much love & support as they could I know many don't want to hear that or admit it but considering his issues his survival even at a hospital would be unlikely & in the miracle he did certainly likely life changing.
its 1 for pain 2 for sleep 3 for heaven
i know because, I KNOW.
I once read a quote from Sergei Krushchev son of the Cold War-era Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev (who was a Soviet soldier in WW2) who told him "you can read books about war, you can interview people who were in the war, you can write about war, you can see movies about war, but unless you were there experiencing it personally, you cannot imagine how horrible it is".
Truth.
Facts.
And that's why politicians have no problem sending people to war. Because Hollywood reached them all about war.
Thanks for allowing your feelings to show. I am a vet (Vietnam), my dad was in the Navy (WW2) and my Grandfather lost both his legs in the Battle of Ardennes (WW1). My son was in the Navy as well in the 90s. None of us, from my son to my grandfather, ever sat down and talked about combat ever. This movie did a good job of showing some of the horrible things that happen during war. I am so glad that you have been spared from war. BTW, watching your reaction to the captain dying, made me cry (don't tell anyone).
Thank you for your family’s sacrifice along with your own. Thank you and God bless you:)
What an awesome family. Thank you all. That scene made me cry, too.
Thank you for your service
My Dad fought in the Pacific. I asked him one time why they fought. He looked at me, smiled and said, For you son, for you. They gave us a future.
I know everyone hates Upham but there are more Uphams out there than people realize. He wasn’t a combat soldier. He was wimpy and clumsy. He did not like the idea of using his weapon in a firefight. He was assigned in the army as a clerk and translator, not for full combat duties. He was scared out of his wits to do anything and I felt for him. War is a terrifying thing and if you’ve never been in war then you really don’t know how you would act until you are in it.
He's an odd fictional character that hardly reflects people in actuality. Even basic army gas minimal standards of performance.
@@genghisgalahad8465false! You’ve never been in a combat firefight huh? It depends on your MOS (military job) I was 11B (Infantry) in Iraq and Afghanistan. When fire fights would break out in the initial invasion of the wars, those without combat MOS would freeze, not because they’re scared, but because they didn’t train for combat like we did. Sometimes you had to just push them down to the ground so they don’t get killed. And cover for them as they remembered their basic training and eventually entered the firefight.
@genghisgalahad8465 when the military has to draft 3 million people, standards become less important. It's about having more boots than the enemy a lot of the time. Especially with the weapons of the time. They were cranking people through basic like a factory production line. If you made it through basic you were good enough. Some went on to additional training etc. Many became clerical staff. They needed a translator and he happened to be there so he got transferred. He was in no way prepared by extra training for all of that. He hadn't even fired a weapon since basic. The strongest bravest person you know could break completely and be a sobbing terrified lump on the ground and there is absolutely no shame in that. War is not a game. It is literal hell with the highest stakes. And you are being asked to murder in the name of your country. Some people can't square with that. No matter how big their balls are.
@@101stairborne6I have friends who fought in Afghanistan in the Marine Corps. They hated Upham when we talked about the movie.
@@mycroft16killing the enemy in war isn't murder. The definition of homicide/murder is the unlawful killing of one human being by another. Killing combatants in war as well as defense of self/others are not the same as murder.
Upham being hesitant is what happens when a noncombatant sees the horrors of war in such a short span of time and freeze due to the fear. Upham’s job during the war was to translate papers and maps, not take part in missions behind enemy lines. By comparison, the US Rangers recieved combat training from the British commandos and are the WWII-equivalent of modern day special forces soldiers. Had both of Miller’s translators not been killed prior to the mission, Upham wouldn’t have gone.
There’s dialogue between Hanks & Sizemore (RIP) when they’re putting the mission together where Hanks asks for a guy and Sizemore informs him he’s been killed in action, and Hanks says “OK, Mellish then.” We know what happens to Mellish, and it was as simple as he was alive and the other guy had already been killed. The randomness always got to me.
Ive seen people freeze and even shake afterwards in real life when confronted by 5 guys that probably would have attacked him at the subway. Some people react that way
shell shock?
Upham is such an important character. No one believes that they'll be an Upham, but you never really know until you're in that situation. But the Upham's of the war were also still worthy soldiers who worked behind the scenes to make things tick. I know in the US military every soldier is meant to be a rifleman, but tossing an unprepared POG on the front is just as much a failure of leadership and circumstance as it is a failure of the man himself.
@@Carakav I fully believe I would be an Upham in that situation. I know I'm not brave, which gives me all the more respect for those who display bravery in the face of death
I’m British. My grandfather served at gold beach for DDay. ( across from Omaha) thanks to our American brothers who stormed the beaches together!
Shame the dialogue snipes at the British effort, then steals the adversaries the British were fighting (the 'Tiger' tanks) and shows the Americans stopping them.
Nauseating and unnecessary.
@@lyndoncmp5751 Indeed. The Canadian effort is undermined even worse.
@@cmac007
Well technically the Canadians would be included in the "taking his time moving on Caen" jibe, seeing as Caen was a joint British/Canadian operation......... so the Canadians are including in that mock. 😝
@@lyndoncmp5751 I think because Americans lost the most troops during the landings. Making Omaha more of a Hollywood story I’d say.
@@scarecrowman7789
But there was no need to have that disrespectful bit of dialogue. It was totally irrelevant to the story and completely unnecessary. It adds nothing to the film.
Band of Brothers also shows disrespect and clichéd silliness towards the British military (Episode 4) and now the new Spielberg/Hanks series Masters of the Air does the same, in Episode 2.
Spielberg and Hanks productions keep doing it. There is a pattern there. It's not necessary and it's mean spirited. It puts me off watching these productions.
Cheers anyway. Best wishes.
At 10:27, the Czech soldiers say: "Please don't shoot me, I am not German, I am Czech, I didn't kill anyone, I am Czech!" These men were taken prisoner and forced into service by the German army.
I remember seeing this is the theater. The scene near the end when the tanks are coming and the ground was shaking so hard that the stones and rubble were vibrating was so terrifying. The surround sound in the theater made you feel it in your bones. I will never forget that scene or this movie.
I remember that, too. And in the opening scene, the sound was all-encompassing. It just held you in an iron grip. I knew after that opening scene that I had never seen or heard anything like that in a movie before and maybe never would again. It was just a cinematic game-changer.
