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The movie demonstrates Spielberg's continuing interest in World War II themes starting with the films ''[[1941 (film)|1941]]'', ''[[Empire of the Sun (film)|Empire of the Sun]]'', ''[[Schindler's List]]'', and the [[Indiana Jones]] series as well as with the subsequent [[television]] [[mini-series]] ''[[Band of Brothers]]'', which he co-produced with [[Tom Hanks]]. |
The movie demonstrates Spielberg's continuing interest in World War II themes starting with the films ''[[1941 (film)|1941]]'', ''[[Empire of the Sun (film)|Empire of the Sun]]'', ''[[Schindler's List]]'', and the [[Indiana Jones]] series as well as with the subsequent [[television]] [[mini-series]] ''[[Band of Brothers]]'', which he co-produced with [[Tom Hanks]]. |
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==Development== |
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{{Expand|date=April 2007}} |
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⚫ | In [[1994]], [[Robert Rodat]] saw a monument in Putney Corners, [[New Hampshire]] dedicated to eight brothers that died during the [[American Civil War]]. Inspired by the story, Rodat did some research and decided to write a similar story set on World War II. Rodat's script was submitted to producer [[Mark Gordon]], that liked the story but only accepted the text after 11 drafts. After Spielberg and Tom Hanks joined the project, shooting was settled to start in [[June 27]], [[1997]]. <ref name="ew">{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,284082,00.html|title=Message in a Battle|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=1998-07-24}}</ref>. |
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Several of the film’s stars, including [[Edward Burns]], [[Barry Pepper]], [[Vin Diesel]] and [[Giovanni Ribisi]] as well as Tom Hanks, endured several days of grueling “boot camp” training and work on the film set to prepare for their roles. <ref>http://www.rzm.com/pvt.ryan/production/scenes/bootcamp.html</ref> |
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Very few World War II German armored vehicles survive in operating condition. The [[Tiger tank]]s in the film were copies built on the chassis of old, but functional [[Soviet]] [[T-34/76|T-34 tanks]].<ref>http://www.sbg1.mistral.co.uk/spr1.htm</ref> The two [[Panzers]] were built on the chassis' of [[Czech Republic|Czech]]-built [[Panzer 38(t)]] tanks.<ref>http://www.sbg1.mistral.co.uk/spr2.htm</ref> |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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{{spoiler}} |
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The film begins with an elderly veteran and his family visiting the [[World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial]]. We see the veteran walking to a headstone, falling to his knees before it and losing his composure. His family gathers around him and the scene flashes back to a graphic recreation of the landing of the first wave of soldiers on [[Omaha Beach]] during the [[World War II|WWII]] [[Battle of Normandy|invasion of Normandy]]. The film focuses on one [[Captain (military)|Cpt.]] John H. Miller, who eventually manages to lead a group of men through the dense German beach defenses to reach the heights overlooking the beach. |
The film begins with an elderly veteran and his family visiting the [[World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial]]. We see the veteran walking to a headstone, falling to his knees before it and losing his composure. His family gathers around him and the scene flashes back to a graphic recreation of the landing of the first wave of soldiers on [[Omaha Beach]] during the [[World War II|WWII]] [[Battle of Normandy|invasion of Normandy]]. The film focuses on one [[Captain (military)|Cpt.]] John H. Miller, who eventually manages to lead a group of men through the dense German beach defenses to reach the heights overlooking the beach. |
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==Historical background== |
==Historical background== |
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⚫ | In [[1994]], [[Robert Rodat]] saw a monument in Putney Corners, [[New Hampshire]] dedicated to eight brothers that died during the [[American Civil War]]. Inspired by the story, Rodat did some research and decided to write a similar story set on World War II. Rodat's script was submitted to producer [[Mark Gordon]], that liked the story but only accepted the text after 11 drafts. After Spielberg and Tom Hanks joined the project, shooting was settled to start in [[June 27]], [[1997]]. <ref name="ew">{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,284082,00.html|title=Message in a Battle|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=1998-07-24}}</ref>. |
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{{main|Niland Brothers}} |
{{main|Niland Brothers}} |
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Rodat came across the story of Sgt. Frederick (Fritz) Niland, who, with some other members of the 101st Airborne, was inadvertently dropped too far inland. They eventually made their own way back to their unit at [[Carentan]], where the chaplain, [[Lieutenant Colonel]] Father Francis Sampson, told Niland about the death of his [[Niland Brothers|three brothers]], two at [[Normandy]] and one in the Far East. |
