The fact that this movie didn't win best picture, and lost to "Shakespeare in Love", is truly one of the greatest injustices in the history of the Academy Awards!
It was the result of massive bribery by Harvey Weinstein to assure that his film took the brass ring. He gave everything from cash to "gifts"(like drugs), anything and everything to make sure the Academy would vote his way. Total scumbag.
My uncle was one of the first to hit the beach that day. He sobbed uncontrollably when he watched this. It was the most realistic depiction of what actually happened. He came home without a scratch, but emotionally scared.
I can remember reading an article about this movie, and many veterans replied with, "Finally, Hollywood got it right". Many who were there were deeply affected by this movie.
I remember being 7 or 8, him sitting with my grandfather (his dad) and other family members, talking about the blood in the water, how it change the color to red, the bodies, how it was a shooting gallery when the gates opened on the boats. I swear that sniper was my uncle, gripping his crucifix. It's still chilling to think about, being young and hearing about it but not really understanding, then, years later being an adult, seeing his face, hiding his eyes, while he relived that moment before me. I still get chills thinking about it.
I watched this movie in the theater in 98 and I can honestly say that people went into it excited but left somber , sad , overwhelmed and honored of the sacrifice of this men and when older Ryan asks his wife "tell me I've lived a good life,tell me I'm a good man" is for not just himself but for the ones that never made it home......😢we all need to earn it God bless you for your reaction and thank you for your truthful reactions
Did you notice on the Ryan family home, that there was a banner with 4 blue stars on it? That indicated that Mom had four boys in the war. She will now get a new banner with 3 gold stars and 1 blue. She will now be a "Gold Star Mother".
I am 71...this was my fathers generation...he was on a warship in the pacific theater...he never once told us anything about that time in his life...we lost him the day after Christmas 1999...I still miss him...
Trivia: This film was given a singular honor by the US FCC when it was shown on broadcast TV. Out of respect for the film and veterans, the FCC allowed it to be shown without alterations; with all the violence and f-bombs intact.
My father was the US Army in WW2. He was in the 1st Infantry Division through North Africa and Sicily. He was transferred to the 3rd Infantry Division where he served until he was wounded by a bomb dropped by German Stuka Divebomber. This happened a few hours before the 3rd Infantry Division crossed the river that night.
The look on your faces as you watched the concluding scene - the tears and sniffles - it reminds me of everyone I saw coming out of the theater as I was walking in to see this movie for the first time. I have never seen anything like it before or since. When I left the theater, my legs felt shaky and weak. I had to sit in my car in the parking lot for some time before I could drive home. I sat there contemplating my own life... thinking about whether or not I have led the best life I could, and if I heave earned the sacrifice that so many have made to guarantee my freedom. This movie still resonates with me today
I can't believe I watched this movie on DVD when I was 12 years old in '98. All the scenes where the soldiers are calling out for their mothers always hit me hard.
Ok, in terms of happy movies, I have a few suggestions--all classic comedies: The Apartment (1960), Some Like it Hot (1959), Duck Soup (1933), The Pink Panther (1963), Singing In The Rain (1952)
I don't know how many times I've watched this masterpiece, but every single time I do I'm reminded of just how unbelievable a job the sound department did. Not to take anything away from everyone else involved in the production, of course. But holy.. the sound in this, you are just.. *there* Incredible film. Thanks for your reaction.
I watched it once. At the theater. Could barely watch this video. Heartbreaking. Won't watch it again. Not that I don't appreciate these men... just don't need to be reiminded how much we owe them. Can never repay them.
I'm 69. My father did the amphibious landing in WWII of Okinawa and was the landing craft operator. He told me once, and only once about that landing and seeing his crew that he dropped the ramp for laying dead on the beach after the third wave. Those men were truly the greatest generation.
Absolutely! I heard some similarly brutal WWII stories from my grandfather when he would have a few too many beers. Much respect to your father and all our veterans ❤️
The temporary deafness is called acoustical trama caused by the exposure to explosives. The term defilade means there is a place providing cover that also provides a place to attack the enemy.
"The Thin Red Line" came out the same year and approches the subject of war in the Pacific in a more detached but devastating critique of mankind and war as being driven by natural laws.
My dad served in WWII and he was trained on all the US issue weapons. He said the best were the M1 Garand and the Springfield 30.06. He hated the M1 Carbine for being weak and inaccurate and he said that "having sights on a Thompson (sub machine gun) was a total waste of metal". He really appreciated the solidity and power of the .50 caliber machine gun (it was a 1919 design and still actively used on the battlefield by the Ukrainians now). Dad had hunted with the 30.06 before he enlisted and had nothing but respect for it. It was Jacksons the sniper's rifle here. (His father. my grandfather, had carried one in WWI)
The opening scene Ryan goes to the grave of his brother, at the end he's at the grave of Capt. Miller's grave. His family is directly behind him at the first grave site, at the end, his family remains at a respectful distance, except for his wife who has no idea who Miller is. Ryan went home and never told anyone about that day in Ramell. WW II was fought by men; the average age of U. S. combat personnel was 26 years old. The SGT. in the assault boat wasn't putting food in his mouth, that was chewing tobacco. They were in very rough seas and it took hours for the soldiers to disembark the troop ships into the Higgins Boats. Not knowing when they would ever have a good cooked meal again, many of the soldiers ate a hearty breakfast before disembarking. The first group to load into the boats bobbed around in the water for several hours before heading toward the beach. Many get seasick during that time. The vomit wasn't the main problem, the blood in the boats created a psychological problem when the boats returned to bring more soldiers to the beach. In Vietnam, the average age of combat personnel was 22, not 19 as many people think. Also, the largest number of U. S. personnel killed in action in Vietnam those who enlisted not draftees. The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion was the only unit that stormed the beaches on D-Day that was made up entirely of Black Americans. They displayed unmatched bravery during the 48 hours it took to secure the beaches. Members of 320th, unlike the other units, had to remain on the beaches with no relief units, exposed to continuous enemy fire during the 2 days it took to secure the area. Because they were Black, the photographers never show them in the photos taken on the beaches that day. All shots showing the barrage balloons are taken at far away distances.The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion served for almost 150 days in France following the invasion. They continued flying their balloons over the beaches and eventually a portion flew over the port of Cherbourg before the worsening weather in October prevented ships from landing any more supplies. Spielberg researched small details, for instance, Pvt Jackson's right thumb has a black mark on it. That's actually a bruise that many U. S. riflemen had caused from getting their thumb caught in the loading mechanism from not locking the bolt back properly when loading/reloading the M1 Garand rifle. It was called "Garand thumb". Capt. Miller said he taught at Thomas Alva Edison High School. That's a Spielberg paying homage to Thomas Alva Edison High School in Philadelphia, PA. 54 former students from that school were killed in action in the Vietnam War, more than any other school in the nation. The Hitler Youth Knife is more literary liberty than fact. That knife is a hiking knife given to members of the Hitler Youth Corps, which was much like the Boy Scouts in training while being indoctrinated with the ideology of National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi). The only other group they were issued to were members of the SA. This knife was never part of a soldier of the Wehrmacht. As for the reaction of Carparzo and Mellish, it is highly unlikely an average G.I. would have known what that knife was and its symbolism. The matter of Mellish crying is also not likely as the Allies didn't find out about the fate of Jews in Europe until the first concentration camp was liberated April 4, 1945. The war in Europe ended May 7, 1945. So, following the real timeline, Mellish dies before the Allies knew anything about concentration and death camps. But, after-all, it is Hollywood. Saving Private Ryan is not based on the Sullivan brothers. Fritz Niland became the basis for Private Ryan. He was dropped behind enemy lines on D-Day and spent five days in the French countryside, eventually earning a Bronze star in combat for taking a French. Robert Rodat first came up with the plot in 1994 when he saw a monument in a cemetery in Tonawanda, New York. The monument was to the Niland Brothers - 4 young American men who fought in the Second World War. When three of the Nilands were reported killed, the surviving brother - Fritz - was sent home. This inspired Rodat to write his movie. There are 26 military cemeteries across Normandy, but the most famous and visited site is the poignant Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site, at the north end of its half mile access road, covers 172.5 acres and contains the graves of 9,387 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. In real life