Cristy: "Did they get drafted or did they volunteer?"
Me: Yes.
For Rangers? Mostly volunteered. For serving in the Army? Well.. some did, some didn’t. My Old Man and all of my Uncles signed up on the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked.
Not only did they volunteer, men actually lied about their age to serve.
The term we used was Volentold.
My Dad enlisted when he was 17 in WWII. His mother accompanied him. At his class's graudation ceremony. there was an em;ty chair on the stage for him. He got his GED in the Navy and was on a submrine, which he wanted to do becuase it double pay, which he sent back to his single mother, my grndmother.
@@custardflan salute to your dad! My grandfather fought in Germany. I have his framed map of where his unit (9th Armored Division) served/fought over there.
I am a combat veteran ( Vietnam ) don't worry about what you said . We said it also and I think it's normal
so don't worry. Thank you for this and God bless you.
Thank you for your comment Chuck, and I’m infinitely grateful for your service and sacrifice.
Welcome home, Sir.
Welcome Home Brother!
Thank you it really means a lot to me. God bless you@@edp5886
welcome home! thank you for your service.
Upham is surely the most contentious issues raised by this movie. To the uninitiated, his actions would seem weak, even cowardly. In his defence, he was not a veteran of war. He had received only the basic military training & this was his first involvement in active combat. I, in no way, condone his behavior but, until you've been in such intense situations, it's simply not possible to imagine the depth of his trauma. I'm sure that, as he made the decision to shoot the German soldier, much of his internal empathy had been lost, possibly for ever.
You make it sound like he changed in the span of a few minutes. The human brain doesn't work like that. One battle doesn't sap someone of all their empathy. It takes weeks or months of continuous trauma to do that, especially as an adult. He killed that guy because he felt guilt for failing his brothers during the battle.
My uncle drove the Landing craft on Omaha beach. He died from his wounds on 08 June, 2 days later. He made 3 trips to the beach...1st with troops, 2nd and 3rd with ammo; the 2nd and 3rd wave already had troops in the boats so he brought ammo to the fight. He is buried in Cambridge, England.
He survived other assaults before D-Day; North Africa, Sicily, Anzio & Salerno Italy, before the Normandy landings
These were the grandparents and great grandparents of you and you friends. So much respect is owed to that generation.
My absolute favorite part of this movie is when the General is reading the Lincoln Letter, he stops actually looking at it halfway through and starts reciting it from memory. He knows that in the position he's in, he is sending potentially thousands of men to their deaths every day, and you can tell by giving the authorization for an incredibly risky mission to rescue one man those deaths must weigh enormously heavy on him.
George Marshall, that Genral, was the Chief of Staff of the Army, and a very important military advisor to the President. Marshall is one of the great, but lesser known leaders of the US war effort, and the architect of the Marshall Plan to rebuild the devastated nations after the war.
I read somewhere that it was him Gral. Marshall the one who was supposed to lead the Allies in the invasion of Normandy, but President Roosevelt didn`t felt save without him, so he ordered Eisenhower to lead the Operation on D day.
General Marshall was whom Pres. Roosevelt depended on to build a World Class Military. The US had a tiny standing Army of 187,000, smaller than Portugal's military, ranked between 17th and 19th in size. Marshall built it up to 8,300,000. Our entire industrial base was no used to produce War materials, guns, planes, ships, tanks etc. Without Marshalls understanding of what was needed and how to use our resources to accomplish it, we could have easily lost the War. We lost around 400,000 soldiers and kept our civilians and country safe. In contrast, Russia, where by far, the largest land battles in the history of warfare took place, lost a combined 25,000,000 soldiers and civilians.
Heavy is the crown.
What gets me is Arlington Cemetery. They fought to get and keep the freedoms you got today.
It’s crazy you posted this. I was just watching a Band of Brothers reaction today and was thinking you should react to it. Then I immediately thought actually she needs to watch Saving Private Ryan first. You’re always a step ahead of the game.
Band of Brothers. YES!
The german soldier stabbing mellish is telling him "stop fighting, its better for you this way. You'll see, it will all be over and you'll see." Nobody ever mentions that scene.
Its also the same German soldier Upham asked to be released at the machine gun nest.
@charlesbyrne71 no it's a different soldier
Thanks for the translation. I always wondered what he was saying.
The reason people don't mention it, is because they don't know what he's saying.
I didn't understand the language, but I kinda knew that he was trying to comfort him as he died.
The movie "The Longest Day" portrays both parties neutrally. This movie portrays the enemy as cowardly, sneaky and devious. Typical patriot cinema from Spielberg. If you know who is evil, the day has structure.
The blimps are barrage balloons. They are tethered to the ships. If enemy planes try to dive bomb, torpedo or strafe the ships they risk getting snagged and entangled in the steel cables that tether the blimps to the ships, causing the enemy planes to crash.
For context, when this movie was released in theaters, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs had to open an emergency hotline because many WWII veterans saw the movie and experienced severe episodes of PTSD. The opening scene is widely renowned as the most accurate depiction of warfare in cinematic history. It took a level of bravery, many of us will never know, just to make it off that beach.
Answer: The "more morphine" part...... Doc knew he was dead, he asked for the morphine so he wouldnt be in so much pain while he died. Thats what Captain Miller realizes when Docs asks.
Yes, there is only so much morphine that can be taken before problems arise and eventually death by overdose.
This however wasnt them overdosing him, it was just giving him slightly over the normal amount to ease his passing.
That's historically something that has happened quite a lot......when the patient isn't able to be saved and as long as supplies arent in dire need, we have used drugs to ease the pain while the patient finishes dieing.
No two syringes back then wasn't "slightly over the normal". That was clearly an overdose meant to ease one's passing.
By the way, Upham is a translator, service guy. The others in the platoon are Rangers. Thats a type of higly trained commando-type outfit, trained in close combat, climbing, enemy weapons etc. You can't blame Upham for not being like those guys. He is what he is. Freezing of fear in a terrible situation. Can't blame him.
I've never met a combat veteran who doesn't absolutely despise Upham. Just because you can understand it doesn't mean you can find it even remotely acceptable.