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Under the [[United States Department of War|War Department]]’s [[Sole Survivor Policy]], brought about after the death of the five [[Sullivan brothers]] serving on the [[USS Juneau|same ship]], Fr. Sampson arranged passage for Sgt. Niland back to Britain and thereafter to his parents, Augusta and Michael Niland, in [[Tonawanda, New York]]. There was no behind-the-lines rescue mission, and his mother was not a widow, although it is believed that she did receive all the telegrams at the same time.<ref> Ambrose, Stephen E., ''D-Day'', Simon & Schuster, 1997</ref> Additionally, the brother believed to be killed in the Far East turned out to have been captured and later returned home.<ref> Fr. Francis Sampson wrote about Niland and the story of the 101st, in his [[1958]] book, ''Look Out Below'' (ISBN 1-877702-00-5).</ref> |
Under the [[United States Department of War|War Department]]’s [[Sole Survivor Policy]], brought about after the death of the five [[Sullivan brothers]] serving on the [[USS Juneau|same ship]], Fr. Sampson arranged passage for Sgt. Niland back to Britain and thereafter to his parents, Augusta and Michael Niland, in [[Tonawanda, New York]]. There was no behind-the-lines rescue mission, and his mother was not a widow, although it is believed that she did receive all the telegrams at the same time.<ref> Ambrose, Stephen E., ''D-Day'', Simon & Schuster, 1997</ref> Additionally, the brother believed to be killed in the Far East turned out to have been captured and later returned home.<ref> Fr. Francis Sampson wrote about Niland and the story of the 101st, in his [[1958]] book, ''Look Out Below'' (ISBN 1-877702-00-5).</ref> |
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In the film, the decision to order the safe return of Private Ryan is inspired in part by the General’s reading of the [[Letter to Mrs. Bixby]], written by [[Abraham Lincoln]] to console the mother of five sons then believed to have been killed in the [[American Civil War]]. |
In the film, the decision to order the safe return of Private Ryan is inspired in part by the General’s reading of the [[Letter to Mrs. Bixby]], written by [[Abraham Lincoln]] to console the mother of five sons then believed to have been killed in the [[American Civil War]], thus tying the film back to Rodat's Civil War inspiration. |
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''Saving Private Ryan'' has been critically noted for its realistic portrayal of WWII combat; however some historical license was taken by the filmmakers for the sake of drama. One of the most notable is the depiction of the [[2nd SS Division Das Reich|2nd SS Division “''Das Reich'',”]] as the adversary during the fictional Battle of Ramelle. 2nd SS was not engaged in Normandy until July, and then at Caen against the British, a hundred miles east.<ref>http://www.dasreich.ca/normandy.html</ref> Further, the Merderet River bridges were not an objective of the 101st Airborne Division but of the 82nd Airborne Division.<ref>http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/aeropus/en_index.php</ref> Finally, much has been said about various 'tactical errors' made by both the German and American forces in the movie's climactic battle. Steven Spielberg responded, saying that in many scenes he opted to replace sound military tactics for dramatic effect.<ref>''Saving Private Ryan, The Men, The Mission, The Movie : A Steven Spielberg Movie'' by Steven Spielberg. Newmarket Press 1998</ref> |
''Saving Private Ryan'' has been critically noted for its realistic portrayal of WWII combat; however some historical license was taken by the filmmakers for the sake of drama. One of the most notable is the depiction of the [[2nd SS Division Das Reich|2nd SS Division “''Das Reich'',”]] as the adversary during the fictional Battle of Ramelle. 2nd SS was not engaged in Normandy until July, and then at Caen against the British, a hundred miles east.<ref>http://www.dasreich.ca/normandy.html</ref> Further, the Merderet River bridges were not an objective of the 101st Airborne Division but of the 82nd Airborne Division.<ref>http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/aeropus/en_index.php</ref> Finally, much has been said about various 'tactical errors' made by both the German and American forces in the movie's climactic battle. Steven Spielberg responded, saying that in many scenes he opted to replace sound military tactics for dramatic effect.<ref>''Saving Private Ryan, The Men, The Mission, The Movie : A Steven Spielberg Movie'' by Steven Spielberg. Newmarket Press 1998</ref> |
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* [[Bryan Cranston]] - War Department Colonel |
* [[Bryan Cranston]] - War Department Colonel |
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===Battle scene extras=== |
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* [[Reserve_Defence_Forces|Irish Army Reserve]] The initial [[Omaha beach]] battle scenes were filmed on location in [[Ireland]] using members of the Irish Army Reserve as extras.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/trivia Trivia for Saving Private Ryan] The Internet Movie Database. (Accessed 30th April 2007)</ref> |
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==Filming locations== |
==Filming locations== |
Revision as of 02:10, 30 April 2007
Saving Private Ryan | |
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Directed by | Steven Spielberg |
Written by | Robert Rodat |
Produced by | Steven Spielberg Ian Bryce Mark Gordon Gary Levinsohn Production Companies DreamWorks SKG Paramount Pictures Amblin Entertainment Mutual Film Corporation Mark Gordon Productions |
Starring | Tom Hanks Edward Burns Tom Sizemore Barry Pepper Adam Goldberg Giovanni Ribisi Matt Damon Vin Diesel |
Cinematography | Janusz Kaminski |
Edited by | Michael Kahn |
Music by | John Williams |
Distributed by | DreamWorks (US and Canada) Paramount Pictures (elsewhere) |
Release dates | July 24, 1998 |
Running time | 170 min. |
Language | English |
Budget | $70,000,000 US (estimated) |
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 Academy-Award-winning film, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat, set in World War II.