with the Nilands, it actually turned out later that another of the brothers was alive - he’d been held captive in a Burmese POW camp. Attempts to point out the "discrepancies" between the stories of Fritz Niland and James Ryan are often misguided, as Ryan is only based on Niland, and is not meant to be (or claimed to be) a completely accurate representation of him. The differences in the two stories seem to stem in part from the fact that the true story of Sergeant Niland and his brothers is often reported inaccurately. The character of Private James Ryan is a mixture of fact and fiction, with some of the fictional elements coming from the erroneous stories about the Niland brothers. The German credited as "Steamboat Willie" who was released by Capt. Miller is not the German who engaged and killed Pvt Stanley "Fish Mellish during hand-to-hand combat. "Steamboat Willie" was in the Heer (Army) of the Wehrmacht and the other was in the Waffen SS which was a paramilitary organization and not part of the Wehrmacht. Originally, the SS uniform differed from the Wehrmacht uniform-whereas the regular army wore field grey, the SS wore black, head to toe (although later the SS did adopt field grey and often wore camouflage pattern uniform. American troops were brown and they didn't wear jackboots. The lightning bolt SS insignia can be seen on the right collar lapel of the German as he passes Upham and reaches the bottom of the staircase. During the Battle at Ramelle, Upham became shell shocked and was unable to save a .30 cal team from a German soldier because he was too frozen with fear to do anything about it. He carried all the .30 caliber ammo at the battle of Ramelle, but was unable to do his job because he was always either pinned down or too afraid to move. He signified the loss of innocence in war and thought that soldiers could be civil, but he later succumbed to the evils of war and made up for his cowardice when he shot Steamboat Willie for killing Miller even after the latter had shown Willie mercy earlier. Not only did Upham represent the loss of innocence of war but he also symbolized the "Every-man". His illusion of neutrality faded when he finally had to pick and side and kill Steamboat Willie, his character revelation being how he finally understood the horrors of war. It became clear that Upham had turned into a hardened and true soldier because of the whole experience. Upham's rank was Tech 5 Corporal (E-5), that meant he was technician in a specialty area. His was maps and translator, he was not a combat infantryman and was never trained for front-line duty. Gunnery Sergent Hartman explained it this way in the movie Full Metal Jacket: "It is your killer instinct which must be harnessed if you expect to survive in combat. Your rifle is only a tool. It is a hard heart that kills. If your killer instincts are not clean and strong you will hesitate at the moment of truth. You will not kill. "The way the next of kin was notified of their loved one was killed in action during WW II was by Western Union telegram delivered by a bicycle riding messenger. If you were being notified of multiple deaths as was the case in this film, notification was done in-person by a military officer, usually from the same branch of service as the deceased when possible. That's why the mother upon seeing the officer exit the car momentarily froze knowing that meant at least 2 of her boys were either KIA or MIA, as the priest exits the car, she staggers and completely collapsed. That is one of the most important scenes in the movie. The mother speaks no lines in the movie, yet her breakdown brought a flood of tears form movie goers in theaters across the nation. Another important scene is it is clear from the few lines Ryan's wife speaks that she has never heard the name of Capt. John Miller, this means John has never spoken to her about what happened that day in Ramelle. What many missed is listening to Ryan speaking at the Miller's grave of how he thought about what those 8 men did for him every day was not guilt, but commitment. There are units assigned to recover, bury and mark graves. Usually these were temporary battlefield cemeteries. As hostilities moved farther away, a more permanent site would be selected, at the family's request, whenever possible, the remains would be returned to the United States. At the Normandy Cemetery Visitors Center, you'll find the following inscription: IF EVER PROOF WERE NEEDED THAT WE FOUGHT FOR A CAUSE AND NOT FOR CONQUEST, IT COULD BE FOUND IN THESE CEMETERIES. HERE WAS OUR ONLY CONQUEST: ALL WE ASKED … WAS ENOUGH … SOIL IN WHICH TO BURY OUR GALLANT DEAD.General Mark W. ClarkChairman, American Battle Monuments Commission, 1969-1984
Captain Millers nerves were shot. He had seen so much action and death he was on overload. As a boy I met men walking the streets who were damaged like this. My father had to explain their behavior to me.
The two guys trying to surrender on Omaha the beachfront weren’t actually German. They were speaking Czech. I’m assuming conscripts. “Please don’t shoot me! I am not German, I am Czech, I didn’t kill anyone! I am Czech!"
In the early part of WWII for the US, a ship carrying all the siblings of a family went down killing them all (mentioned here in the movie). After that, a policy called the "Sole Survivor" policy was adopted so that multiple siblings would be sent to different branches and different theaters of war to reduce the likelihood that all siblings would be killed. Should all but one sibling die, the remaining sibling would be sent home. The policy persists but has been expanded in case parents of siblings are in the service and since female service members can serve in combat the policy formerly only applying to men now extends to female siblings. The policy also now considers POWs as deaths in case they are killed as prisoners.
After reacting to SPR, when you're ready to go back to the "war" genre, or more specifically the high-quality war genre, the follow-up is the short series Band of Brothers. Like SPR, produced by Steven Spielberg along with Tom Hanks. 10 episodes of cinema quality TV. Spielberg and Hanks found the Band of Brothers story a they were doing research for Saving Private Ryan.
First of all great reaction from you 2. Really enjoyed it. You said numerous times that you couldn’t imagine, unless you’ve had to survive an encounter like that none of us can’t imagine ! Men like your dad and grandfathers. Between active duty and a contractor I served 21 years in the navy and I thank my Father in heaven for not having to go through anything close to that ! But as men shedding tears like we do I think it shows 2 things. Takes a real man to cry but not only that my friend to our vets that has went through those horrible events I think it’s saying a thanks to them and an appreciation for what they sacrificed for us and our great country! God Bless and again, enjoyed
@@JrocksAndDevinity Just for reference, Band of Brothers is the 101st Airborne, they were dropped a few miles inland the night before D-Day with the intent of taking out some of the defensive artillery that was shelling the beach, etc... as mentioned here because of heavy anti-aircraft fire and the like many parachuted early and thus "spread all over the place".
BoB is equal to SPR in production quality, actors, etc... but it's a real story. It does have a fair amount of gore, more than SPR overall probably but because its a 10 part mini series. The gore in this is probably a little more intense though. Maybe. But it also has lots of lighter moments. It's not just dark, bad, bad, and more dark the whole time. Probably the best thing ever put on screen imo. It's above SPR for me because it's 10 hours and a real story. Real people. And you even get introduced to some of the real men.
Check out the film The Thin Red Line. It came out the same year, 1998, and is better in many ways. It is set during WW2 on the Pacific island of Guadalcanal, which was a pivotal battle for the U.S. against the Japanese. It is a beautiful film that shows the horrors and the beauty of man and nature during war.
@ have you seen the Vietnam War film, Casualties of War from 1989? It stars Sean Penn and Michael J Fox in a rare dramatic role. Fox is great, but the subject matter is tough to watch. The soundtrack alone will break your heart!
@@JrocksAndDevinity The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) From Wiki: Three men come from different services with different ranks that do not correspond with their civilian social class backgrounds. It is one of the earliest films to address issues encountered by returning veterans in the post World War II era. The film was a critical and commercial success. It won 7 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actor (Fredric March), Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell), Best Film Editing (Daniel Mandell), Best Adapted Screenplay (Robert E. Sherwood), and Best Original Score (Hugo Friedhofer).
In the UK , The first time i watched this was in school in year 11 so about the age of 15 / 16 We were studying it in media studies and for the whole film the whole class was silent .... You could hear a pin drop.
I recommend checking out "Taking Chance". There is no combat shown. But it's a touching true story. It shows a part of war that is not normally paid attention.
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, like every WW2 movie I have ever seen leaves out the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion. They landed with the troops and set up the Barrage Balloons that Captain Miller sees as he gazes off over the beach. These balloons were to obstructe enemy fighters from strafing the troops on the beaches. The 320th was made up of black troops. Cpl. Waverly Woodson was a medic whose landing craft hit a mine. Although seriously wounded, shrapnel in his back and groin, he proceeded to treat all the wounded, Black and White soldiers. On two occasions he rescued 3 soldiers from the surf, providing artificial resuscitation where necessary. Over the course of the Battle for Omaha he is credited with saving the lives of over 200 men. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross, America's second highest medal for courage under fire. I just the film had shown the 320th in the landing.