@@TheGoIsWin21 That doesn't change anything about what ducomaritiem7160 said though. You can despise him all you like, it won't magically turn him into a trained experienced Ranger like Miller's squad. Not taking a minute to think about and sympathise with what that situation might do to someone like Upham is just callous.
Upham was a worthless coward.
@@caleb_güero Your opinion is worthless.
@@Musabre Nah that's cool, it just man's you're a coward too because you'd rather excuse the fact that he got his brothers killed than stand for the fact that he should have been a goddamn man and did everything he could within his training to protect them.
The best war movie ever made. Steven Spielberg is the GOAT. I saw this twice in the theater, and both times it was like leaving a funeral. People crying, hugging each other. It was something.
I saw the screening of Masters of the Air by Spielberg and Hanks. Wait until you see this new masterpiece. Saving Private Ryan is definitely one of the best war films ever made, but Masters of the Air is yet another brilliant story adapted from the book with the same title. A good bit of CGI but still another Gem with the GOAT behind that project as Executive Producer. Anything with Hanks and Spielberg attached, is a must see!!
@@jb4054thank you for commenting on this. I was just about to sign up for Apple plus for this series but I'm quite the purest and any hint of obvious CGI infuriates me and takes me completely out of the story. That along with the bar being set so high with their previous projects I'm now nervous to watch Masters of the Air. What do you think?
Yeah it was intense. I went to a bar and got pretty drunk afterward with the buddy who I saw it with. We were both trying to figure out how we'd react to the different situations they were forced into.
WOW!!😲 You made it through! For someone New🆕 to War movies, you picked it up pretty quick. Grew up on lots of 50's,60's and 70's era war movies on TV, so Saving Private Ryan is a 5 star Spectacular compared to those films... The horrors of War are fully shown here and 1st time seeing it is traumatic... Your reactions were just as they should be...Also incredibly well made Film and authentic; so many great scenes, not just the combat ones...But that scene where Captain Miller's lying there wounded shooting at the Tank with his .45 just works because it's Spielberg shooting it!... So Glad I saw this in a movie theater. Not military, never seen combat, but that final scene when Captain Miller dies, after completing his mission...saving Ryan, but will never get home to see his wife again... If you don't cry after that, then you have no emotions or Heart!!😭😭😭I knew that ending was going to get you,😢.. Even Reiben(Edward Burns character) was crying when John Miller died...
"Imagine the smell of blood..." I'm a RN and worked trauma ICU for a bit. Once you've smelled massive blood, you never ever forget it. You'll recognize the smell years later, which I did when I was working in a different ICU and a patient was bleeding out under her blankets. I knew it the minute I came into the room. I'm sure all of the surviving men from this war were irretrievably traumatized.
Unfortunately, I smelled blood of a friend who had an accident few years ago... For one entire week I was smelling the blood, It was as if my nose had blood in it.
Me too, for 8 years. You’re correct. Also: I’d be floated to the burn unit every so often, and bc of our Union contact they gave ICU level patients to the ICU RNs - despite us not being burn nurses.
Anyway I cared for a young woman with 85% TBSA full thickness. I was smelling gauze and oozing fluids for probably two weeks. The day after I actually started putting mentholated ointment under my nose to get some relief
@@huronhs I’m so sorry that happened… I get it completely. See my reply
I don't watch war movies but here I am at 79 yrs old and decided to watch this movie. I was in my war in Vietnam in 66 and 67. I served as a medical corpsman with the 3rd Marine division for 13 months. I identify with Wade, the army medic. There was, and I hope still is, a real special bond between corpsmen/medics and their men that existed. It was a job that I really enjoyed for 4 years. Saw some of America's finest young men die but it still was a special time. Semper Fi. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for watching and for your service, sir!
Great reaction to a powerful and IMPORTANT movie. My granfather, landed on that same beach. He was wounded by shrapnel. His legs and back were scarred and he NEVER talked to us about it. He was a wonderful, loving man. He saw so much and we owe an immense gratitude to that ENTIRE GENERATION. Thank you for your beautiful reaction. ..
Side note, Opham was like a lot of young men in that war. It's hard for me to judge him or others. It's easy to SAY that i wouldn't be like him, but it's impossible to know for sure. Nobody knows until they are thrown into HELL how they'd respond. It's frustrating to see cowardice, but in reality, we just never know.
I've had to call 911 multiple times due to accidents/car crashes. It's amazing how many people completely freeze when something "horrible" happens to them/near them.
When Tom Hanks reports to his CO that he has 35 dead and about 70 wounded he is only speaking of his company, which would have been about 150- 200 men. So his company was devastated. It is at half-strength at best. Other companies would have had their own surviving officers or NCOs providing their own casualty reports to the Lt. Colonel.
No that wasn't devastated for an initial unit at Omaha Beach. A lot of those units that were the first on the beach suffered 80-90% casualty rates.
at 10:30 those 2 soldiers were actually Czech and weren't speaking German. They said "Please don't shoot me! I am not German, I am Czech, I didn't kill anyone! I am Czech!" At times Soldiers from other countries were conscripted after being invaded and captured by Nazi Germany. So they were probably forced in serving by being threatened etc.
"A soldier does not fight because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him." G. K. Chesterton
There's a really interesting quote from Jeremy Davies, the actor who plays Upham, that I think adds a lot to what Spielberg was trying to do with the movie:
"Halfway through the shoot, Steven took me aside and said he'd seen some of the dailies, and that he'd been inspired to start telling 'Ryan' from Upham's POV. He told me that Upham represented the audience more than any other character, given that, of course, most of us will never experience war, and Upham was only trained to serve as an interpreter in noncombat situations."
nice to know! That's exactly how I took Upham to be after my 2nd viewing (1st viewing I hated him) cos I knew with me having ZERO experience in war, I'd probably freeze up on the beach, & realized Upham didn't even go through the beach scenes & arrived fresh & prepared only to translate. Most of us couldn't even translate, but he was definitely meant to be us as we're introduced to the squad & then along the way through the action. We are Upham.
I wouldn't be too sure on the fact that most won't experience war, mate. We're overdue a massive conflict, and with what's going on around the world at the moment... I'm not too sure nowadays.