This film is particularly notable for the intensity of the scenes in its first 25 minutes, which depict the Omaha beachhead assault of June 6, 1944. This opening scene has become one of the most infamous and iconic scenes in the history of film. Thereafter it presents a fictional search for a paratrooper of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division. While this part of the plot is a work of fiction, the premise is very loosely based on the real-life case of the Niland Brothers.
The movie is credited with contributing to a resurgence in America’s interest in World War II; old and new films, video games, and novels about World War II enjoyed renewed popularity. Additionally the film's use of desaturated colors, hand-held cameras and tight angles has profoundly influenced subsequent films as well as computer and video games; many of the latter display the same style of action and often use the same battlegrounds as the movie itself.
Saving Private Ryan was well received by audiences and garnered considerable critical acclaim, winning several awards for film, cast and crew as well as earning significant returns at the box office. The film did generate some controversy; being criticized by some as ignoring British contributions to the D-Day landings[1] and in the US for the graphic nature of the battle scenes.[2]
The movie demonstrates Spielberg's continuing interest in World War II themes starting with the films 1941, Empire of the Sun, Schindler's List, and the Indiana Jones series as well as with the subsequent television mini-series Band of Brothers, which he co-produced with Tom Hanks.
Plot
Template:Spoiler The film begins with an elderly veteran and his family visiting the World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. We see the veteran walking to a headstone, falling to his knees before it and losing his composure. His family gathers around him and the scene flashes back to a graphic recreation of the landing of the first wave of soldiers on Omaha Beach during the WWII invasion of Normandy. The film focuses on one Cpt. John H. Miller, who eventually manages to lead a group of men through the dense German beach defenses to reach the heights overlooking the beach.
The story shifts to the U.S. War Department offices where thousands of death notification letters are being typed for delivery to the families of the fallen soldiers. It is discovered that three of the four brothers of the Ryan family have all died within days of each other and that their mother will receive all three notices on the same day. The fourth son, Pfc. James Francis Ryan, a paratrooper, remains unaccounted for somewhere in France. Gen. George C. Marshall orders that he be found and sent home immediately.
The scene changes back to Europe, where Miller assembles a squad of eight men to carry out his orders: find Ryan and return him safely to the rear. Miller’s group is made up of members of his former company, with the exception of T/5. Timothy E. Upham, a mapmaker and budding novelist from the 29th Infantry Division, who is included in the squad as a French and German interpreter. Upham is shunned by the others, who see him as an outsider and a liability to the squad and a major subplot of the film deals with Upham’s introduction to combat and the change it engenders in him.
Possessing virtually no information as to Ryan’s whereabouts or the location where his unit parachuted into France, Miller and his men must move from town to town and among other American units to find him. Shortly after the unit arrives in a small village under counterattack by German forces Pfc. Adrian Caparzo, one of the Rangers, is killed by a sniper, which prompts Miller’s unit to begin questioning the wisdom of their orders.
The men learn that Ryan may be with a unit of Airborne troops fighting for control of the village. Unfortunately, he turns out to be an entirely different man, Pfc. James Frederick Ryan, whose brothers are still attending grammar schools and too young to be in service with the military.
Growing increasingly frustrated, Miller’s squad continues their search and come across a field where wounded soldiers have gathered. A glider pilot has collected the dog tags of the dead and Miller’s men search through them. Ryan’s name is not among the dogtags and in frustration at the hopelessness of it all Miller begins asking passing soldiers at random if they have seen or know him. Miller gets lucky and finds a friend of Ryan’s (the man has lost his hearing from a close grenade explosion and yells all his answers, in a rare moment of humor in the film). He tells them that Ryan has joined a mixed unit and is defending a strategically important bridge over the Merderet River in the nearby (fictional) town of Ramelle.
