I'm french, and i remember when i was a kid i wanted to see this movie. One evening of June, my dad allowed me to watch it with him. I felt uncomfortable when he suddenly started to cry at this scene, i didn't really understand what was going on. He said: "These were Americans. All these men, that we don't know, died so we can be free and have a normal life". I'm 30 now, and it's my turn to cry at the scene and feel the heavy weight of eternal gratitude.
Returning the favor from 1781, Battle of Yorktown, when George Washington's army was augmented with Comte de Rochambeau's army and Comte de Grasse's fleet.....the USA wouldn't have happened without French support, and the liberation of France in 1944 wouldn't have happened without US and UK troops
My dad served in WW2. Took him six months to relearn how to walk again after being blown out of his Sherman. I joined the navy in a feeble attempt to honor his memory. Love you dad! We will meet again..
My father and all my uncles were combat veterans of WWII. They all survived. A miracle IMO. They all saw heavy combat. How on earth they all made through to war's end alive is something even they could never fully comprehend. They knew how fortunate they were. They were ALL wonderful men. Wonderful husbands, fathers, uncles, patriots of our nation. We will NEVER know a remarkable generation like that again. They are all gone now and I miss them badly. I hope we are both reunited with our fathers in the hereafter. May God keep them and grant them peace.
@@ellisonhamilton3322 Yup. My great grandfather was on the Eastern Front from 1941 to the Germany's surrender in 1945. There was only a 6% chance that he would make it to the end. That 6% chance is what allowed me to be alive and writing this today.
@@jeremynewcombe3422 Kinda like winning the lottery. Really! Yes, the statistical probability that my dad and all his brothers would end up in both the European and Pacific theatres of operation and be combat veterans AND all survive is beyond my calculation. They were grateful and so am I.
Three minutes and fifteen seconds and only one word of dialog . . . "Dad". Absolutely brilliant. A real lesson for today's directors and cinematographers. Sometimes less is more.
No, the real lesson here is to get someone as great as John Williams(if that's even possible) to compose the background music. Yes, of course the visuals matter, and it was very well done by Spielberg and the actors, but the true power here comes from the music underlying the scene, without it, at least half of the emotional resonance would be lost.
Most critics felt that this movie’s beginning and ending were tacked on, out of place. They were wrong. Spielberg was making two points-first, that those who went through World War II were still around, among the old folks around us. The movie honors not only those who perished in the war, and had died since its end, but also those who were still with us. Second, notice that the man’s family walks behind him, separated, which symbolizes that while they support him, he is alone in the direct remembrance of something they’ll never go through. It’s a brilliant, meaningful touch.
Agreed. Those were the words of critics of cinematography. This isn't an attempt at good cinematography. It's a thank you letter to all those who gave their life for tyranny to be squashed, freedom and peace to once again be returned to the people of Europe.
@@Tactical_Turtle --Very well said. My late father barely survived that war, and there were times over the years when part of him seemed to be elsewhere, in a place inaccessible to the rest of us. I'd drive him to veterans' events and see many more old, shuffling, stoop-shouldered men looking like any senior would while feeding pigeons in the park. You wouldn't give them a second glance or wonder about what they went through if you didn't catch them in a moment of remembrance.
The fact the French dedicated this part of their land in respect of how many died gives me the chills. I hope one day I will make the trip to Normandy and see these graves for myself, and make an attempt to read each name that is put on the graves. It’s the smallest thing I could do anyway.
It's quite an experience, especially when most of those that died were actually brought back to the states. Only those whose families elected so were buried there. When I went you were not allowed to walk on the grass/graves.
+ "Could do" says all about you, good sir. You clearly get it. I hope I do too. Some who have been to this place say it's the most beautiful spot on earth. I imagine it is. I've never visited Europe, and though I've had a list of places I would like to visit should I ever travel the pond, that list has dwindled over time. And were the list shrink down to only one? This would be the one.
Took my son (15) there today on our vacation as a lifelesson and part of the education for me as a parent to him. I thank all the men who came to save us and also the familymembers who made it possible that their loved ones could come overseas to those they didn't know but knew they needed their help. I (we) thank you all and will be forever in our hearts.
@@robertmalone1487 I was there this afternoon, about half of the graves do not allow circulation around but the others are authorized,the place is beautiful
I mean, that's also the generation that systematically murdered over 6 million people and saw the rise of totalitarian regimes that killed well over 100 million more. And they raised the baby-boomers... They've already been forgotten. There are nazi rallies in the US today. What greater slap to the face of the few living WWII veterans can there be than the growing and open denial of war-crimes by the Japanese and the growing american nazi movement?
@@KS-qr1ry You’re right. It’s more important to recognise the seven million different genders and respect peoples pronouns than give thanks to the millions of people that laid down their lives and gave their blood so that we can enjoy the freedoms we do today.
When the camera pans back in the cemetery to reveal the endless memorial field. You just cant hold back the tears. This Movie is so powerful. Lest we forget...
People seem to forget about the twist in "Saving Private Ryan": People assume that this old man in the cemetery is Capt. Miller-unless they notice the 101st Airborne Division pin on his jacket. It's only at the end, when Miller dies, that we realize that this old man is Pvt. Ryan.
You know, that's what I thought when I first saw this movie too but then I realize that since Miller is quite a bit older than Ryan, he would have been close to 100 years old if he had survived the war. My guess is that Ryan was in his early 20s so it wasn't hard to figure out that the old man in the cemetery 50 years later was him.
It still confuses me in a way. Why is Ryan having memories (or flashbacks) of what others experienced on D-Day. His memories would be of the "Band of Brothers" variety. Still, a good movie.
Spielberg was absolutely right to begin and end in the cemetery--much as the young Private Ryan may have appreciated the sacrifice of Captain Miller and his squad, it was only as an older man and a grandfather that he could truly appreciate having the life they never would.
If you can, you must visit just once in your life this cemetery, and all the other cemeteries in Normandy. I visited almost every military cemetery in Normandy a few years back. American, British, Canadian, German and some others, to pay respect and see all those graves of brave men with the age of 16 till around 40 years old, fighting and dying for their country.