I hear you. I think about this a lot, especially now that we can see these conflicts in detail with things like bodycams and smartphones, it just hammers home how conflict is Hell on Earth. Still, all we can do is carry on and deal with things if, or when, they happen.@@KingDomsKingdom85
Upham revealed what he was right when he was assigned to carry a rifle.
Steven Spielberg said it correctly at the Oscars. These were a bunch of 18-20 yr olds and they saved the whole damn world.
Little exaggeration but ok, 18-20 yr olds in Stalingrad saved Europe from Nazism
To be fair, Russia could have marched to Lisbon even if D-day never happened. 🤔
@@meminustherandomgooglenumbersnot going to explain it on my phone. But you are 100% wrong. Not 99% but 100%.
@@TrickOrRetreat …aaaand what would have stopped them?
@@meminustherandomgooglenumbers well ofc depends on the scenario. If the D-Day was called of because of weather in 1944. Russia would have had 100 divisions of quality and the full war machine facing them. The biggest production for Germany happened in 1944, the allied bomb raids didn't really hurt the production anymore. Russia would have been stopped. No Lisbon there.
Upham had never been in combat and was paralysed with fear. No one knows how they'd react, suddenly finding themselves amongst all that. You should cut him some slack! Poor Upham.
yeah that really annoyed me. saying to anyone in ww2 or any war, that they have no balls is just so discrespectful
@@dwood21851 I have never met a combat veteran who doesn't absolutely despise Upham. Just because it's understandable doesn't make it something acceptable.
@@TheGoIsWin21 how many of those combat veterans were in ww2?
@@TheGoIsWin21 how many of those combat veterans were in ww2?
@@dwood21851 how long were you in WW2?
I enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1977. I served 6 years as a Expeditionary Airfield Equipment Technician. I am thankful that I never saw combat. I have the utmost respect for combat veterans. I came back home and served my community and my state as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher and a Correctional Officer. I am now retired, but as a member of the Marine Corps League, AmVets and American Legion, I am part of an honor guard, performing military funeral services for our fallen veterans. I have this movie on BluRay in 7.1 surround sound and I pull it out to watch every Memorial Day, just to remind me of the horrors of war and to give me incentive to continue doing what I can for our combat veterans.
As one who had spent most of his adult life in the military and seen combat I want to thank you - thank you sincerely for you honest and heartfelt reaction to the movie and to include the tears that you shed for those "brothers in arms". My father was in the Korean War - was shot down and was a POW - and I turned 18 in Vietnam and then went through Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Desert Storm etc. I am now retired and can appreciate young people such as yourself that seem to "get it" and really care. Thank you once again Christy - may God Bless you and keep you safe.
2:40 Those huge metal barriers are called "Czech hedgehogs". Their function was indeed to prevent landing craft and tanks from traversing the area.
THank you. THat's what I guessed.
@@christiankirkwood3402 It sounds right to me "The Czech hedgehog (Czech: rozsocháč or ježek) is a static anti-tank obstacle defense made of metal angle beams or I-beams (that is, lengths with an L- or 𝐈-shaped cross section). It is similar in shape (and design) to a much larger version of metal knucklebones or caltrops."
@@billwieland8497 ... That is correct.
The Czech hedgehog should not be confused with the British hedgehog, which was an anti-submarine weapon. It fired up to 24 mortars at a U-boat.
When the Captain said he had 35 dead, he was talking about another unseen battle after that beach scene. In reality, the U.S. lost nearly 4,000 guys on that Omaha Beach invasion on D-Day. That battle lasted for more than eight hours--not the 35 minutes that the movie portrayed. Most men in that war were drafted--they were not volunteers. The Army trained them and then told them where to go. Very few had a choice. It was basically a civilian army. As to the war--WWII was a very necessary war to stop Hitler and fascism.
Volunteers aplenty.
There were not 4,000 lost on Omaha beach. There were only about 4,400 KIA throughout all the beaches and including the paratroopers.
The misunderstanding is that many people see numbers about casualties and think that means killed. Casualties aren't just killed; that includes wounded, missing people that may be found later or were taken as POWs and later released, even troops that just get sick are counted as casualties.
Defilade means you have protection in the form of a structure, vehicle, or natural barrier. The death toll for D-Day was about 4500, with Omaha Beach accounting for 2500 dead.
FUBAR stands for F*#k Up Beyond All Repair or Beyond All Recognition.
The "balloons" were attached to cables that were meant to stop enemy planes from strafing the soldiers.
I’m a 23 year Army combat veteran, 1980-2003. I was in Desert Shield/Storm, and Enduring Freedom. You never forget the sounds or smells.And the sounds and smells are what triggers my PTSD. Why did I go to war? To serve and defend my country, family, and loved ones so that they could continue to live their lives with the freedoms that they grew up and lived with. To fight the battles, defend and protect others who had been killed or over run by dictators or other evil men bent to make the world in their image. I’ve lost friends and brothers in both wars. Would I do it all again? Yes, in a heartbeat. I was hired as a DoD civilian in September of 2010, and spent almost two more years in Afghanistan.
FUBAR = Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition.
After Pearl Harbor people were lining up around the block to volunteer. You must be thinking about Vietnam where most were drafted.
World War II started because Germany/Hitler invaded Poland. The U.S. was trying to stay out of the war but then Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, and that brought the United States into the war. Also, yes there was a draft but there were also many volunteers. Movies and shows like this are a great reminder of the sacrifices so many people made to defend our freedoms, and they are also a great reminder of how horrific war is.
Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland in 1939. Nazi Germany and Soviet Union were allies at the beginning of the war.
Don’t forget the Soviet Union was apart of invading Poland with Nazi Germany at the beginning of WW2. They only switched to the allied side after being backstabbed by the Nazi’s.
I would say the unofficial real start of the war was 1937 when Japan invaded China which then got merged into the greater war a few years later
@@ProtossWannabe1984the whole 1930’s saw episodes of totalitarianism expansion. Italy in Africa, Japan invading parts of Asia and China, Hitler with Czechoslovakia etc; though Poland was the breaking point that led to the official declaration of war by Britain and France. Until then, their policy of appeasement and Americas policy of isolationism allowed these totalitarian leaders (Hitler, Mussolini, Hirohito) to commit these invasions relatively unchecked and with no punishment. This is why people went to war (though many were drafted), Hitler/Nazi Germany had its sights set on Europe and eventual world domination.