@@mikealvarez2322 Some barrage balloons carried explosive charges that were pulled up against planes that hit their wires. Those particular balloons did more than obstruct.
@kdsuibhne I didn't know that. Thanks. I love learning something new every day. You'd think at 78 I would have learned everything there is to know. Guess I'm a slow learner. 🤔😁
I was working at a theater (my wife was the projectionist) when this was out. The old vets seeing it with families was something. I'll never forget one man, sitting gathering himself afterwards. His adult son & daughter(in law?) and wife all looked very somber. I asked him if he was ok, needed anything. He said, I'm fine, thank you. I speak German and recognized a slight accent. He told me, that he'd been on the other side on the day of the landings. When he told his wife once about what he'd seen, she of course didn't believe- the German prop master, Goebbels would not have been forthcoming, right? It was different to hear how accurate the landing scene was from the German point of view.
@sirkat344 Yes great story! I think we tend to not realize until we are older that both sides of war are mostly made up of young boys who are just trying to serve their country
@@JrocksAndDevinity Indeed. Unlike here, refusal to serve meant death camp for German youth. Even so, young men served likely more to save their families than any other reason.
A point of historical accuracy. There were no machine guns slaughtering GIs as soon as the ramps went down. Due to landing at the lowest tide, the landing craft (which were actually borrowed from the British and much larger than the one's shown) stopped a considerable distance from the shoreline; they couldn't get any closer. So, the initial casualties were from artillery and mortar fire. The machine guns didn't become a substantial threat until the troops had advanced almost a 1/4 mile through the surf and across sand flats. But showing MGs shooting from way off in the distance, or showing the MGs up close shooting at tiny figures barely visible, doesn't make for very good filming. Claims of over 4,000 killed at Omaha are mistaken. There were 4,400 KIA on the first day from all 5 beaches and the paratroops. There were about 2,400 casualties at Omaha, but that includes wounded and missing which would have been twice the number killed, so KIA on that beach was under a thousand. Compared to 34,000 that landed on that one beach on the first day. The American losses are always exaggerated by people who haven't actually researched the topic. And don't even get started on the "beast of Omaha" who claimed after the war that he killed thousands by himself. Pure nonsense that was impossible for many reasons.
Stanley Kubrick, considered by most critics and directors to be the greatest film director of all time, created many anti-war movies, including "Full Metal Jacket". His WWI masterpiece, "Paths of Glory" is a triumph, but his 1964 "Dr. Strangelove, or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb", with Peter Sellers in three distinct roles, is , Kubrick's use of satire to criticize the entire War Business, and is frightening yet hugely funny. However, if you want to laugh at the war mind-set, the best script and movie is "Duck Soup" by the Marx Brothers, from the 1930s. I once saw it in a full-up, 2000 seat cinema. Although I had seen it on TV and on VHS tape, it was funnier than ever, seen with such a large crowd. There has never been anything funnier than the Marx Brothers at their best, even when the subject was war.
You won't get many requests for this, but "Come and See" has been dubbed as the most "important" war movie of all time. The movie is subtitled from Belarussian and Russian, but it gives us a very real and accurate portrayal of WW2 on The Eastern Front. I highly suggest it.
@@JrocksAndDevinityfair warning, Come and See is NOT for everyone. Fantastic film, but by God, if you have mental health issues, don’t watch this film.
To truly appreciate the courage needed and the challenge faced in taking the Normandy Coast, take the opening scene and multiply by 5. There were 5 beaches attacked by the allied forces. The Americans at Omaha and Utah, the British at Gold and Sword, and the Canadians at Juno. Colectively, the allied forces fought inland to eventually free France.
We could totally understand some vets not being able to handle it. I remember my grandfather breaking down and crying about WWII almost anytime we saw him have more than 2 beers. Amazing film and much love and appreciation for our vets!
This was so realistic that veterans sobbed and some had to leave the theater. You need to keep in mind: as bad as this was, if the Germans hadn't moved a lot of planes and tanks it could have been lots worse. On the other hand, if the battleships could have more accurately hit the shoreline before the landing parties showed up fewer men would have died.
Saving Private Ryan is incredibly realistic in most every way, with a very few exceptions...such as bullets not being able to kill you that far underwater, and flamethrowers not really exploding that way in 1944. One thing to know, pay no mind at all to that man who took off his helmet on the beach at 7:16 and then got shot in the head...that next shot would have killed him even if he had kept his helmet on. The helmets of WW2 would almost never stop a bullet, except under very very rare circumstances. The movie is not a true story, and it differs from the actual history of D-Day in many ways...but the basic plot is loosely based on the 4 Niland Brothers, one of whom served with the 101st Airborne Division. However, when 3 Nilands were reported dead, no mission was sent behind enemy lines to get the last brother, and it turned out that one brother that had been thought dead had actually only been captured. The 4th brother was found and notified by an Army Chaplain that was sent to locate him, and was sent home, but as far as the brothers none of what happened in this movie happened in real life. There really was a Company C of the 2nd Rangers that landed on Omaha Beach, but they were commanded by Captain Ralph Goranson, and they did not land quite where it was shown in the film. Probably the most important historical thing that Spielberg got wrong is that he had the boats that carried the Rangers to the beach being driven by Americans...they were not. On D-Day, the boats that carried the US Rangers to the beach were driven by UK sailors of the Royal Navy. There are many other things in the film that are not accurate to the real history of D-Day, but that one really fails to honor some of the men that fought and died at Omaha Beach, so it is definitely the one most worth noting. The location at the beginning with the French and US flags is the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial...located in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. Most of the US servicemen killed in the 2 and a half month long Normandy Campaign are buried in this cemetery...a total of 9388 burials.
@@iKvetch558 Glad you added the fact that flamethrowers don't blow up as easily as shown in most movies, but Hollywood always seems to get at least one exploding flamethrower. The bullets in the water is also comical. The fact that a bullet travels several 100 yards through air, then through a couple of more feet of water, then through a heavily clothed human body and exits out the back is more than laughable. Spielberg should have just stuck to the reality of men going over the side into deeper water and the weight of their gear drowning them.
True on the helmets, they were simple stamped steel back then- the only reason that first head shot didn't kill him is it was far enough to the side to just glance off - the direct forehead shot would've killed him helmet or not. Believe it or not in WW1 soldiers were initially sent into the battle/trenches with simple cloth hats... It wasn't until well over a year into the war they started issuing metal helmets - virtually the same ones carried into WW2 - they weren't meant to stop bullets though, a large number of casualties in WW1 were men in the trenches actually otherwise fairly safe from bullets, but the extreme shelling would throw dirt/rocks/tree chunks into the air that would often rain down in the trenches causing serious injuries (lots of head trauma). Think of the WW1/2 helmets as more of a simple modern day hard hat or motorcycle helmet - there to help prevent head trauma from falling debris but they're not stopping bullets.
The logs on the beach were facing the wrong way. The bunkers are the wrong design. The actual bunkers were set up to fire lengthwise down the beach to create zones of interlocking fire and to protect the occupants of the bunkers from incoming fire from the shoreline and ships. There were German defensive positions lower than the cliff tops. The list goes on and on.
@@RandomStuff-he7lu All very true. The log obstacles had mines attached at the end that exploded as the landing craft reached them. I think they tried to correct some of these before shooting. Also, there were no flamethrowers on Omaha as far as I know. Finally anyone firing an MG-42 the way they were in the movie would have had one jam up on him in no time or a warped barrel from overheating.
Fair warning... the only thing I've seen commonly reacted to and which is unequivocally more graphic than this is HBO's miniseries The Pacific. It is *SO* good - IMHO the single most nuanced depiction of war put to screen - but soul-crushing on a level that's difficult to convey.
@JrocksAndDevinity 😂. Well, when you want to check out more WW2 movies, check out Band of Brothers. It's a show . I personally like it more than saving private ryan. It's based on real people and true events that these people went through. Great reactions by the way!
Private Ryan was very loosely based on the story of the Niland brothers. A chaplain found and returned Frederick William "Fritz" Niland. A documentary on TH-cam shows where and how two of the brothers were killed. The Sullivan brothers were in the Navy. They served on the Juno. All 5 were killed. They were the only sons.
@@JrocksAndDevinity Donald Malarkey (Band of Brothers) told Stephen Ambrose about the Niland brothers. Saving Private Ryan was inspired by the books of Ambrose.