Before arriving in Ramelle, the squad finds an abandoned radar outpost guarded by three German soldiers armed with an MG42 machinegun. Miller decides to attack the position and during the ensuing action, T/4, Irwin Wade, the squad’s medic, is killed.
The unit takes its anger out upon the only surviving German soldier, first beating him and then ordering him to dig graves for Wade and the other dead Americans. Upham interrogates the German soldier (referred to as “Steamboat Willie” in the credits, due to part of their conversation). Then Miller’s men plan to execute the German and Upham protests it. Miller orders the man blindfolded and released over the objections of the rest of the squad leading to some tense moments.
The unit eventually arrives at Ramelle and finds Ryan. Ryan surprises them by refusing to leave his unit and the men who he has called "the only brothers he has left".’ Miller and his squad decided to help defend the town from an impending German counter-attack and elicit Ryan’s promise that he will leave with them once the town is secured.
Miller leads the defense of the small town in the movie’s climactic battle. The Germans overwhelm the defenders and one-by-one the surviving members of the squad are killed until only Ryan, Upham, Rieben and Miller and a few airborne troops remain. They prepare to destroy the bridge, but a near miss from one of the German tanks knocks Miller off his feet and sends the detonator flying.
Miller attempts to venture back onto the bridge into heavy enemy fire to retrieve the detonator, but is shot and critically wounded by “Steamboat Willie”, who has rejoined the German army since his earlier release by Miller’s men. Dazed and dying, Miller vainly fires his service pistol at a Tiger tank advancing across the bridge, when it unexpectedly explodes. Seconds later, a pair of Mustangs fly over, having arrived as air support for incoming American reinforcements and destroyed the tank, providing the explanation.
Upham takes several of the remaining Germans prisoner, including “Steamboat Willie”. “Willie” tries to talk to Upham, but, having witnessed Miller’s shooting, Upham deliberately shoots him and tersely orders the other prisoners to escape.
Miller is tended to in vain by Reiben. His final words to Ryan are: “James… earn this. Earn it.” Ryan’s face morphs into that of the old man in the cemetery from the opening of the film and the grave is revealed to be Miller’s. Before saluting the grave, an emotional Ryan expresses his hope that Miller will regard the life Ryan has tried to lead as a “good man” as enough to repay the debt he owes Miller and his squad for their sacrifice.
Historical background
In 1994, Robert Rodat saw a monument in Putney Corners, New Hampshire dedicated to eight brothers that died during the American Civil War. Inspired by the story, Rodat did some research and decided to write a similar story set on World War II. Rodat's script was submitted to producer Mark Gordon, that liked the story but only accepted the text after 11 drafts. After Spielberg and Tom Hanks joined the project, shooting was settled to start in June 27, 1997. [3].
Rodat came across the story of Sgt. Frederick (Fritz) Niland, who, with some other members of the 101st Airborne, was inadvertently dropped too far inland. They eventually made their own way back to their unit at Carentan, where the chaplain, Lieutenant Colonel Father Francis Sampson, told Niland about the death of his three brothers, two at Normandy and one in the Far East.
Under the War Department’s Sole Survivor Policy, brought about after the death of the five Sullivan brothers serving on the same ship, Fr. Sampson arranged passage for Sgt. Niland back to Britain and thereafter to his parents, Augusta and Michael Niland, in Tonawanda, New York. There was no behind-the-lines rescue mission, and his mother was not a widow, although it is believed that she did receive all the telegrams at the same time.[4] Additionally, the brother believed to be killed in the Far East turned out to have been captured and later returned home.[5]
In the film, the decision to order the safe return of Private Ryan is inspired in part by the General’s reading of the Letter to Mrs. Bixby, written by Abraham Lincoln to console the mother of five sons then believed to have been killed in the American Civil War, thus tying the film back to Rodat's Civil War inspiration.
Saving Private Ryan has been critically noted for its realistic portrayal of WWII combat; however some historical license was taken by the filmmakers for the sake of drama. One of the most notable is the depiction of the 2nd SS Division “Das Reich,” as the adversary during the fictional Battle of Ramelle. 2nd SS was not engaged in Normandy until July, and then at Caen against the British, a hundred miles east.[6] Further, the Merderet River bridges were not an objective of the 101st Airborne Division but of the 82nd Airborne Division.[7] Finally, much has been said about various 'tactical errors' made by both the German and American forces in the movie's climactic battle. Steven Spielberg responded, saying that in many scenes he opted to replace sound military tactics for dramatic effect.[8]
Cast and characters
Main cast
- Tom Hanks - Captain John H. Miller.