@@ProtossWannabe1984I would disagree, because it wasn’t a world war at that point, it was Japan v China.
My Uncle was killed in action on June 3, 1967. He was just 27 years old. He was a Navy Corpsman...and a badass!! ❤
My dad is beneath one of those marble crosses, and I still remember the officer kneeling to hand my mother the folded flag from his coffin. He was a very brave man who was at the invasion of Normandy, and later, he helped liberate a concentration camp. He described some of his experiences to me, and I honestly would tell him this minute that, yes, you were a good man and you did live a good life. Thank you Cristy, for helping me relive a few precious moments of my dads' life...
A massacre is exactly what it is, and why war is often referred to as "the meat grinder", as one side normally only wins by throwing more bodies at a particular situation. The opening scene shows how war can be strategic at times, as once they got enough bodies on the beach, they could then come at the enemy positions with a little more care. But when they first hit the beach, it was just a numbers game at that point, which is the sad realities of war.
Before starting the movie:
''I'm ready, I have my water, my headphones, let's do it!''
Me, a multiple time veteran of watching this film. You're not ready for this movie until you also get a box of tissues at hand, lady.
This one is brutal. Band of brothers is another series that shows the horrors of war. Nothing can really show you the reality and the absolute terror but this is as close as it gets.
@@burkhartlaw1 Yeah. I preferred the Pacific, exactly for how much worse the fighting was. I know I know. BoB is supposed to be superior. Not to me.
Also I loved Letters from Iwo Jima. It humanizes the Japanese and shows the battle from their side, for a change.
Highly recomend.
"Nobody deserves a medal; it’s just the ridiculous situation you find yourself in and how you react to it. Courage isn’t a tap you can just turn on or off. Courage isn’t permanent. It’s a tenuous and fickle thing. Courage and cowardice exist in every man."
Respect to every soldier of the war fighting for their country.
Great Britain, Germany, US, Italy and a lot more.
2:49 those are called “Dragons’ Teeth.” They are designed to dig into the dirt and immobilize vehicles that try to drive through them, the only way to get vehicles through is to either move them aside or demolish them like we saw a combat engineer doing during the assault.
You shouldn't dislike Upham, everyone will react to the horror of war differently and he was only drafted into the team as a translator, not a soldier. But he redeems himself at the end. We needed this character just as a juxtaposition.
The Upham apologists again. He's done basic training but the overall performance of men and women sent abroad in whatever capacity to serve aren't reflected by the inactions of a fictional character. He actually doesn't redeem himself. There's just nobody now to know of his cowardice nor his rooting for that guy who shot his captain when Upham could have stopped him even if he himself got killed. No redemption.
I agree that he had been in a position he should never have been in, and it's not his fault. That said, I don't think someone like Upham even considers that redemption. More like loss of self.
@@genghisgalahad8465 and it was the same German at the machine gun nest Upham begged the captain to let go. That's the irony.
@@genghisgalahad8465 The guy who killed Melish wasn't the guy they released. The guy who shot Cpt. Miller was the guy they let go but not the one that killed Melish where Upham froze.
that scene where the medic was dying and they gave him more morphine, that was the medics way of asking them to put him down.
He just wanted to ve relaxed as he was dying, and they all knew it, thats why they all had a slight pause after he asked
It doesn’t matter how many times I see a female watch this it never ceases to amaze me how beautiful the heart of a woman is. I thank God for y’all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
... some women. I've watched this film with an ex who just didn't care about the suffering, that broke my heart more than the movie itself.
the only thing that matters is 1 it happened 2 some survived and 3 the rights you have in this country are because they died and survived to make it reality. capeche? so the next time you see an old man crossing the road grab his hand whether he served or not. that generation IS THE REASON YOU ARE HERE. MAN UP
If not already covered--Defilade: a depression that provides some protection. In this case, it was created by their bangalore (a pipe containing explosives that could be scewed onto other sections to drive the first one where you want it). Baloons are barrage baloons, intended to interfere with low-flying enemy aircraft trying to attack. The Army had dedicated units that collected and tried to identfy bodies. A bit like CSI, they could often deal with bodies in very poor condition. My last pastor had been a bomber pilot in WW2. When he learned I was deploying, he caught be in the parking lot. It was eerie how the officer in him just came streaming out. He ended by saying "People today could not comprehend the level of destruction in WW2; they couldn't get their head around it." When this movie aired, my brother said he did not sleep for four days afterwards. I thought, this helps us understand why so many could not share their experiences.
We took my grandpa to see this when it came out. He walked out after the opening battle scene in tears. I never could get him to watch it. He said it was too close to the real thing.
That's exactly what Spielberg was going for when researching the real d-day to film the opening sequence. He knew to truly respect the men who died taking that beach, he had to make the assault as realistic as possible
A lot of them said the only thing missing was the smell of diesel fuel, cordite, blood and shit.
Yes, the only thing missing was the smells.
I heard there was a support hotline set up for veterans who experienced war and saw this movie. I imagine the lines were off the hook.
"I love this group, I hope all of them survive"....oh dear *grabs popcorn* lol Great reaction as always Cristy :)
I cry with this movie every single time I see it. Even though this particular film is fiction, it represents what a lot of men went through, and I cry for them. It doesn't bother me, they deserve at least, my tears.
Upham still pisses me off till this day. And i watched this movie like 15 years ago. Never been so pissed at a movie character before. Well done for a movie so well written. Its so gritty and real. The other must watch war movie is Band of Brothers... Its so good
Your reaction is genuine and your questions are valid. It is, as you said, " too much". War is an awful and terrible thing, but it's our duty to these brave soldiers to watch, learn, honor, and never forget their sacrifices.
It's always good for people to learn history and learn of the sacrifices that our soldiers made to keep us free.
"Why did people do this? Were they drafted or did they volunteer?" Most of the US troops who died on Omaha Beach were members of a division made up of draftees and National Guardsmen, while the unit led by Capt. Miller were the highly trained (and experienced) Army Rangers, who were all specially selected, as were the 101st Airborne which Pvt. Ryan was in.
27:35 "[FUBAR] I almost want to Google it."
This is Chekhov's Acronym: If an acronym is presented in the 1st act, it has to go off by the 3rd act.
Your heartfelt reactions to this masterpiece was so very touching. Please keep making content, well done and thanks for sharing!!