@@JrocksAndDevinity The Fighting Sullivans (1944) is about the Sullivan brothers. It is based on real events. Only a few details were changed. The brothers also had two ships named for them. The first is a museum ship. The second ship, the USS The Sullivans DDG-68 was launched in 1995, and is still in active service.
As a prelude to the D-Day opening scene, check out "Ike: Countdown to D-Day". It's Tom Selleck's best role. For a non-war movie, react to "Field of Dreams.''
Both of my grandfather's "were " over there. They both were in WWII and made it home safely. But we knew they were deeply affected. My grandfather on my mom's side would cry profusely and talk about WWII anytime he had more than 2 beers. Much respect to all our veterans 🙏 ❤️
@@JrocksAndDevinity Amen. My grandma's brother died in Normandy. They were close growing up. Both my dad, and I, are named after him. My great grandmother built a small church with the pension she received upon his death, it's still there with his name inscribed on it. I'm fortunate to have his purple heart in my possession.
Having served in "Desert Storm" and "Afghanistan" the most gratifying and peaceful thing was when my wife of 38 years said to me "You're good man"...... If only she knew of the horrible things one must do in combat.
I hope you guys realize that the opening scene is D-Day. This really happened. It took more than seven hours to secure Omaha Beach. Nearly 4,000 killed or wounded.
Nearly 4,000 killed includes the casualties from all 5 beaches and the paratroops. Actually, it was about 4,400 KIA on the 1st day, but again, that includes all the beaches and drop zones. The slaughter at Omaha Beach is almost always exaggerated by those who haven't researched it well. There were about 2,400 casualties at Omaha, but that includes wounded and missing, so the KIA at that beach would have been under a thousand. Still a tragically high number, but 34,000 landed on that beach alone that day.
Do you think if high school seniors were made to watch this, they would have a more patriotic feeling towards veterans and a better understanding of what was sacrificed to be free? I think it should be a mandatory watch in high school!
First reaction I have watched of yours. Great one to see with you. As mentioned, you need to check out Band of Brothers. You will fall in love with the men of Easy company and the mini series, it is epic.
I like your reaction. Thank you. If you want a funny movie, try Shaolin Soccer. It's about a group of monks who went to live in the modern world. However, the monastery needs money. The monks decided to join a tournament. There's a lot of wire work and CGI so be prepared to laugh. Also use subtitles as the dubbed version does not have the correct translation.
Have you guys seen the 1957 film 12 angry men staring Henry Fonda? it's a great film. A must watch if you haven't already seen it. Great reaction again, Thanks!!
FUBAR is the acronym for Fouled (fu¢ked) Up Beyond All Repair. The didnt just die saving Ryan. They died doing their duty. They had to either protect or blow up the bridge. They couldn't let the German Panzers through or they would have caused havoc on the beaches.
I believe many veterans were like this too. Memories of what they saw were just too horrific to relive. Realistic war movies like this do educate people about just how gruesome and costly such conflicts are.
His wife had no idea who Capt. Miller was. That poor man suffered in silence for so long. Neither one of my Grandfather's ever spoke about their time in WW2.
@@pacalvotan3380 That IS the one I meant. Maybe you have already seen it? If not, I can guarantee you will NOT cry while watching this historic musical comedy.
The key thing with this movie was that it ushered in the era of realistic combat portrayal in movies and TV. Before this film, was action and war movies had very fake "combat" like you see in the 80s. Fury and Hacksaw ridge were only following in Ryans footsteps.
The Norman character in FURY had a full body freeze up, when he saw the young people hung by the SS, that put the hook into him. The Upham character in this movie had a full body freeze up, when he saw the Captain shot by the prisoner that was released, that put the hook into him. With those type of guys it has to be personal to make them pull a trigger.
The fact that this movie didn't win best picture, and lost to "Shakespeare in Love", is truly one of the greatest injustices in the history of the Academy Awards!
It was the result of massive bribery by Harvey Weinstein to assure that his film took the brass ring. He gave everything from cash to "gifts"(like drugs), anything and everything to make sure the Academy would vote his way. Total scumbag.
What! No way.
Seriously? Jeez,why does that come as no surprise.
correct
That's for sure !
My uncle was one of the first to hit the beach that day. He sobbed uncontrollably when he watched this. It was the most realistic depiction of what actually happened.
He came home without a scratch, but emotionally scared.
I can remember reading an article about this movie, and many veterans replied with, "Finally, Hollywood got it right". Many who were there were deeply affected by this movie.
God bless him and so many others.
We simply couldn't imagine witnessing that. Much love and respect to your uncle and all our veterans 🙏 ❤️
I remember being 7 or 8, him sitting with my grandfather (his dad) and other family members, talking about the blood in the water, how it change the color to red, the bodies, how it was a shooting gallery when the gates opened on the boats. I swear that sniper was my uncle, gripping his crucifix.
It's still chilling to think about, being young and hearing about it but not really understanding, then, years later being an adult, seeing his face, hiding his eyes, while he relived that moment before me.
I still get chills thinking about it.
I watched this movie in the theater in 98 and I can honestly say that people went into it excited but left somber , sad , overwhelmed and honored of the sacrifice of this men and when older Ryan asks his wife "tell me I've lived a good life,tell me I'm a good man" is for not just himself but for the ones that never made it home......😢we all need to earn it God bless you for your reaction and thank you for your truthful reactions
Thanks! It was a tough watch, but also an amazing and important film. Much respect to all our veterans 🙏 ❤️
Did you notice on the Ryan family home, that there was a banner with 4 blue stars on it? That indicated that Mom had four boys in the war. She will now get a new banner with 3 gold stars and 1 blue. She will now be a "Gold Star Mother".
We did not notice that, thanks for pointing it out!
We must Never forget what these hero's did for us.....
Absolutely 💯, well said! ❤️
Voting Trump proves they all ready have.
I am 71...this was my fathers generation...he was on a warship in the pacific theater...he never once told us anything about that time in his life...we lost him the day after Christmas 1999...I still miss him...
Sorry to hear, much love and respect to your father and all our veterans 🙏 ❤️
NOW… Band Of Brothers. You NEED TO watch it.
No........The Pacific. Let's send them both off to seek therapy.
They really need to watch Band of Brothers 🤎.. hopefully they do..
Band of Brothers is a must watch for all Americans.
Trivia: This film was given a singular honor by the US FCC when it was shown on broadcast TV. Out of respect for the film and veterans, the FCC allowed it to be shown without alterations; with all the violence and f-bombs intact.
"Earn it" applies to all of us... We have to earn what they did for us!
Very true!
My father was the US Army in WW2. He was in the 1st Infantry Division through North Africa and Sicily. He was transferred to the 3rd Infantry Division where he served until he was wounded by a bomb dropped by German Stuka Divebomber. This happened a few hours before the 3rd Infantry Division crossed the river that night.
Much respect to him and all our veterans 🙏 ❤️
The look on your faces as you watched the concluding scene - the tears and sniffles - it reminds me of everyone I saw coming out of the theater as I was walking in to see this movie for the first time. I have never seen anything like it before or since. When I left the theater, my legs felt shaky and weak. I had to sit in my car in the parking lot for some time before I could drive home. I sat there contemplating my own life... thinking about whether or not I have led the best life I could, and if I heave earned the sacrifice that so many have made to guarantee my freedom. This movie still resonates with me today
I was feeling very similarly after as well. Much respect to all of our veterans 🙏 ❤️
I can't believe I watched this movie on DVD when I was 12 years old in '98. All the scenes where the soldiers are calling out for their mothers always hit me hard.
Yeah, that was really tough to watch
SOP is watching "Band of Brothers" shortly after "Saving Private Ryan"...and after that, "The Pacific"...
And then Masters of the Air... although you can break things up with random entries like Memphis Belle...
Then after that, Masters Of The Air.
How old
Ok, in terms of happy movies, I have a few suggestions--all classic comedies: The Apartment (1960), Some Like it Hot (1959), Duck Soup (1933), The Pink Panther (1963), Singing In The Rain (1952)
Thanks for the suggestions!
I don't know how many times I've watched this masterpiece, but every single time I do I'm reminded of just how unbelievable a job the sound department did.
Not to take anything away from everyone else involved in the production, of course. But holy.. the sound in this, you are just.. *there*
Incredible film. Thanks for your reaction.