I've been to Fort Snelling ( friend and both grandparents buried there. ) and Fort Rosecrans ( was in the area for work ). There is a feeling of great sadness and respect that washes over you when you visit these places.
I was born in Normandy. 20 miles from this cemetery. There are no word to describe what I feel when I saw him walking and that you saw all the crosses. All those young men who gave their life. An infinite gratitude to all those who fought to give back our freedom.
Fun cinema fact. Listen to how well-synched John Williams matches the sound to the picture. At the 2:02 mark, as the tracking shot pans left, each gravestone that enters into the frame, is highlighted by a snare roll, timpani and bass drum hit, and the French horn. This is sort of a reverent hint that Williams is giving to the audience.
this movie is full of those little moments. The sandwich Cpt. Miller spots when he enters the telegraph station, a few days after the landing. The looks that Dennis Farine gives Tom Hanks explains what he encountered in German resistance. The bosom of the lady in the purple woollen sweater.
This movie is FULL of amazing acting, but I think Harrison Young (The actor playing Older Ryan in this scene and the Ending), also deserves credit. In this scene, with no dialogue, he had the difficult task of delivering strong emotion through just movement and expression, and he did NOT disappoint.
That is some tough ground to walk. When my daughter was 16 she took a trip to France. As she grew up I had taught her a lot about WW2 and the sacrifices many Allied soliders made on D-Day(5 men died from my home town/Great Uncle commanded a LST on 6/6/44) Before she left to go I told her to call me when she got to Normandy. I don't think it really sank in with her what dad was talking about until she walked that ground. When she called me I could hear it in her voice that she understood.
My folks visited my brother when he was in Germany back in Dec. of 1980. They went to France. My mother said they saw "the bloody road to Verdun.". My dad and his brother served in WWII and both of my mother's brothers.
@@wyattfamily8997 I used to find reading about WWII in history books and seeing black and white footage of it at school boring but this movie brought it to life in a way that made me feel like I was seeing it through the eyes of the people who actually lived through it and my whole outlooked changed.
My dad was a WWII and a Korean War vet. When I was a child I would ask him what he did during the war. He became very tight lipped and either didn't said a word or he would say, "You don't want to know." After going into the military myself and seeing "Saving Private Ryan" I understood why.
I cried throughout the whole movie. Especially the beach landing, when the men were so scared, and getting shot and blown up, and crying for their mothers, like frightened children.😢💒
The ending, where he steps back and salutes, gets me every time also. It says so much so eloquently. Thank you, all who served and serve today. We must try every day to earn it.
charlesveg I agree. After reading all the stories about men who survived D-Day, on the 75th Anniversary last week, I don't know how any of them made it off that beach. They were SO brave--and they said, We were just doing our job." God Bless our military, and let's never forget what they did for us, and continue to do.😔💒🗽
I just visited the D-Day cemetery this week. I am becoming a soldier soon and I felt the awe, silence, sadness, but pride when walking in that cemetery. Not many people from the U.S. get to see this. That is sacred ground. I feel the aura to this day and it is something I will never forget. EDIT: I will be enlisting in 6 weeks or so. EDIT 2: I am swearing in the Army in a couple days and will be training at Ft. Jackson. EDIT 3: I am now in the 101st Airborne Division. The same division on his chest. Who knew. I am proud to be serving with a band of brothers and a legacy.
+Sullivan Walsh I visited years ago shortly after 9/11. It was a very quiet place, very peaceful. Fitting for those who rest there. Stood by the cliff for a long time and just listened to the ocean. At the time Americans were very unpopular in France after Afghanistan and Iraq kicked off, but Normandy was one place where I was treated well.
John Collins Your dad is a hero. He fought his best and fought honorably. A soldier's honor is very important. He did die at a medium age but died telling a good tale.
This scene was shot so well. The camera zooming in on old Ryan's face summarizes the whole movie. The look on his face. He'd seen horrible things no one should have to see and had witnessed the true darkness and evil of humanity in his younger years. One of the greatest films of all time.
My Uncle was 82nd Airborne on D-Day, he managed to survive that and the Bulge. How any of those brave soldiers made it home is truly a miracle. This movie and Band of Brothers should be required in EVERY high school curriculum.
@@captaincharek3559 Come and See’s ending where Floyra is gone in the crowd is more powerful than this and i hope to have a dream ending where all the characters I’ve loved from every war movie rejoin me with Ryan among them. That would be an emotional finale to my 12 year anniversary with the war fast approaching. Come and See ends my 13 year journey with the war just like that and all my war movies rejoining me for this anniversary will be a emotional celebration
I am retired Navy. Had the same experience at the USNA cemetery 10 years ago. I was alone (on a business trip) and it was hard. No one outside of the service will understand the inner pain of the veteran when recalling his fallen comrades.
My great-grandfather didn't fought in World War II. He fought in World War I as a german soldier. He never told anyone about his time at war, except he wrote it in his diary. He managed to visit Verdun before he died, he passed away in 1986, few months after loosing his wife.
Such a great scene , A man compelled to say thank you to the men who saved his life and allowing him to prosper and have a family . Hoping he did them justice by being a good man . A reminder of the value of life and freedom I didn't expect this scene , caught me by surprise .
This Movie is Speilbergs best and the opening scene is so Sad,the ultimate respect to Capt Collins for how he lead him in battle and how fragile Collins was himself after witnessing warfare first hand.Ryan is man enough to thank another man for his life.
My dad was in WW2 443rd AABTN. To all that serve, ever have, ever will. A profound thank you. Last night my family and I slept in peace. God bless Y'all.
Thank you to your father. and like he said, all that ever served or will serve, thank you. I will never have the privilege to serve alongside you, but I would do so in a heartbeat if I could.
One of the most heartbreaking scene in this great movie. As a French I will forever be grateful for these young people who have come and died and saved my country and so many people from tyranny. This cemetary in Colleville with it's neverending lines of white crosses is a unique place that sorely reminds us the price of Freedom.