Thank you Lee I appreciate this comment so much!
I am a retired Combat Veteran and I watch it every year. Every memorial Day. And a few others. And I have the same reaction every single time. Crazy allergies the entire ending make my eyes water uncontrollably. So I feel your emotion! So many gave so much that are taken for granted.
I saw this opening weekend in Sacramento (I’m Canadian) and the theatre was packed with vets and active duty military, the veterans said they could smell gunpowder and diesel while watching this. Some walked out because the ptsd was just too much. Gives u an idea of just how realistic this movie is
I've read accounts of some that said the only thing missing was the smell.
This movie did a good job of coming close to depicting how brutal and horrific the war was, and war is in general..
Men were drafted for that war, for that invasion.. many volunteered, but there were many who were drafted and didn't have a choice.. millions..
Even Steven admits there were some things he just couldn't put on screen that did happen during D Day. You are correct though as Steven did a great job of NOT glorifying war but showing it at it's ugliest. Better than any other had at that point other than Platoon.
So the stuff on the beach are called Czech hedgehogs and they are for the immobilization and repelling of tanks. It's a simple design - basically just rough pieces of angle iron welded together - but a tank would drive into one and it would obstruct the tracks. Then you would normally place some mines next to it so that the tanks are funneled right into your trap.
So on Omaha beach, these contraptions were there to provide an obstacle for the Allied tanks. Unfortunately for the Americans, their bombardment of the shore defenses failed AND almost all their tanks got wiped out in the surf - a double blow that almost cost them the day.
As an added benefit, the hedgehogs also proved to be an obstacle for the landing craft, meaning you had to deploy your landing force a good few meters back where you would have wanted to. Which means a good minute or so for a soldier.
The beach obstacles main purpose was to sink or damage as many landing craft as possible. The enemy thought the invasion force would land at high tide since it would reduce the distance the troops would have to cross to reach the enemy positions. The allies decided to land at low tide so that the combat engineers would destroy as many of those obstacles as possible before the tide came in. That way the following waves would have a better chance. However, it meant that the troops would have to cross 300-400 yards of open ground. Captain Miller would have known all this so wouldn’t have argued with the combat engineer about destroying the obstacles.
As for the tanks, there’s a lot more that landed than most people realize. Of the 106 tanks scheduled to land before and during the first wave, almost 60% actually made it. Unfortunately, they don’t get much attention because well placed antitank guns kept them essentially pinned for quite awhile. Some were disabled simply because of the rising tide flooded engine compartments. Once the breakout from the beach began, they proved their worth and helped a lot. There’s an excellent video about the DD-tanks at Omaha by the TH-cam channel WW2TV you can check out.
There were also long sloping poles with a trigger and explosives supported by legs. aA tiny error in the movie is they are sloping in the wrong direction.
Cristy, I was born 9 years after the end of WWII. Never in my life did I ever hear a word spoken of it, from my father, uncles, or anyone else. Only POW's would reveal the guilt and shame they personally felt years later. I don't believe those individuals had anything to regret, as they were captured doing their duty. People who experience war NEVER have a desire to share those memories, and those memories often die hidden inside. I thank them all for that!
I think the branch of the service matters here. My father flew Lancaster bombers in WWII. He spoke often of his close calls but then he did not observe death first hand. The in-your-face reality of ground warfare is infinitely more intense than air combat.
Upham is such an important character. No one believes that they'll be an Upham, but you never really know until you're in that situation. But the Upham's of the war were also still worthy soldiers who worked behind the scenes to make things tick. I know in the US military every soldier is meant to be a rifleman, but tossing an unprepared POG on the front is just as much a failure of leadership and circumstance as it is a failure of the man himself.
What many ppl may not realize is that prior to this time frame of the deaths of these 3 Ryan brothers in the movie, causing the Army to return the sole surviving son (Private Ryan) back home to his family, the 5 Sullivan brothers (referred to after the 13:30 mark) were all killed in action at the same time aboard the USS Juneau in 1942, in which President Franklin D Roosevelt had to send a letter to the Sullivan parents and notify them that ALL 5 of their sons were killed at the same time. This is one of the main incidents that led to the military implementing a Sole Survivor Policy, where any sole surviving son are excused from active service. (which is the basis and entire reason for this mission to return Private Ryan back to his family)
The Sole Survivor Policy only applies during peacetime, not during war. The US military has discharged personnel to prevent occurrences like what happened to the Sullivan family, but it is at the US military's discretion, it's not a binding law.
Check out the DoD regulations under the heading, "Special Separation Policies for Survivorship".
Additionally, either the servicemember themselves, or someone from his/her family must submit a request. If the request is approved, that servicemember will be reassigned to a non-combat role, but won't necessarily be released from the military, although they can be (up to the military's discretion).
Officers are not eligible for this policy.
Here is the relevant passage from the regulation:
4.1.3. The separation eligibility provisions in paragraphs 4.1.1. and 4.1.2. shall not apply
during a war or national emergency declared by the Congress.
And the Niland brothers.
@@MrVvulf "The Sole Survivor Policy only applies during peacetime, not during war"
Nevertheless, the US military had implemented a de facto sole survivor policy by the final year of WWII. My father (US Navy) avoided combat duty because of it.
@@robertstallings6020 Indeed.
I wanted to make folks aware that it's a soft guideline, not a law they can count on. If they're an only child and we ever have a major war where a draft is instituted, they should expect to be called upon.
I'm always surprised how no one knows or has even heard of the expression FUBAR. I thought it was a lot more common an expression than I've discovered through reactions to SPR
If they don't know FUBAR, they definitely won't know SNAFU.
I think most (not all) people over 40 will have heard the term FUBAR, as well as most who served in the military, but since it was primarily a WW2 term (first known use was in 1944), it isn't in regular use among younger generations.
I went to the theater when Private Ryan debuted in theaters. When I was walking out after it was over, these two WW2 veterans came out together and both had tears in thier eyes. Even though it the war had been over for decades, the experience was still with the veterans.
21:38: that may have been (probably was?) inspired by Carlos Hathcock, a legendary Marine sniper who fought in Vietnam and reportedly once killed an enemy sniper by shooting through the enemy's own scope, hitting him in the eye and killing him.