Yes definitely! The sound and the way in which some if the scenes were shot, definitely felt very real.
I watched it once. At the theater. Could barely watch this video. Heartbreaking. Won't watch it again. Not that I don't appreciate these men... just don't need to be reiminded how much we owe them. Can never repay them.
I'm 69. My father did the amphibious landing in WWII of Okinawa and was the landing craft operator. He told me once, and only once about that landing and seeing his crew that he dropped the ramp for laying dead on the beach after the third wave. Those men were truly the greatest generation.
Absolutely! I heard some similarly brutal WWII stories from my grandfather when he would have a few too many beers. Much respect to your father and all our veterans ❤️
The temporary deafness is called acoustical trama caused by the exposure to explosives. The term defilade means there is a place providing cover that also provides a place to attack the enemy.
We didn't know, thanks for that!
Re: The Sullivans. All 5 brothers lost when the cruiser the USS Juneau was sunk in the Solomons.
Thats absolutely aweful. Much respect to all of our veterans 🙏
The movie about the Sullivan's tears me up every time. I only watch it once a decade or so when I need a good cry.
"The Thin Red Line" came out the same year and approches the subject of war in the Pacific in a more detached but devastating critique of mankind and war as being driven by natural laws.
We will take a look, thanks for the suggestion!
When he said "both my grandfathers are over there..." Wow. My they be in God's presence now & forever.
My dad served in WWII and he was trained on all the US issue weapons. He said the best were the M1 Garand and the Springfield 30.06. He hated the M1 Carbine for being weak and inaccurate and he said that "having sights on a Thompson (sub machine gun) was a total waste of metal". He really appreciated the solidity and power of the .50 caliber machine gun (it was a 1919 design and still actively used on the battlefield by the Ukrainians now). Dad had hunted with the 30.06 before he enlisted and had nothing but respect for it. It was Jacksons the sniper's rifle here. (His father. my grandfather, had carried one in WWI)
Capt miller is telling earn this to all of us. We all got to live a life worth living on the account of all those who sacrificed their own
Most people miss that part of the meaning of this movie
The opening scene Ryan goes to the grave of his brother, at the end he's at the grave of Capt. Miller's grave. His family is directly behind him at the first grave site, at the end, his family remains at a respectful distance, except for his wife who has no idea who Miller is. Ryan went home and never told anyone about that day in Ramell. WW II was fought by men; the average age of U. S. combat personnel was 26 years old. The SGT. in the assault boat wasn't putting food in his mouth, that was chewing tobacco. They were in very rough seas and it took hours for the soldiers to disembark the troop ships into the Higgins Boats. Not knowing when they would ever have a good cooked meal again, many of the soldiers ate a hearty breakfast before disembarking. The first group to load into the boats bobbed around in the water for several hours before heading toward the beach. Many get seasick during that time. The vomit wasn't the main problem, the blood in the boats created a psychological problem when the boats returned to bring more soldiers to the beach. In Vietnam, the average age of combat personnel was 22, not 19 as many people think. Also, the largest number of U. S. personnel killed in action in Vietnam those who enlisted not draftees.
The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion was the only unit that stormed the beaches on D-Day that was made up entirely of Black Americans. They displayed unmatched bravery during the 48 hours it took to secure the beaches. Members of 320th, unlike the other units, had to remain on the beaches with no relief units, exposed to continuous enemy fire during the 2 days it took to secure the area. Because they were Black, the photographers never show them in the photos taken on the beaches that day. All shots showing the barrage balloons are taken at far away distances.The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion served for almost 150 days in France following the invasion. They continued flying their balloons over the beaches and eventually a portion flew over the port of Cherbourg before the worsening weather in October prevented ships from landing any more supplies.
Spielberg researched small details, for instance, Pvt Jackson's right thumb has a black mark on it. That's actually a bruise that many U. S. riflemen had caused from getting their thumb caught in the loading mechanism from not locking the bolt back properly when loading/reloading the M1 Garand rifle. It was called "Garand thumb".
Capt. Miller said he taught at Thomas Alva Edison High School. That's a Spielberg paying homage to Thomas Alva Edison High School in Philadelphia, PA. 54 former students from that school were killed in action in the Vietnam War, more than any other school in the nation.
The Hitler Youth Knife is more literary liberty than fact. That knife is a hiking knife given to members of the Hitler Youth Corps, which was much like the Boy Scouts in training while being indoctrinated with the ideology of National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi). The only other group they were issued to were members of the SA. This knife was never part of a soldier of the Wehrmacht. As for the reaction of Carparzo and Mellish, it is highly unlikely an average G.I. would have known what that knife was and its symbolism. The matter of Mellish crying is also not likely as the Allies didn't find out about the fate of Jews in Europe until the first concentration camp was liberated April 4, 1945. The war in Europe ended May 7, 1945. So, following the real timeline, Mellish dies before the Allies knew anything about concentration and death camps. But, after-all, it is Hollywood.
Saving Private Ryan is not based on the Sullivan brothers. Fritz Niland became the basis for Private Ryan. He was dropped behind enemy lines on D-Day and spent five days in the French countryside, eventually earning a Bronze star in combat for taking a French. Robert Rodat first came up with the plot in 1994 when he saw a monument in a cemetery in Tonawanda, New York. The monument was to the Niland Brothers - 4 young American men who fought in the Second World War. When three of the Nilands were reported killed, the surviving brother - Fritz - was sent home. This inspired Rodat to write his movie.
There are 26 military cemeteries across Normandy, but the most famous and visited site is the poignant Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site, at the north end of its half mile access road, covers 172.5 acres and contains the graves of 9,387 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. In real life with the Nilands, it actually turned out later that another of the brothers was alive - he’d been held captive in a Burmese POW camp. Attempts to point out the "discrepancies" between the stories of Fritz Niland and James Ryan are often misguided, as Ryan is only based on Niland, and is not meant to be (or claimed to be) a completely accurate representation of him. The differences in the two stories seem to stem in part from the fact that the true story of Sergeant Niland and his brothers is often reported inaccurately. The character of Private James Ryan is a mixture of fact and fiction, with some of the fictional elements coming from the erroneous stories about the Niland brothers.
The German credited as "Steamboat Willie" who was released by Capt. Miller is not the German who engaged and killed Pvt Stanley "Fish Mellish during hand-to-hand combat. "Steamboat Willie" was in the Heer (Army) of the Wehrmacht and the other was in the Waffen SS which was a paramilitary organization and not part of the Wehrmacht. Originally, the SS uniform differed from the Wehrmacht uniform-whereas the regular army wore field grey, the SS wore black, head to toe (although later the SS did adopt field grey and often wore camouflage pattern uniform. American troops were brown and they didn't wear jackboots. The lightning bolt SS insignia can be seen on the right collar lapel of the German as he passes Upham and reaches the bottom of the staircase. During the Battle at Ramelle, Upham became shell shocked and was unable to save a .30 cal team from a German soldier because he was too frozen with fear to do anything about it. He carried all the .30 caliber ammo at the battle of Ramelle, but was unable to do his job because he was always either pinned down or too afraid to move. He signified the loss of innocence in war and thought that soldiers could be civil, but he later succumbed to the evils of war and made up for his cowardice when he shot Steamboat Willie for killing Miller even after the latter had shown Willie mercy earlier. Not only did Upham represent the loss of innocence of war but he also symbolized the "Every-man". His illusion of neutrality faded when he finally had to pick and side and kill Steamboat Willie, his character revelation being how he finally understood the horrors of war. It became clear that Upham had turned into a hardened and true soldier because of the whole experience. Upham's rank was Tech 5 Corporal (E-5), that meant he was technician in a specialty area. His was maps and translator, he was not a combat infantryman and was never trained for front-line duty. Gunnery Sergent Hartman explained it this way in the movie Full Metal Jacket: "It is your killer instinct which must be harnessed if you expect to survive in combat. Your rifle is only a tool. It is a hard heart that kills. If your killer instincts are not clean and strong you will hesitate at the moment of truth. You will not kill.