And we in the USA need to remember once it was France 🇫🇷 that sent soldiers, officers, supplies, and ships so we could change from guerilla war to fielding a military that could win independence. French infantry and artillery was at Yorktown and French ships drove off the Royal Navy.
My wife went to Normandy 3 years ago, most emotional experience of my life. Looking out at English Channel and seeing so many young men that would never see home again! God Bless Them
As a big classical ROMANTIC music lover I will tell you that Mr.Williams was inspired by and has literally stolen some great Brahms(1833-1897)scorelines 😊-which dóesn't bother me in the slightest. As we say in dutch;"Beter goed gejat dan slecht bedacht" The first minute is absolute f. genius.At 0.43 is like sliding into a huge nasty depression -knowing there's no way back in the short run. Like Winston once remarked:"When you're going through hell....-kéép going"
Bruh I remember I've seen old folk wearing WW2 Veteran caps and had tickets to watch this amazing film. They walked out of the theater during the opening scene and I can not blame them at all.
When I saw this movie for the first time in the theater there were a group of male teenagers in the row in front of me. At the end of the movie they were all crying like babies. This movie's best gift was showing that generation the sacrifice that the Greatest Generation made for this country and all of us. The greatest war movie ever made.
The Omaha beach scene was that intense that it gave me night terrors for a month and every time I heard a loud bang or something, I immediately get down to start crying my heart out
I love the 'really...now?' disapproving look the wife gives her husband at 0:58 when he snaps a photo of his father, Ryan, walking. So subtle, and to me is telling of how out of touch future generations were of what those men went through, so much that even Ryan's own son was so obliviously unaware he was being inappropriate that his wife had to remind him, as they usually do.
I never noticed that. Very subtle detail. Good eyes Raymond Lee. Good call! My father was in the Third Wave on Omaha Beach on this day. The only thing he ever said to me directly about it, well into my adult years, was, “If you hear the other fellow shoot, … he missed.”
@@matthiasbreithaupt1391 thank you for your reply and for sharing that. I can't imagine the impact it must have had on him. What did your father mean by that line? Was 'the other fellow' referring to the enemy?
@@leraygun A bullet travels faster than the sound made by the shot. There is an old expression, "You will never hear the bullet that kills you." Yes, Matthais' "other fellow" was a reference to the enemy. I also want to applaud you on the fine catch regarding the look the wife gives her husband. You are exceptionally observant. I also missed that.
@@DATo_DATonian He is observant. While I did notice the wife's look when he snapped the photo, I missed the bigger commentary that his action made which Raymond Lee pointed out--it was just a good way to illustrate how oblivious the next generation would be since they didn't have to make those types of sacrifices/had those war experiences that their parents did.
This scene is very personal for me. It takes me back to when my family took a trip to France and went to one of the cemeteries with our grandfathers, both veterans. The amount of emotion that was expressed without words or gestures was beyond measure. It seemed as if my grandfathers didn’t even notice the rest of us because their time overseas during the war was coming back to them and it was as if they were back in 1944. This scene will always be dear to me.
The scene at the end where they refocus back to James Ryan as an old man is just as tearful if not more so. He asks his wife to tell him that he is a good man. He wants and needs reinforcement to fulfill John Miller's request to "earn it"... or something like that.
I am glad this movie was made 15 years ago and not today. A Private Ryan opening scene today would depict this man's grandchildren completely oblivious to him, texting their friends, and taking selfies.
D GW But my sad vision of this opening scene if made today is not of these grandchildren oblivious to anyone related to them besides their grandfather.
Sad but true. You are entirely correct. I would never hope I would do that, but honestly my generation scares me when they do stuff like that. There are so many disrespectful people at these cemeteries nowadays. My family went to the Arlington Cemetery and there was a woman talking loudly on her phone and laughing. Luckily a ranger yelled at her and kicked her out.
martinishot That's what Gran Torino is about. Clint Eastwood fought for his country and his people, then returned and raised his family to the best of his ability, only to have a two generations of shameful brats who think he's worth nothing more than his possessions. That movie is exactly what you're talking about.
***** You don't have to respect the cause or think it is worthwhile or just. A soldier risking his or her life, months and years far away from home to follow orders given by a government who is democratically elected deserves respect and will get it from me that's for sure.
martinishot If I had a dollar for everytime someone criticized the younger generation I'd be able to afford a house in the economy the baby boomers destryed
At 3:11 is my great Uncles tomb Stone on the left. Met his brother/ my other great uncle (who was airborne) at a family reunion and being able to meet him was an experience I will never forget,
Imagine just being there. the shivers up your back...everything you got to hold back your tears.. all the regrets.. all the love you have weighing on your shoulders just leads up until this point where he shows everything.
eidius1989 I went there in 1995. It was so humbling! I didn't realise the scale of the loss until I saw all those countless white crosses. Heartbreaking!
Just watching this scene sends shivers down my back! The entire movie is overwhelmingly powerful. Moreover, I actually got to go there when I went to France in 2009. Being there and seeing the sight of all those crosses... is like no other feeling in the world. But I couldn't imagine being there on June 6, 1944.
I watched this damn movie recently and it only took these first few moments to reduce me to tears! I’ve never served in the military, but it’s part of my family. Thank god I’ve never had to go to a graveyard to remember my own. God bless these brave men who sacrificed so much for our freedom and way of life.
I’ve always visited the war dead in my cemetery every remembrance week and I leave one or two years on their graves. I even hugged the graves as I was hugging them from up here and I think they felt it. I’m literally crying my heart out as I celebrate the 80th anniversary of D-Day
@@nicolelawless9942 I made sure to remind myself that 06/06/24, 80 years ago today, there were were young lads that never came home to their mothers, their fathers, their girlfriends, their wives, their brothers, their sisters, their buddies to help free the world from tyranny and oppression. It’s a debt that can never be repaid. God bless you brave bastards!