Great reaction Cristy like always, love this masterpiece. My grandfather serve with Sergeant Frederick Niland in 501 company, Sergeant Frederick Niland was the inspiration for this movie he had 3 brothers that were killed in action. This movie is based on a book. Robert Rodat (screen writter) was first inspired to craft the narrative upon reading Stephen Ambrose’s nonfiction retrospective D-Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II. Rodat was fascinated by an honorary memorial dedicated to families who had lost multiple sons in the war.
Rodat began writing Saving Private Ryan after studying the true story of Sergeant Frederick “Fritz” Niland. Fritz Niland’s brothers Preston and Robert had enlisted for service, and his brother Edward had volunteered. In May 1944, Edward was shot down over Burma and presumed dead. In June, Robert was killed on D-Day and Preston was killed on Omaha Beach. Frederick had gone missing during the Normandy Invasion, and the U.S. Army commissioned him to be rescued and sent home. An army unit under chaplain Fr. Francis Sampson identified Frederick’s location and sent him back to his parents Michael and Augusta Niland. Frederick’s brother Edward was also discovered to be alive and was rescued from a Burmese POW camp and also returned home safely.
The rescues were the result of the U.S. War Department’s “sole survivor” policy, which was adopted in 1942 after the five Sullivan brothers who served in the U.S. Navy had all been killed during the sinking of the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal. So, while Saving Private Ryan is unquestionably inspired by true events, the film's story of Captain Miller's risky mission to save one man is entirely fictional.
And congrats for not mistaken some characters. A lot of reactors confuse the guy who was let go, and later shot Capt. Miller and then was shot by Upham, with the soldier who stabbed Mellish. They wore different uniforms: the prisoner who was released and later returned was regular Wehrmacht, and the guy who stabbed Mellish was SS, They chosen two actors for those roles that looked so similar they did that literally to tell the viewers that war is confusing. Steven Spielberg explained this. He most likely didn't kill Upham because he instantly recognized he wasn't a threat. Upham even takes his hands off of his gun and holds them up in surrender to the SS soldier. Not a lot of satisfaction in killing someone who's basically curled up in the fetal position. You should watch the mini series Band Of Brothers,Keep up the amazing work.
I've never served in the military, but my paternal grandfather was a British Army paratrooper in WWII. (In the late 60s early 70s my Dad was also a British Army paratrooper.) Although this movie was told from an American perspective, I genuinely appreciate it's historical accuracy as well as it's artistry. It was the first war movie I ever saw that was told from a point of view of grief. My only minor niggle was the fact that the most "cowardly" character was named Upham. It's not an especially common name and the only Upham I know of in WWII was Charles Hazlitt Upham who was an officer in the New Zealand 2nd Division.The 2NZ Division was the division that experienced the most continuous combat of any unit in the war, from Greece and Crete then years of fighting in North Africa, then Italy and finally Austria.Both my maternal Great Uncles served in the 2NZ Division, from the same part of the country as Upham and both knew him well. Upham is famous for being the only combat soldier in history to be awarded the worlds premier decoration for valour, the Victoria Cross, twice. He survived the war after many bad experiences (including being captured after being severely wounded and imprisoned in Colditz Castle.) I remember his funeral in Christchurch Cathedral and the Army Honour Guard. It was so unusual to see uniformed soldiers back in NZ in the 90s.
@@michaelnolan6951That's really weird they used the surname of such a brave and decorated soldier. I would be really annoyed also.
Nice comments and info, especially on such an impactful movie. I think it makes all viewers teary eyed! As for the Sullivan brothers on the Juneau in 1942, there were 5 brothers, and not four. They all perished.
@@vincentlavallee2779 you are tottaly right the Sulivan Brothers were 5, my mistake.
You should watch Taking Chance with Kevin Bacon after Saving Private Ryan. It’s about how the Military escorts a KIA from the battlefield. It’s amazing, bring tissues. Also wait until you see We Were Soldiers, another true story about the Vietnam war. Mel Gibson stars.
A modern, classic movie that's both a powerful and emotional rollercoaster, but that end scene gets me every time - now where did I leave those tissues...
Thank you for reacting to this movie. Grandfather served in the 5th Ranger Battalion on D-Day +33 in WW2. Got the Bronze Star & 2 purple hearts on June 6th. Fought at the Battle of Saint-Lo with the 29th Infantry Battalion, was wounded, saved by a Sherman crew, tank commander died saving him and other GIs and was discharged by 1945. Died in 2000 from cancer 2 years after Saving Private Ryan.
It amazes me the people who have no concept of war yelling at Upham like they would know what it was like in his shoes, it's not a videogame!
This was a hard one. Matt Damon's improv story, near the end, was brutal and beautiful.
I just read that everyone hated that improv, but Spielberg left it in to underline the point that Ryan was just an average guy, and maybe even a bit of an a88hole.
This is a powerful reaction and it's OK that you don't know much about WWII, not everyone knows a lot about history especially since you're from a country that wasn't intolved in the conflict. That's why movies like these are important. They connect current audiences with a time that could easily be forgotten, reminding us of the sacrifices many went through
Without getting into the backstory of why (RIP Ssgt Milo Fish 106th Golden Lions), I've been studying military history (particularly WWII) since my very early teens. Saw this film several times when it came out in the theaters (in my college years). Will try to answer some of your questions as I watch.
- The x-shaped obstacles in the surf and on the beach at the beginning were Czech hedgehogs. Intended as anti-tank obstacles, they also worked to thwart landing craft at higher tides and/or to prevent tanks from being disembarked from seacraft at low tide.
- Defilade means a position that is sheltered from enemy view and/or fire. You could find defilade behind a tank or a building or a hill, etc.
- Re surrenders, it depended on the circumstance. In active combat, prisoners are not a viable option. Whereas if you've secured an objective and the active fighting was over, if someone surrendered you'd likely (were required to) detain and send to the rear for intel purposes. An ugly reality of war, POWs captured in active/hot combat were probably statistically rare.
- The "35 dead" referred to the men from Captain Miller's unit, not the total number of fatal casualties. The casualties (injured and dead) were in the multiple thousands.
- Regarding the disposal of dead soldiers, there were companies of the Quartermaster's Graves Registration Service that did their best to document and properly bury casualties.