"The way the next of kin was notified of their loved one was killed in action during WW II was by Western Union telegram delivered by a bicycle riding messenger. If you were being notified of multiple deaths as was the case in this film, notification was done in-person by a military officer, usually from the same branch of service as the deceased when possible. That's why the mother upon seeing the officer exit the car momentarily froze knowing that meant at least 2 of her boys were either KIA or MIA, as the priest exits the car, she staggers and completely collapsed. That is one of the most important scenes in the movie. The mother speaks no lines in the movie, yet her breakdown brought a flood of tears form movie goers in theaters across the nation. Another important scene is it is clear from the few lines Ryan's wife speaks that she has never heard the name of Capt. John Miller, this means John has never spoken to her about what happened that day in Ramelle. What many missed is listening to Ryan speaking at the Miller's grave of how he thought about what those 8 men did for him every day was not guilt, but commitment.
There are units assigned to recover, bury and mark graves. Usually these were temporary battlefield cemeteries. As hostilities moved farther away, a more permanent site would be selected, at the family's request, whenever possible, the remains would be returned to the United States. At the Normandy Cemetery Visitors Center, you'll find the following inscription: IF EVER PROOF WERE NEEDED THAT WE FOUGHT FOR A CAUSE AND NOT FOR CONQUEST, IT COULD BE FOUND IN THESE CEMETERIES. HERE WAS OUR ONLY CONQUEST: ALL WE ASKED … WAS ENOUGH … SOIL IN WHICH TO BURY OUR GALLANT DEAD.General Mark W. ClarkChairman, American Battle Monuments Commission, 1969-1984
Thanks for taking the time to add all the insights, much appreciated. And much respect to all our veterans 🙏
This movie was pretty accurate according to veterans except when they storm the beach in Normandy it wasn't 20 minutes it took the whole day
It was also almost entirely kids not old enough to buy a beer. The movie actors are too old looking.
Captain Millers nerves were shot. He had seen so much action and death he was on overload. As a boy I met men walking the streets who were damaged like this. My father had to explain their behavior to me.
Either that, or he's coming down with Parkinson's disease?
The two guys trying to surrender on Omaha the beachfront weren’t actually German. They were speaking Czech. I’m assuming conscripts. “Please don’t shoot me! I am not German, I am Czech, I didn’t kill anyone! I am Czech!"
Oh, we had no idea. Thanks!
It’s a little piece of filmmaking detail that most people never get. There were a lot of conscripted Czechs a Omaha beach.
In the early part of WWII for the US, a ship carrying all the siblings of a family went down killing them all (mentioned here in the movie). After that, a policy called the "Sole Survivor" policy was adopted so that multiple siblings would be sent to different branches and different theaters of war to reduce the likelihood that all siblings would be killed. Should all but one sibling die, the remaining sibling would be sent home. The policy persists but has been expanded in case parents of siblings are in the service and since female service members can serve in combat the policy formerly only applying to men now extends to female siblings. The policy also now considers POWs as deaths in case they are killed as prisoners.
After reacting to SPR, when you're ready to go back to the "war" genre, or more specifically the high-quality war genre, the follow-up is the short series Band of Brothers. Like SPR, produced by Steven Spielberg along with Tom Hanks. 10 episodes of cinema quality TV. Spielberg and Hanks found the Band of Brothers story a they were doing research for Saving Private Ryan.
Sounds really good. We will definitely check it out at some point!
First of all great reaction from you 2. Really enjoyed it. You said numerous times that you couldn’t imagine, unless you’ve had to survive an encounter like that none of us can’t imagine ! Men like your dad and grandfathers. Between active duty and a contractor I served 21 years in the navy and I thank my Father in heaven for not having to go through anything close to that ! But as men shedding tears like we do I think it shows 2 things. Takes a real man to cry but not only that my friend to our vets that has went through those horrible events I think it’s saying a thanks to them and an appreciation for what they sacrificed for us and our great country!
God Bless and again, enjoyed
Thanks so much! And more importantly thank you for your service! 🙏 ❤️
I talked to D Day Veterans about the landing scene. They said the only thing missing was the smell. Those that were able to sit through it, that is.
Couldn't imagine!
Gotta watch the Band of Brothers miniseries now, the greatest series ever made (done by Spielberg & Hanks) 😊
Its definitely on our list, just maybe down the road a bit 😆
@@JrocksAndDevinity Just for reference, Band of Brothers is the 101st Airborne, they were dropped a few miles inland the night before D-Day with the intent of taking out some of the defensive artillery that was shelling the beach, etc... as mentioned here because of heavy anti-aircraft fire and the like many parachuted early and thus "spread all over the place".
BoB is equal to SPR in production quality, actors, etc... but it's a real story. It does have a fair amount of gore, more than SPR overall probably but because its a 10 part mini series. The gore in this is probably a little more intense though. Maybe. But it also has lots of lighter moments. It's not just dark, bad, bad, and more dark the whole time.
Probably the best thing ever put on screen imo. It's above SPR for me because it's 10 hours and a real story. Real people. And you even get introduced to some of the real men.
Check out the film The Thin Red Line. It came out the same year, 1998, and is better in many ways. It is set during WW2 on the Pacific island of Guadalcanal, which was a pivotal battle for the U.S. against the Japanese. It is a beautiful film that shows the horrors and the beauty of man and nature during war.
The Thin Red Line is really and excellent film, especially Nick Nolte's performance among an all star cast.
Will add it to the list, thanks!
@ have you seen the Vietnam War film, Casualties of War from 1989? It stars Sean Penn and Michael J Fox in a rare dramatic role. Fox is great, but the subject matter is tough to watch. The soundtrack alone will break your heart!
@@WilliamTheMovieFan We actually haven't even heard of that one. Will give it a look
Indian Nation's (Okla) Indian Territory 🌎
🇺🇲 Had relatives wade ashore there,others were Airborne & Bombers,Kiowa code Talkers,etc.🇺🇲
Wow! We saw a documentary on the code talkers. Very interesting stuff!
One of the hardest movies to get through. Great reaction.
Thanks, it was! But it was also very worth! ❤
A happy WW2 movie is KELLY'S HEROES. It stars Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, and Don Rickles along with other greats.
Good suggestion...it is still the best war/heist/comedy film ever made. 👍💯
Thanks we will check it out!
@@JrocksAndDevinity The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
From Wiki: Three men come from different services with different ranks that do not correspond with their civilian social class backgrounds. It is one of the earliest films to address issues encountered by returning veterans in the post World War II era.
The film was a critical and commercial success. It won 7 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actor (Fredric March), Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell), Best Film Editing (Daniel Mandell), Best Adapted Screenplay (Robert E. Sherwood), and Best Original Score (Hugo Friedhofer).
In the UK , The first time i watched this was in school in year 11 so about the age of 15 / 16 We were studying it in media studies and for the whole film the whole class was silent .... You could hear a pin drop.
That's understandable for sure. Great movie, but a really tough watch. Thanks for sharing!
I recommend checking out "Taking Chance". There is no combat shown. But it's a touching true story. It shows a part of war that is not normally paid attention.
Interesting, we will take a look. Thanks!
Kevin Bacon crushes that role.
both of my grandfathers fought in WW II. i have done my service, my brother has done his and my father too. we have mandatory conscription.
Much respect to you and your family, thanks you for your service 🙏 ❤️
We were Soldiers - Mel Gibson...Based on the US's first interaction with NV Regulars....brutal
Its on the list, might be coming up in the next few weeks
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, like every WW2 movie I have ever seen leaves out the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion. They landed with the troops and set up the Barrage Balloons that Captain Miller sees as he gazes off over the beach. These balloons were to obstructe enemy fighters from strafing the troops on the beaches. The 320th was made up of black troops. Cpl. Waverly Woodson was a medic whose landing craft hit a mine. Although seriously wounded, shrapnel in his back and groin, he proceeded to treat all the wounded, Black and White soldiers. On two occasions he rescued 3 soldiers from the surf, providing artificial resuscitation where necessary. Over the course of the Battle for Omaha he is credited with saving the lives of over 200 men. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross, America's second highest medal for courage under fire. I just the film had shown the 320th in the landing.
@@mikealvarez2322 Some barrage balloons carried explosive charges that were pulled up against planes that hit their wires. Those particular balloons did more than obstruct.