I remember seeing this film on Labor day weekend (sunday night) in 1998. I spent the entire evening in silence. No TV, radio.. anything. I was so shocked at the brutality of it all. Finally something that showed it all out as it should have been.
As the commies chased out the nazis from hungary after 1945 hungary is invaded by commies and we had them here for 45 years (the last russian soldier left hungary in 1990) The revolution in 1956 was a nightmare My grandpa killed 4 russians during that year to defend his country and family If it weren't for him I wouldn't be here :)
If you have never been to a military cemetery, you will be overwhelmed. Row after row after row after row of white crosses in perfect alignment, as far as the eye can see. They freely gave their lives for the cause of freedom. Some things are worth dying for. Freedom is one of them!
That look in his eyes near the end, every true veteran I know has that same look including me. Until you've lived it then have the nightmares you'll never understand.
I had 12 family members that fought in World War II. The last one just passed away in 2021. One cousin named Mack died on Okinawa. His younger brother, who himself is a Korean War vet, that is still alive has never forgotten him. Thinks about him every day and still tells his stories. I teach history and one of my biggest lessons to my students is that events like this to us end when we flip the page and start a new chapter. But for those involved, it is their whole life for the rest of their life. It consumes them and makes them who they are. It shapes them and their character. It never goes away. It is not a page to flip over and be done with. It becomes their whole book...
This film should be mandatory viewing on Memorial Day. After we chow down on the barbecue, and drink the beers, we thank those who we could never repay. Sit back and watch a story about the men who saved the lives of millions, and by extension, untold BILLIONS not yet born. We raise our glass, and salute. Always.
For those whose relative fought in the Second world war, especially as an American, this must be so touching. I'm from Finland and my great grandfather fought in the Winter- and the Continuation war against the Soviet Union between 1939-1944. Rest in peace Vilho 1913-2003. I've always been very much into war history and personally find this movie scene very touching and sad. May all those who fought in the Second world war rest in peace. And yea, it's a great movie, one of my all-time favorites.
The thought of the men who were brave enough to stand up against the USSR and actually be known to scare the absolute crap out of an army twice their size still leaves me in awe to this day, I'm pretty sure Finland is still thankful to your Grandad. my Great Grandfather or Grandaddy to my family, fought in WWII with the 84th Infantry but by some stroke of luck he was in a hospital in England when his Unit went to Normandy in November, he did see action in the Battle of the Bulge and liberated several concentration camps
I agree , great movie and gave me a glimpse of what my Dad saw in WWII. He served in the 45th Infantry Division, which saw more days in active combat than any other Army unit during WWII, ( over 500), which I guess is why he NEVER said a word about the war to anyone. I have his Ike jacket and dress hat that he had stored away and his medals. I learned a lot about his unit many years after he passed away and am VERY proud of what he and many others did to preserve our way of life. It unfortunate that not enough people understand the magnitude of what they did. This movie helps provide that.
My Mom’s Uncle was in the first wave at Omaha Beach on that day and the stuff he saw haunted him for the rest of his life. He would pick my mother up and have her sit on his lap telling her what he had seen on that day. Young men laying on the beach, bobbing up and down in the surf and the water turned blood red because of how many had been gunned down in the water.
My great uncle was buried there, took many years but the family had him bright back home to be buried with family. Had 2 other great uncles that were there with him as well
TheCoolProfessor can you not see the french flag flying, and back then loads of soldiers were burried in the countries they died in. Except for Iwo Jima where the marines who were buried were exhumed and brought back to the US. And listen to what James Ryan says at the end, i dont know how i would feel coming back here
TheCoolProfessor I've been to this cemetery. It overlooks Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. You can take the stairs down to the sand-- unreal experience.
It's like looking at an ocean of our greatest generation's teenagers and young men! Then, I think about all those mothers aged 35 and up, who lost their boys...
My great Uncle was on Omaha Beach. All he ever said about it was "just keep going." What he meant was no matter what you see, just keep running. He described the scene as "a sea of red." He was on a tank destroyer in the second wave. He passed away in 1992 from a very bad heart. I only saw him a few times in my life. But he certainly was larger than life itself. Thank you to all who served in World War II. May you be an example of this great nation and what freedom has meant to so many throughout the ages. Most sincerely and respectively, Michael
The scene may be fictional, but the character Ryan portrayed here could easily be any real soldier that served in that war, and so we sympathize and grieve for all of them.
I remember watching this as a teenager. Changed my life. A few Years later I finally made it to Normandy, and visited the Omaha Cemetery. I'll never forget the feeling of seeing that for the first time, nor the emotions. "My God... these guys where my age."
My dad served in Vietnam. The first time i watched this movie with him tears were streaming down his face. I couldn't understand it as a kid. I do now. We will never know the burden those that have served in combat carry. Only those that have done it themselves can truly understand the horror of war.