- My opinion on Upham is that he wasn't so much afraid to die (though he was that), he was afraid to kill. He was a poet and a reader who didn't understand what he was involved in. He tried to stop Steamboat Willie's death, he was terrified to go save Mellish because he knew he would have to kill to do so. Only when he saw Steamboat Willie shoot Captain Miller did he finally understand that he would not get out of the war without killing. Fitting (in a literary sense) that his first kill was Willie.
If you ever react to Band of Brothers I'd be honored to share my Uncle Milo's story with you. He and his friends deserve to be remembered.
In the early 2000s I met a german catholic bishop, Bernardo Witte. He passed away a few years ago. He was serving the last decades here in Argentina, then he retired and went to Germany. He didn't find himself there and came back to my country. Because he had respiratory issues, he lived his last years in Mendoza province, close to the Andes, a dry an desertic climate. Even thou he was retired had permisson to celebrate the sacrament of confession. His sister was buried in Africa where she served as a nun and she spent her family inheritance on behalf of the poor. I don't recall if he had another sister also a nun.
He recommended that we watch this movie because he said that it was very faithful to reality. Then he told us that he was 16 when he was enlisted to the army. Was a sentry in a V-2 facility. He promised God that if he survived the war he would become a priest. Saved his life and that of his companions cause he shouted in english: "Don't shoot" when the site was taken by US soldiers. Thanks to his mother that forced him to learn english when he was younger. He was kept prisoner for 2 years and began seminary in prison.
He also recommended The Devil's Advocate film.
All the men that fought their families, friends, and country, thank you. God bless, I hope future generations appreciate your sacrifice, and not turn their backs on you. Respect your military men/women, it is only because of them you can live a comfy life. 🙏
I watched your reaction to Saving private Ryan and to tell you the truth I was disappointed when you said you didn't like Upham you truly don't understand the horrors of war I'm a veteran of the Vietnam War and have seen things that I'll carry for the rest of my life as far as Upham is concerned Noone knows what they'll do in war I've seen guys freeze in battle he even told Captain Miller that he hadn't fired his weapon since basic please don't judge someone if you have never been to war or seen what war can do to someone
This is true! And maybe I forgot to see him as a human being and instead grew frustrated with him as a "character in a movie." No one knows how they would react in these scenarios
I’m so glad to see the movies you’re watching from suggestions. This one has got to be in the top 20 greatest films. You should check out Band Of Brothers (on your own but would love to see the reaction). Tom Hanks and Spielberg put it together and the cast is top notch. Enjoyed the reaction as always, keep up the great work!
It’s great you pointed out the sounds in the beginning. I heard a few interviews that many WWII vets left the theater because the immersion was too much.
Also, there were priests on the battlefield to ensure dying soldiers were read last rights. It was considered an unspoken rule/agreement (and made a war crime as part of the Geneva Convention) that priests and medics were not to be shot at.
Oh wow. Priests of war 😨
I had the same initial reaction about Upham. But upon reflection I don't know that I wouldn't have frozen up too. Not everyone has it in them to survive mentally or physically in that situation. I have never been in such a situation, so I dare not judge him for what he would have to live with for the rest of his years.
Upham didn't choose to go with them. He knew he couldn't handle combat but they brought him anyway. I absolutely don't think he's responsible for anyone dying.
That’s a great perspective I did not think of
Cristy, I absolutely loved your reaction. Cried all over again, watching you get emotional.
And your summary at the end was spot on. Awesome.
I’m only 4:00 into your reaction, but I feel I HAVE to point out a detail I feel is more impactful than most. During combat, there is no music. No romanticizing or even a triumphant battle cry, just the chaotic sounds of conflict and the ensuing confusion and choices one makes in those scenarios.
You will love "Band of Brothers". It is basically a mini-series like this, except you get to know each (historical) person for a much longer period of time.
Bob is a must watch follow up to SPR. Cannot up vote this enough.
Oof, this one. Well, it's a mandatory watch as one of the best war movies overall, and it is certainly one of the best WWII movies. In addition, the Normandie invasion scene is, to this date, the greatest and most realistic I have ever seen.
Hey, did you notice the pocket compass that Tom Hanks carried in this movie is the same type of compass Steve Rogers used in Captain America in the MCU? He kept a picture of Peggy Carter inside the lid, so he could see her face every time he popped it open. ❤ Love the accuracy that Marvel used authentic period pieces in a superhero movie.
The United States rebuilt Europe after the war ended. A lot of Europeans have forgotten that 80 years later.
This movie is a lot for so many people. It hit harder for some reactors who have also served in a military branch at one point.
I totally agree with the "Title" of your review. This movie is so hard to watch i can't even watch any reaction after one time time seeing in a theater. So horrible most of those "kids" getting killed were 18 to 22 years old. My great uncle was on that beach and he never talked about since so traumatic. Thank You for reviewing for those who have never seen.
Basically, Upham is us if we found ourselves thrust into that situation. It's easy to comfortably watch movies about war, but not so easy to summon extreme valor when paralyzed by the cold grip of fear. Imagine the lasting guilt of veterans who experienced this sort of thing and were forever haunted by it. The last thing Spielberg intended was for us to hate Upham.
Fantastic reaction christy it's an emotional roller coaster you took it pretty well I think this is Steven Spielbergs best all time masterpiece thank you for your honesty
You did a great job … some of your reactions made me laugh because of your girlish questions and comments. Women and Men are so different, it’s really fascinating hearing a female point of view about a war movie. I’m glad you enjoyed the ride… I think Hanks is a national treasure - he’s kinda like a modern day Jimmy Stewart. There were so many young up and comers in that move. Giovanni Rabisi was a kid - now he’s iike, 49 and the kid that was mistaken for the Ryan they were looking for, that was Nathan Fillian, the guy who played in Firefly, Castle and currently the lead in the Rookie - he’s 53. Upam was such a beta male in this movie - I hated him…. But, he’s a fine actor, his name is Jeremy Davies…. Anyway, you have great personality, and you were fun to watch…
"FUBAR" Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition
that's your contribution something everyone already knows what it means & is itself explained in the movie....
@@craighanson-rc1md better than being a backseat critic off of someone's comment. gfc
@@AnalyticalHeart lol roflmfao..... 🤣😂😆😁😄😃😀🖖