@kdsuibhne I didn't know that. Thanks. I love learning something new every day. You'd think at 78 I would have learned everything there is to know. Guess I'm a slow learner. 🤔😁
@ th-cam.com/video/MfSIdEH0Jbw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vwPq6Xv70hiYvkwn
@@mikealvarez2322thank you sir, Waverly Woodson is a War hero. I salute him and everyone that went to war. His name should be brought up more. ❤
I was working at a theater (my wife was the projectionist) when this was out. The old vets seeing it with families was something. I'll never forget one man, sitting gathering himself afterwards. His adult son & daughter(in law?) and wife all looked very somber. I asked him if he was ok, needed anything. He said, I'm fine, thank you. I speak German and recognized a slight accent. He told me, that he'd been on the other side on the day of the landings. When he told his wife once about what he'd seen, she of course didn't believe- the German prop master, Goebbels would not have been forthcoming, right? It was different to hear how accurate the landing scene was from the German point of view.
Really interesting, thanks for sharing the story!
@@JrocksAndDevinity Most welcome. I thought others might be surprised by the 'other side' having the same post war thoughts.
@sirkat344 Yes great story! I think we tend to not realize until we are older that both sides of war are mostly made up of young boys who are just trying to serve their country
@@JrocksAndDevinity Indeed. Unlike here, refusal to serve meant death camp for German youth. Even so, young men served likely more to save their families than any other reason.
17:43 no one ever talks about the runner who technically also died for Private Ryan trying to get the message across to Ted Danson 😅
A point of historical accuracy.
There were no machine guns slaughtering GIs as soon as the ramps went down. Due to landing at the lowest tide, the landing craft (which were actually borrowed from the British and much larger than the one's shown) stopped a considerable distance from the shoreline; they couldn't get any closer. So, the initial casualties were from artillery and mortar fire. The machine guns didn't become a substantial threat until the troops had advanced almost a 1/4 mile through the surf and across sand flats. But showing MGs shooting from way off in the distance, or showing the MGs up close shooting at tiny figures barely visible, doesn't make for very good filming.
Claims of over 4,000 killed at Omaha are mistaken. There were 4,400 KIA on the first day from all 5 beaches and the paratroops. There were about 2,400 casualties at Omaha, but that includes wounded and missing which would have been twice the number killed, so KIA on that beach was under a thousand. Compared to 34,000 that landed on that one beach on the first day.
The American losses are always exaggerated by people who haven't actually researched the topic.
And don't even get started on the "beast of Omaha" who claimed after the war that he killed thousands by himself. Pure nonsense that was impossible for many reasons.
I'm a little bit addicted to reaction videos, especially to Saving Private Ryan.
It was so good! A tough watch, but really well done
Stanley Kubrick, considered by most critics and directors to be the greatest film director of all time, created many anti-war movies, including "Full Metal Jacket". His WWI masterpiece, "Paths of Glory" is a triumph, but his 1964 "Dr. Strangelove, or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb", with Peter Sellers in three distinct roles, is , Kubrick's use of satire to criticize the entire War Business, and is frightening yet hugely funny.
However, if you want to laugh at the war mind-set, the best script and movie is "Duck Soup" by the Marx Brothers, from the 1930s. I once saw it in a full-up, 2000 seat cinema. Although I had seen it on TV and on VHS tape, it was funnier than ever, seen with such a large crowd. There has never been anything funnier than the Marx Brothers at their best, even when the subject was war.
Thanks for the great suggestions, we will add them to the list!
Snatch, Tais toi (French film). Your eyes will water with laughter. These are fun movies. Or Taxi 1-2. French also.
Thanks for the suggestions, we will give them a look!
You won't get many requests for this, but "Come and See" has been dubbed as the most "important" war movie of all time. The movie is subtitled from Belarussian and Russian, but it gives us a very real and accurate portrayal of WW2 on The Eastern Front. I highly suggest it.
We will give it a look, thanks for the suggestion!
@@JrocksAndDevinityfair warning, Come and See is NOT for everyone. Fantastic film, but by God, if you have mental health issues, don’t watch this film.
I've seen this many times and every time I tear up. Amazing movie. 😞
This is my favorite movie, but for a much more light and happy movie you should watch The Princess Bride.
Thanks for the suggestion, we will take a look!
To truly appreciate the courage needed and the challenge faced in taking the Normandy Coast, take the opening scene and multiply by 5. There were 5 beaches attacked by the allied forces. The Americans at Omaha and Utah, the British at Gold and Sword, and the Canadians at Juno. Colectively, the allied forces fought inland to eventually free France.
This should be watched by everyone
The 18 min beach scene in the movie took over 5 1/2 hours in real life. Average age of US troops at Omaha Beach: 20 1/2 (Historian Andrew Roberts).
We're all standing on the shoulders of giants.
👆this. i believe we all have a moral duty to never forget it or these amazing human beings died for nothing.
We really are. We said! ❤️
Thank you both. When this film was released. Some Vets couldn't handle it. "I quote" It was very close. But 1000 times worse.
We could totally understand some vets not being able to handle it. I remember my grandfather breaking down and crying about WWII almost anytime we saw him have more than 2 beers. Amazing film and much love and appreciation for our vets!
Princess Bride, happy movie
And THAT's why we have Memorial Day.
This was so realistic that veterans sobbed and some had to leave the theater. You need to keep in mind: as bad as this was, if the Germans hadn't moved a lot of planes and tanks it could have been lots worse. On the other hand, if the battleships could have more accurately hit the shoreline before the landing parties showed up fewer men would have died.
Saving Private Ryan is incredibly realistic in most every way, with a very few exceptions...such as bullets not being able to kill you that far underwater, and flamethrowers not really exploding that way in 1944. One thing to know, pay no mind at all to that man who took off his helmet on the beach at 7:16 and then got shot in the head...that next shot would have killed him even if he had kept his helmet on. The helmets of WW2 would almost never stop a bullet, except under very very rare circumstances.
The movie is not a true story, and it differs from the actual history of D-Day in many ways...but the basic plot is loosely based on the 4 Niland Brothers, one of whom served with the 101st Airborne Division. However, when 3 Nilands were reported dead, no mission was sent behind enemy lines to get the last brother, and it turned out that one brother that had been thought dead had actually only been captured. The 4th brother was found and notified by an Army Chaplain that was sent to locate him, and was sent home, but as far as the brothers none of what happened in this movie happened in real life.
There really was a Company C of the 2nd Rangers that landed on Omaha Beach, but they were commanded by Captain Ralph Goranson, and they did not land quite where it was shown in the film. Probably the most important historical thing that Spielberg got wrong is that he had the boats that carried the Rangers to the beach being driven by Americans...they were not. On D-Day, the boats that carried the US Rangers to the beach were driven by UK sailors of the Royal Navy. There are many other things in the film that are not accurate to the real history of D-Day, but that one really fails to honor some of the men that fought and died at Omaha Beach, so it is definitely the one most worth noting.
The location at the beginning with the French and US flags is the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial...located in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. Most of the US servicemen killed in the 2 and a half month long Normandy Campaign are buried in this cemetery...a total of 9388 burials.
@@iKvetch558 Glad you added the fact that flamethrowers don't blow up as easily as shown in most movies, but Hollywood always seems to get at least one exploding flamethrower. The bullets in the water is also comical. The fact that a bullet travels several 100 yards through air, then through a couple of more feet of water, then through a heavily clothed human body and exits out the back is more than laughable. Spielberg should have just stuck to the reality of men going over the side into deeper water and the weight of their gear drowning them.
Thank you for taking the time to add all this background info. I (Jrocks) read it out to Devinity. We both appreciate it!
True on the helmets, they were simple stamped steel back then- the only reason that first head shot didn't kill him is it was far enough to the side to just glance off - the direct forehead shot would've killed him helmet or not.
Believe it or not in WW1 soldiers were initially sent into the battle/trenches with simple cloth hats... It wasn't until well over a year into the war they started issuing metal helmets - virtually the same ones carried into WW2 - they weren't meant to stop bullets though, a large number of casualties in WW1 were men in the trenches actually otherwise fairly safe from bullets, but the extreme shelling would throw dirt/rocks/tree chunks into the air that would often rain down in the trenches causing serious injuries (lots of head trauma). Think of the WW1/2 helmets as more of a simple modern day hard hat or motorcycle helmet - there to help prevent head trauma from falling debris but they're not stopping bullets.
The logs on the beach were facing the wrong way. The bunkers are the wrong design. The actual bunkers were set up to fire lengthwise down the beach to create zones of interlocking fire and to protect the occupants of the bunkers from incoming fire from the shoreline and ships. There were German defensive positions lower than the cliff tops. The list goes on and on.