Two years after this great film came out, my grandfather passed away from cancer in 2000. He enlisted in 1942 (age 20-21) & served in the 5th Ranger Battalion that trained in Tennesee. Eventually shipped out to Britain in late 1943/early 1944 in preparation for Operation Overlord. Trained in Special Cliff Operations in the Highlands of Scotland in early 1944 alongside his fellow Rangers (plus other Allied/UK Special forces) before D-Day. On June 6th, 1944, he subsequently climbed the cliffs of Point du Hoc. He had to carry his BAR into battle in rough terrain under heavy fire, search & eventually destroy the German Howitzers that greatly saved thousands of his fellow countrymen on the beaches. As history goes, the Rangers had to traverse miles of the French countryside for the repositioned guns after hours of naval & air bombardment prior to the invasion forced the Germans back from Point du Hoc. My grandfather was one man out of 75 men (out of 225 Rangers, 67% of the unit were wounded or killed) who was able to reach the top of Point du Hoc & keep on fighting beyond the Longest Day. Played a part of Operation Cobra in the breakout out of Normandy. Into the battle of Saint-Lo in July 1944, he got wounded when a piece of mortar shrapnel hit his leg (from his calf to above his ankle) & took him out of action. The 29th Infantry Battalion alongside another American division with small groups of Army Rangers (intermix of the remaining 2nd & 5th Ranger Battalions) took massive losses from German artillery destroying the town. My grandfather would have met his end at Saint-Lo, but thankfully he had a guardian angel over him. Over the years, I was told by my father & my aunt that after he got wounded, my grandfather was saved by a Sherman Tank Crew from the 747th Independent tank division that came to support the 29th Infantry division to take the ruins of Saint-Lo & were attempting to gather all the wounded GIs during the course of the battle. It's still very unclear how many were saved on that day alongside my grandfather, but as a result of them saving lives, the Sherman Tank Commander was the only casualty while gathering up the wounded men under heavy fire. Due to their courageous actions, my grandfather lived, was able to go home to raise a family, & eventually serve as a police officer/sergeant for nearly 25 years until he retired in 1978. He got the Bronze Star for his heroic actions on D-Day & 2 Purple Hearts in the Fall of 1944. In both civilian life & his long days in law enforcement, he had to take small amounts of morphine (inside a capsule attached to a sliver neck chain around his neck) every day due to the wounds he received in the war until his last days on this earth. A reminder of the sacrifices he made in the defense of America, her people & the liberation of Europe. My grandfather's mother was a German immigrant & orphan who came to America in the 1890s when her homeland (early German Empire) was facing some social destabilization. My grandfather had no ill will against the majority of the German troops he fought against in the Liberation of France. He always respected the Germans (the Wehrmacht/cousins) for their military leadership, combat efficiency & historical discipline. He absolutely hated the Nazi idealogy, who only represented Hitler & a few thousand people in the SS divisions that committed the Holocaust. Like everyone else who first watched the movie, I began to truly understand & greatly appreciate the sacrifices my grandfather & the millions of soldiers made in WWII. That includes the common German Soldier (non-SS/Nazi) who fought not for Hitler, but for their family & their country. This film will always be one of my favorite films about WWII despite some of its flaws. I always got emotional at the end of the film when Miller tells Ryan that "Earn this" & it cuts to Ryan asking his wife if he was a good man. My grandfather never ever saw Saving Private Ryan in the last years of his life (did like the movie The Longest Day), but like most veterans, he would have attempted to avoid seeing the horrors of war again. I am immensely grateful to have known him before his passing & I am proud to be his grandson. This is a story I like to share with those who have first watched this film and Band of Brothers. If I had to create a book/movie title to describe his WWII story it would be called "Liberation at the Gates"
Such a powerful opening, a film made by a master at the peak of his cinematic storytelling. Even more significant on this Memorial Day. My undying respect to all who fought and died, for our nation and every nation.
Good gosh! The part where he falls to his knees gets me every time. In the context of the film we don't even know that that's Pvt. James Ryan being overcome with emotion when seeing the grave of Capt. John H. Miller. That could be any WW2 veteran be overcome with emotion at the sight of his fallen comrade's grave.
My brother and I visited this place - even as Australians we were shocked and in awe at the same time. I hope the USA realise that despite the Corona virus there was a generation that teaches you and us in the Pacific to never give up , always fight and NEVER give in
June 6 D Day 75th Anniversary brought me here as well, although I watch this movie, and Band Of Brothers a few times a year. God Bless The Greatest Generation 🇺🇸💙🇺🇸
Same here. Amen. I'm 65 and our parents truly were the Greatest. God bless all who served and all who serve today. We will never fully earn it but we must try.
Thank you in the name of all the Frenchmen. Thank you for the Freedom you gave back to us. Thank you for the blood you lost on our land. Thank you for giving us the Freedom to our children to grow in peace and happiness. THANK YOU. Maybe it is only a movie, but heavy of sens and symbolic for us.
We are united as brothers in our common goal of liberty, freedom, and peace...and an overwhelming desire to create and maintain a world worthy of the sacrifice of so many before us for our children and all future generations. The sons of America, England, France, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Yugoslavia Luxembourg, and so many others are not forgotten.
Shame you’ve given, what has been earned by millions of lives from your very own country and others, to foreign invaders. My country too is suffering. We have only a politician’s to blame.
This is a incredibly moving scene, gives me shivers. We owe them respect. Imagine running on the blazing field of battle into enemy gun fire and mortars, imagine the courage that would have god damn taken.. We owe these men and others our freedom.
I can only imagine what must of gone through a veterans mind seeing such a sight, and wondering why he was picked to live when so many weren't. the music cuts me deep.
This scene always reminds me of my grandfather. He fought in the Pacific Theater as part of an AA battery. He walked the same way when he was older and wore the same windbreaker. It was always difficult talking with him for school projects. Whenever i interviewed him, we would need to take breaks because it was difficult for him to relive those memories. I miss those conversations and hope that I can pass on to my children the respect I have for him. Miss you Grandpa
This scene chokes me up everytime I see it. My Grandfather was a Veteran of WWII. He wasn't at Normandy But he was in Southern France and The Italian Campaign as a member of The First Special Service Force. When this came out in Theatres My Dad tried to get him to go But he Wouldn't. I guess it would bring back too many bad memories. He passed away in 2008
The first time you ever watch this, you see him collapse, and cry, and your heart breaks. Then you continue watching and have NO idea what you're about to see. I bet that's how our veterans feel. I got detention for an entire week for causing a scene in my history class in high school, because I got pissed they turned it off after a couple minutes and told them everyone needed to really see it. It was totally worth the uproar I caused and I'd do it again and again.
This generation that did so much for us at so great a personal sacrifice is fading into history and with it their stories. Their stories are what will protect generations in the future lest we let their flames die out and let history get twisted by the pundits and storytellers in pretty makeup on television. These men did, and still do while we play soccer, watch the football game, and worry about cell phone coverage. And we rewrite / revise history again only to unfortunately repeat it.