- Tom Sizemore - Technical Sergeant Michael Horvath.
- Edward Burns- Private First Class Richard Reiben, BAR gunner.
- Barry Pepper - Private Daniel Jackson, a highly religious sharpshooter.
- Adam Goldberg - Private Stanley Mellish, a Jewish rifleman.
- Vin Diesel - Private First Class Adrian Caparzo, rifleman.
- Giovanni Ribisi - Technician 4th Grade Irwin Wade, medic.
- Jeremy Davies - Technician 5th Grade Timothy E. Upham, cartographer and interpreter.
Supporting cast
- Matt Damon - Private First Class James Francis Ryan, a paratrooper.
- Ted Danson - Captain Fred Hamill, a pathfinder.
- Paul Giamatti - Staff Sergeant William Hill, a paratrooper.
- Dennis Farina - Lieutenant Colonel Walter Anderson, Miller’s CO.
- Nathan Fillion - Private First Class James Frederick Ryan, mistakenly identified paratrooper.
- Joerg Stadler - “Steamboat Willie” (unnamed German soldier).
- Maximilian Martini - Corporal Fred Henderson, ranking NCO at Ramelle.
- Harve Presnell - General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army.
- Bryan Cranston - War Department Colonel
Filming locations
Locations for the film include:
- France: World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, first and last scenes of the movie; Calvados
- England: Hatfield, Hertfordshire; Former British Aerospace factory, Hatfield; London; Thame Park, Oxfordshire. Production was due to also take place in Seaham, County Durham, but Government restrictions disallowed this. [9]
- Ireland: Curracloe, Wexford, Ireland: D-Day scene
Reception
Saving Private Ryan was released in 2,463 theatres on July 28, 1998, and grossed $30.5 million on its opening weekend. Domestically the film grossed $216.5 million and $265 million at the foreign box office, bringing its world wide total to about $482 million. The production budget of the film was about $70 million, making the film a huge success at the box office and the third highest grossing movie of 1998.[10] Critical recption was also positive,[2] with much praise to the realistic battle scenes[11] and the actor performances[12]. Many critics associations, such as New York Critics Circle and Los Angeles Film Critics Association, chose Saving Private Ryan as Film of the Year.[13]
The film was later nominated for eleven Academy Awards, with wins for Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, Best Editing and Best Director for Spielberg, but lost the Best Picture award to Shakespeare in Love, being one of a few that have won the Best Director award without also winning Best Picture.[14] The film also won the Golden Globes for Best Picture - Drama and Director, the BAFTA for Special Effects and Sound, the DGA Award, a Grammy Award for Best Film Soundtrack, the PGA Golden Laurel Award, and the Saturn Award for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film.[13]
References
- ^ http://www.totalfilm.com/cinema_reviews/saving_private_ryan
- ^ a b http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/saving_private_ryan/
- ^ "Message in a Battle". Entertainment Weekly. 1998-07-24.
- ^ Ambrose, Stephen E., D-Day, Simon & Schuster, 1997
- ^ Fr. Francis Sampson wrote about Niland and the story of the 101st, in his 1958 book, Look Out Below (ISBN 1-877702-00-5).
- ^ http://www.dasreich.ca/normandy.html
- ^ http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/aeropus/en_index.php
- ^ Saving Private Ryan, The Men, The Mission, The Movie : A Steven Spielberg Movie by Steven Spielberg. Newmarket Press 1998
- ^ Sunderland Echo, 11/02/1999
- ^ http://www.the-numbers.com/market/1998.php
- ^ {{cite web|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie980723-5,0,6595970.story%7Cauthor=[[Kenneth Turan|Turan, Kenneth|title=Saving Private Ryan review|publisher=Los Angeles Times|date=1998-07-24}}
- ^ Ebert, Roger (1998-07-24). "Saving Private Ryan review". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2007-04-27.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b "Awards for Saving Private Ryan". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-04-27.
- ^ Academy Awards 1999
External links
- Saving Private Ryan Online Encyclopedia
- Alex Kershaw. The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice. Da Capo Press, 2003. ISBN 0-306-81355-6.
- Real Images and Videos of the War on Omaha Beach
- Saving Private Ryan at IMDb
- Saving Private Ryan at Boxofficemojo.com