@@RandomStuff-he7lu All very true. The log obstacles had mines attached at the end that exploded as the landing craft reached them. I think they tried to correct some of these before shooting. Also, there were no flamethrowers on Omaha as far as I know. Finally anyone firing an MG-42 the way they were in the movie would have had one jam up on him in no time or a warped barrel from overheating.
Do Braveheart!!
Will add it to the list, thanks!
Fair warning... the only thing I've seen commonly reacted to and which is unequivocally more graphic than this is HBO's miniseries The Pacific. It is *SO* good - IMHO the single most nuanced depiction of war put to screen - but soul-crushing on a level that's difficult to convey.
"Band of brothers" next!!
But we need a break! 😆🤣
@JrocksAndDevinity 😂. Well, when you want to check out more WW2 movies, check out Band of Brothers. It's a show . I personally like it more than saving private ryan. It's based on real people and true events that these people went through. Great reactions by the way!
Great reaction - thanks!
For happy & fun movies - I strongly suggest that you watch the complete Back To The Future trilogy. You will surey like it!
Thanks! Will add it to the list!
I’m old as shit. Saw this in the theater. The Omaha beach sequence. OMG.
It was brutal!
I'd like to recommend War Horse 🐎 a movie about a young British lad and his love for his horse in WW I
Sounds interesting, we will take a look. Thanks for the suggestion!
Private Ryan was very loosely based on the story of the Niland brothers. A chaplain found and returned Frederick William "Fritz" Niland. A documentary on TH-cam shows where and how two of the brothers were killed. The Sullivan brothers were in the Navy. They served on the Juno. All 5 were killed. They were the only sons.
Interesting stuff, we didn't know it was somewhat based on real events
@@JrocksAndDevinity Donald Malarkey (Band of Brothers) told Stephen Ambrose about the Niland brothers. Saving Private Ryan was inspired by the books of Ambrose.
@@kdsuibhne Band of Brothers is on our list to watch at some point also,😊 we hear it's really good
@@JrocksAndDevinity The Fighting Sullivans (1944) is about the Sullivan brothers. It is based on real events. Only a few details were changed. The brothers also had two ships named for them. The first is a museum ship. The second ship, the USS The Sullivans DDG-68 was launched in 1995, and is still in active service.
@ It is very good. The Pacific is a good show too.
Next up: Full Metal Jacket.
Will add it to the list, thanks!
As a prelude to the D-Day opening scene, check out "Ike: Countdown to D-Day". It's Tom Selleck's best role.
For a non-war movie, react to "Field of Dreams.''
@@dusty4835 We will take a look, thanks for the suggestions!
"Both my grandfathers are over there." I don't want to misinterpret- can you explain?
Great reaction, thanks for posting it.
Sounded like "Are"...but pretty sure he said "Were"
@@jbpoole Ah, I think you're right, thanks.
Both of my grandfather's "were " over there. They both were in WWII and made it home safely. But we knew they were deeply affected. My grandfather on my mom's side would cry profusely and talk about WWII anytime he had more than 2 beers. Much respect to all our veterans 🙏 ❤️
@@JrocksAndDevinity Amen. My grandma's brother died in Normandy. They were close growing up. Both my dad, and I, are named after him. My great grandmother built a small church with the pension she received upon his death, it's still there with his name inscribed on it. I'm fortunate to have his purple heart in my possession.
Having served in "Desert Storm" and "Afghanistan" the most gratifying and peaceful thing was when my wife of 38 years said to me "You're good man"...... If only she knew of the horrible things one must do in combat.
From both of us, thanks for your service 🙏 ❤️
I hope you guys realize that the opening scene is D-Day. This really happened. It took more than seven hours to secure Omaha Beach. Nearly 4,000 killed or wounded.
Yes, absolutely insane. Much respect to all our veterans 🙏 ❤️
Nearly 4,000 killed includes the casualties from all 5 beaches and the paratroops. Actually, it was about 4,400 KIA on the 1st day, but again, that includes all the beaches and drop zones. The slaughter at Omaha Beach is almost always exaggerated by those who haven't researched it well. There were about 2,400 casualties at Omaha, but that includes wounded and missing, so the KIA at that beach would have been under a thousand. Still a tragically high number, but 34,000 landed on that beach alone that day.
Best war movie ever made. Some are really good, but this one was the best. J & D, let's all "earn it".
Absolutely!
Our greatest generation.
Truly!
Now you must do We Were Soldiers. A true story
We will add it to the list. Thanks!
What a movie this is
It truly was amazing!
Do you think if high school seniors were made to watch this, they would have a more patriotic feeling towards veterans and a better understanding of what was sacrificed to be free?
I think it should be a mandatory watch in high school!
Recommend Tom Hanks in "Greyhound" 2020 for the WW2 submarine war in the Atlantic.
We will take a look, thanks for the suggestion!
Band of Brothers?
Its on our list! After a much needed break of course! 😢
You guys should watch Band of Brothers mini series. It's a masterpiece.
We will definitely check it out, thanks
No. That's not all the fallen heroes - There are *five* cemeteries like the one shown in the movie that are located in France.
And now imagine Stalingrad...
great reaction to one of the best movies ever. If you want a fun 80s comedy check out "The Last Dragon"
Thanks, we will give it a look!
First reaction I have watched of yours. Great one to see with you. As mentioned, you need to check out Band of Brothers. You will fall in love with the men of Easy company and the mini series, it is epic.
Thanks, its on our list!
I like your reaction. Thank you. If you want a funny movie, try Shaolin Soccer. It's about a group of monks who went to live in the modern world. However, the monastery needs money. The monks decided to join a tournament. There's a lot of wire work and CGI so be prepared to laugh. Also use subtitles as the dubbed version does not have the correct translation.
We will give it a look, thanks for the suggestion!
Have you guys seen the 1957 film 12 angry men staring Henry Fonda? it's a great film. A must watch if you haven't already seen it. Great reaction again, Thanks!!
Never heard of it, will give it a look. Thanks! 😊
FUBAR is the acronym for Fouled (fu¢ked) Up Beyond All Repair.
The didnt just die saving Ryan. They died doing their duty. They had to either protect or blow up the bridge. They couldn't let the German Panzers through or they would have caused havoc on the beaches.
Fucked. You don't get banned on TH-cam for typing fuck.
In reality they were on that beach for about 4 hours .
Gotta do good will hunting with Matt Damon, came out around the same time.
Will add it to the list, thanks!
Ryan never said a word about the war to his family, not anything about Miller at all., Like most veterans, not a thing to re-live or bring back up.
I believe many veterans were like this too. Memories of what they saw were just too horrific to relive. Realistic war movies like this do educate people about just how gruesome and costly such conflicts are.
His wife had no idea who Capt. Miller was. That poor man suffered in silence for so long. Neither one of my Grandfather's ever spoke about their time in WW2.
As an antidote, might I recommend "A Hard Day's Night"?
You might need to provide a link because the only movie I know of is A Hard Day's Night by the Beatles.
@@pacalvotan3380 That IS the one I meant. Maybe you have already seen it? If not, I can guarantee you will NOT cry while watching this historic musical comedy.
Great reactions to a tuff watch😊👏👏👏👍✌️🇺🇸🇮🇱, thanks for sharing
Thanks, was a hard one but also amazing ❤️
Watch the band brothers
Okay per your request. No more war movies right now... 😄😂😅🤣 How about unforgiven or space cowboys staring Clint Eastwood?
Will add them to the list, thanks!
My top war favorite movie.
It was a really great movie!
decimated is when 1 out of 10 are killed.
Watch Schindlers List next
Will add it to the list, thanks for the suggestion!
The key thing with this movie was that it ushered in the era of realistic combat portrayal in movies and TV. Before this film, was action and war movies had very fake "combat" like you see in the 80s. Fury and Hacksaw ridge were only following in Ryans footsteps.
You need to watch We were Men
The Norman character in FURY had a full body freeze up, when he saw the young people hung by the SS, that put the hook into him.
The Upham character in this movie had a full body freeze up, when he saw the Captain shot by the prisoner that was released, that put the hook into him.
With those type of guys it has to be personal to make them pull a trigger.
So when are you going to watch the Pacific?
Can you watch band of brothers next 🔥