Thanks for the kind words folks. I know a veteran who at the tender age of 19 or so, jumped out of a perfectly good airplane in the middle of the night over occupied France of 5 June, 1944 (no typo) in advance of the following day's history. He walked to Germany with the broken end of a German bayonet in his side from a tussle in the French hedge rows. He later ended up in the battle of the "bulge" where he remembers being the coldest he's ever been in his life. When I talk to him every year on 11 Nov.,he lamented to me recently how all of his mates from those days are gone. That got to me. Let's never forget what these people (military and civilian) did then for us now. It was pretty amazing compared to what we do and don't do now.
@Hammerschlägen M hahaha no. There's no such thing. We/Some celebrate independence day by going to "Libingan ng mga Bayani" (cemetery for our country's heroes) and light some candle to pay respect and/or by simply watching historical movies. You can eat balut whenever you want.
i was there on 5th of june 2019, paying respects to those who gave everything . i was lucky to have a quick chat with a R.N veteran, who was on the beach on the 6th.
My uncle, Jimmy, was in the Navy during the Great War and was shot down over the Bay of Biscay. I now know he was memorialized in England; he was never recovered. It’s probably the cemetery in this movie someone (probably will never know who/how) honored him. He was just a teenager. UPDATE: Trying to see if the Navy has his records.
Seeing all those graves gives me chills. When I first saw this movie and the Normandy Beach sequence happened, my dad told me that graves we saw at the beginning were theirs and that really hit me. I think I was 16 at the time. He also pointed out that many of those men were only a few years older than me.
Salute to present soldiers of war: retired, active, inactive, veterans, disabled and deceased. Rest in Heaven Gramps, Dad, and one of my Uncles from U S Army (1991, 2009, and 2010)
I'm french, and i remember when i was a kid i wanted to see this movie. One evening of June, my dad allowed me to watch it with him. I felt uncomfortable when he suddenly started to cry at this scene, i didn't really understand what was going on. He said: "These were Americans. All these men, that we don't know, died so we can be free and have a normal life". I'm 30 now, and it's my turn to cry at the scene and feel the heavy weight of eternal gratitude.
Funny bc from what I’ve seen and heard you French don’t like us fuck yall
Returning the favor from 1781, Battle of Yorktown, when George Washington's army was augmented with Comte de Rochambeau's army and Comte de Grasse's fleet.....the USA wouldn't have happened without French support, and the liberation of France in 1944 wouldn't have happened without US and UK troops
Dude shut up. So fake and gay
My country's oldest alliance is with yours. I hope it will always be so.
🇺🇸 🇫🇷 ❤
My dad served in WW2. Took him six months to relearn how to walk again after being blown out of his Sherman. I joined the navy in a feeble attempt to honor his memory. Love you dad! We will meet again..
My father and all my uncles were combat veterans of WWII. They all survived. A miracle IMO. They all saw heavy combat. How on earth they all made through to war's end alive is something even they could never fully comprehend. They knew how fortunate they were.
They were ALL wonderful men.
Wonderful husbands, fathers, uncles, patriots of our nation. We will NEVER know a remarkable generation like that again.
They are all gone now and I miss them badly. I hope we are both reunited with our fathers in the hereafter. May God keep them and grant them peace.
@@ellisonhamilton3322 Yup. My great grandfather was on the Eastern Front from 1941 to the Germany's surrender in 1945. There was only a 6% chance that he would make it to the end. That 6% chance is what allowed me to be alive and writing this today.
@@jeremynewcombe3422 Kinda like winning the lottery. Really!
Yes, the statistical probability that my dad and all his brothers would end up in both the European and Pacific theatres of operation and be combat veterans AND all survive is beyond my calculation.
They were grateful and so am I.
Cool story kappa
God bless your dad and the other Dads that fought.
Three minutes and fifteen seconds and only one word of dialog . . . "Dad". Absolutely brilliant. A real lesson for today's directors and cinematographers. Sometimes less is more.
Well said! Modern directors often forget what film actually is: the art of moving imagery! Today‘s films are more like captured dialogues.
And one can feel the emotion in his voice when he calls out "Dad!"
Same thing on the raft. No dialogue except the orders from the boat driver and the superior officers
How do they want to corrupt the current generation using sexual content instead of teaching them the principles of sacrifices of past generations.
No, the real lesson here is to get someone as great as John Williams(if that's even possible) to compose the background music. Yes, of course the visuals matter, and it was very well done by Spielberg and the actors, but the true power here comes from the music underlying the scene, without it, at least half of the emotional resonance would be lost.
Most critics felt that this movie’s beginning and ending were tacked on, out of place. They were wrong. Spielberg was making two points-first, that those who went through World War II were still around, among the old folks around us. The movie honors not only those who perished in the war, and had died since its end, but also those who were still with us.
Second, notice that the man’s family walks behind him, separated, which symbolizes that while they support him, he is alone in the direct remembrance of something they’ll never go through. It’s a brilliant, meaningful touch.
Absolutely correct on all counts, well said 👍
I agree. The movie is punctuated nicely by it's beginning and ending.
Agreed. Those were the words of critics of cinematography. This isn't an attempt at good cinematography. It's a thank you letter to all those who gave their life for tyranny to be squashed, freedom and peace to once again be returned to the people of Europe.
@@Tactical_Turtle --Very well said. My late father barely survived that war, and there were times over the years when part of him seemed to be elsewhere, in a place inaccessible to the rest of us. I'd drive him to veterans' events and see many more old, shuffling, stoop-shouldered men looking like any senior would while feeding pigeons in the park. You wouldn't give them a second glance or wonder about what they went through if you didn't catch them in a moment of remembrance.
Well said. Absolutely correct. Together but he was still on his own. So very sad.
The fact the French dedicated this part of their land in respect of how many died gives me the chills. I hope one day I will make the trip to Normandy and see these graves for myself, and make an attempt to read each name that is put on the graves. It’s the smallest thing I could do anyway.
It's quite an experience, especially when most of those that died were actually brought back to the states. Only those whose families elected so were buried there. When I went you were not allowed to walk on the grass/graves.
+
"Could do" says all about you, good sir. You clearly get it. I hope I do too. Some who have been to this place say it's the most beautiful spot on earth. I imagine it is.
I've never visited Europe, and though I've had a list of places I would like to visit should I ever travel the pond, that list has dwindled over time. And were the list shrink down to only one? This would be the one.
Took my son (15) there today on our vacation as a lifelesson and part of the education for me as a parent to him. I thank all the men who came to save us and also the familymembers who made it possible that their loved ones could come overseas to those they didn't know but knew they needed their help. I (we) thank you all and will be forever in our hearts.
@@robertmalone1487 I was there this afternoon, about half of the graves do not allow circulation around but the others are authorized,the place is beautiful
I'm with brother. I don't think there are many good men left
Saving Private Ryan is one of those films you need to watch once a year
minimum 3 times a year
Or a movie everyone should watch, at least once in their lives.
Yes, and should be required viewing in High Schools
twice every 6 months
every US student should watch it as a senior as well
I imagine that this was Ryan's first visit back to France since 1944. His memories totally overwhelm him.
thats Arlington national cemetery.
@@ns7353 That's not Arlington National Cemetery, it's the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
@@ns7353 that's the Colleville Cemetary, bud.
@@ns7353 I see people have already corrected you. Don't worry about it. I made the same mistake for years until I really started reading into history.
@@youtubecreators384 I could understand, but they show the French flag which should easily indicate this isn't Arlington.
This was the greatest generation. They saved the world, they must never be forgotten.
I mean, that's also the generation that systematically murdered over 6 million people and saw the rise of totalitarian regimes that killed well over 100 million more. And they raised the baby-boomers...
They've already been forgotten. There are nazi rallies in the US today. What greater slap to the face of the few living WWII veterans can there be than the growing and open denial of war-crimes by the Japanese and the growing american nazi movement?
I agree!
World sucks right now, we’re forgetting them.
@@KS-qr1ry You’re right. It’s more important to recognise the seven million different genders and respect peoples pronouns than give thanks to the millions of people that laid down their lives and gave their blood so that we can enjoy the freedoms we do today.
Many are but the likes of you, me and folk who post on here, were remembering and honouring. To hell with the ones who dont. 👍🏻@@KS-qr1ry
When the camera pans back in the cemetery to reveal the endless memorial field. You just cant hold back the tears. This Movie is so powerful. Lest we forget...
yes this movie is so powerful it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
Indeed:
"Nèvah was só much ówed- bý so many -...to so few"
One of the greatest war movies of all time
Thank you Steven Spielberg
The greatest of all time.
@@Mav86asian One of the greatest
That is why I did not like movies such as Dunkirk and Hacksaw Ridge. Both of those movies do not have the same impact compared to Spielberg's movies.
@@FutaCatto2 like this three
People seem to forget about the twist in "Saving Private Ryan": People assume that this old man in the cemetery is Capt. Miller-unless they notice the 101st Airborne Division pin on his jacket. It's only at the end, when Miller dies, that we realize that this old man is Pvt. Ryan.
You know, that's what I thought when I first saw this movie too but then I realize that since Miller is quite a bit older than Ryan, he would have been close to 100 years old if he had survived the war. My guess is that Ryan was in his early 20s so it wasn't hard to figure out that the old man in the cemetery 50 years later was him.
Also I might add,I think Ryan is a metaphor for us that survived,or came in later generations,to fullfil Capt Miller's request to earn this sacrifice.
@@2steelshells no thats not what the writers intended at all lol there is nodes meaning behind the characters its just good story telling
@@Elly3981 How do you know this scene was fifty years later?
Also, I'd figure Miller could've been thirty-two or something, which isn't very old.
It still confuses me in a way. Why is Ryan having memories (or flashbacks) of what others experienced on D-Day. His memories would be of the "Band of Brothers" variety. Still, a good movie.
every time he falls to his knees I always get watery eyed. truly a tear jerker indeed. rip to those brave men who fought in in ww2
96tmac What gets me, is the ending. When he comes to attention, and salutes.
cactusmac So Do I
Spielberg was absolutely right to begin and end in the cemetery--much as the young Private Ryan may have appreciated the sacrifice of Captain Miller and his squad, it was only as an older man and a grandfather that he could truly appreciate having the life they never would.
The opening and closing scenes make me cry every time
I was a cook in Vietnam, it was my friend Alan's turn to go out that nite, he never came back, there but for the grace of god
If you can, you must visit just once in your life this cemetery, and all the other cemeteries in Normandy. I visited almost every military cemetery in Normandy a few years back. American, British, Canadian, German and some others, to pay respect and see all those graves of brave men with the age of 16 till around 40 years old, fighting and dying for their country.
I've been to Fort Snelling ( friend and both grandparents buried there. ) and Fort Rosecrans ( was in the area for work ). There is a feeling of great sadness and respect that washes over you when you visit these places.
Lt Mojo Risin if you can't go to Arlington.
Lt Mojo Risin I once saw the traveling Vietnam wall. God bless their souls.
My Brother has been to Normandy three times ..it is my shame that I have not
Mojo Risin what's the name of this cemetery and where is it?
I was born in Normandy. 20 miles from this cemetery. There are no word to describe what I feel when I saw him walking and that you saw all the crosses. All those young men who gave their life.
An infinite gratitude to all those who fought to give back our freedom.
🇫🇷 🇺🇸 ❤
Fun cinema fact. Listen to how well-synched John Williams matches the sound to the picture. At the 2:02 mark, as the tracking shot pans left, each gravestone that enters into the frame, is highlighted by a snare roll, timpani and bass drum hit, and the French horn. This is sort of a reverent hint that Williams is giving to the audience.
Bro, it's John Williams. He is the Einstein of music composition
Reminds me of one of the greatest lines I ever heard from a film critic:
"You didn't notice, but your brain did."
this movie is full of those little moments.
The sandwich Cpt. Miller spots when he enters the telegraph station, a few days after the landing.
The looks that Dennis Farine gives Tom Hanks explains what he encountered in German resistance.
The bosom of the lady in the purple woollen sweater.
Brilliant
The greatest generation. God Bless them. They fought for our freedom.
jakethemuss3 Correct. These days the hardest thing that kids and SJWs have to do is "OMG my iPhone is 2%, I suffer so much LOLOLOL"
CrazySpinach 79 Sadly our generation is a bunch of pussies. A surprising number have a total disregard for human sacrifice
a false freedom, as we can see 70 years later here in Germany.... ..missing the oldschool Goverment those Veterans fought
what's a SJW?
"Social Justice Warrior"
This movie is FULL of amazing acting, but I think Harrison Young (The actor playing Older Ryan in this scene and the Ending), also deserves credit. In this scene, with no dialogue, he had the difficult task of delivering strong emotion through just movement and expression, and he did NOT disappoint.
I agree. He is too often overlooked. He set the tone for the movie!
One of the most powerful opening in movie history.
this was the ending,it made me cry
@@thomascochran8669 it's not the ending
When you’re a vet this scene hits you extra hard. To visit the grave of someone you served with who inspired you.
To honor the wounds of war the ones who never made it home fought and died for the nation
It really does. I served 15 years in the Infantry myself with multiple deployments and buried quite a few of my friends. It never really gets easier.
These soldiers protected America and made history.They will never be forgotten
Thankyou for your service!!
That is some tough ground to walk. When my daughter was 16 she took a trip to France. As she grew up I had taught her a lot about WW2 and the sacrifices many Allied soliders made on D-Day(5 men died from my home town/Great Uncle commanded a LST on 6/6/44) Before she left to go I told her to call me when she got to Normandy. I don't think it really sank in with her what dad was talking about until she walked that ground. When she called me I could hear it in her voice that she understood.
My folks visited my brother when he was in Germany back in Dec. of 1980. They went to France. My mother said they saw "the bloody road to Verdun.". My dad and his brother served in WWII and both of my mother's brothers.
I think this opening scene is the best scene in the movie. If this doesn't put a lump in your throat on what that generation sacrificed......
brettfavreify The ending gets to me. When he's "telling" Capt. Miller he hopes he did everything right. Then comes to attention, and salutes.
I'm crying like a baby. Just watched this clip and scene got the 100th time.
@@Bluenose352 i feel the same way even though i never fought in a war. I hope Im doing everything right.
brettfavreify, Should be mandatory it be shown at each College on their first day.
@@wyattfamily8997 I used to find reading about WWII in history books and seeing black and white footage of it at school boring but this movie brought it to life in a way that made me feel like I was seeing it through the eyes of the people who actually lived through it and my whole outlooked changed.
My dad was a WWII and a Korean War vet. When I was a child I would ask him what he did during the war. He became very tight lipped and either didn't said a word or he would say, "You don't want to know." After going into the military myself and seeing "Saving Private Ryan" I understood why.
🤔
This movie should be part of high school curriculum.
I remember watching it during my Junior year in high school, around this time ten years ago.
Pfft with our education system now They'll call this movie dangerously "Nationalistic" and may offend students with German decent...
@@reptiliandiplomat5458 exactly
Yeah like who tf isn’t giving the kids this masterpiece man
It was for my high school. I never saw before but thanks to my US History teacher it's now one of my favorite films.
To all those who died, served, and defended our country as well as around the world thank you.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
I cry every time Ryan walks into the memorial and you see all the crosses and stars, the only scene that made me cry
Im not american, but this hits me
I cried throughout the whole movie. Especially the beach landing, when the men were so scared, and getting shot and blown up, and crying for their mothers, like frightened children.😢💒
The ending, where he steps back and salutes, gets me every time also. It says so much so eloquently. Thank you, all who served and serve today. We must try every day to earn it.
charlesveg I agree. After reading all the stories about men who survived D-Day, on the 75th Anniversary last week, I don't know how any of them made it off that beach. They were SO brave--and they said, We were just doing our job." God Bless our military, and let's never forget what they did for us, and continue to do.😔💒🗽
....You mean all the crosses and one star...
I just visited the D-Day cemetery this week. I am becoming a soldier soon and I felt the awe, silence, sadness, but pride when walking in that cemetery. Not many people from the U.S. get to see this. That is sacred ground. I feel the aura to this day and it is something I will never forget.
EDIT: I will be enlisting in 6 weeks or so.
EDIT 2: I am swearing in the Army in a couple days and will be training at Ft. Jackson.
EDIT 3: I am now in the 101st Airborne Division. The same division on his chest. Who knew. I am proud to be serving with a band of brothers and a legacy.
I was able to see some of Germany, but only Triers. Its in the Rhineland. I saw Michael Wittman's grave though.
+Sullivan Walsh I visited years ago shortly after 9/11. It was a very quiet place, very peaceful. Fitting for those who rest there. Stood by the cliff for a long time and just listened to the ocean.
At the time Americans were very unpopular in France after Afghanistan and Iraq kicked off, but Normandy was one place where I was treated well.
***** Thanks. That's me in ROTC. I will be trying out for OCS instead.
+Sullivan Walsh good luck sir everyone is in debt to you for life ! x
John Collins Your dad is a hero. He fought his best and fought honorably. A soldier's honor is very important. He did die at a medium age but died telling a good tale.
This scene was shot so well. The camera zooming in on old Ryan's face summarizes the whole movie. The look on his face. He'd seen horrible things no one should have to see and had witnessed the true darkness and evil of humanity in his younger years. One of the greatest films of all time.
Best part of movie
My Uncle was 82nd Airborne on D-Day, he managed to survive that and the Bulge. How any of those brave soldiers made it home is truly a miracle. This movie and Band of Brothers should be required in EVERY high school curriculum.
My grandfather was same as well as 101st in battle of the bulge. Never got to meet him
Such a powerful scene.... I'm shedding tears now.
yes this is such a powerful scene in saving Private Ryan it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
@@captaincharek3559
Come and See’s ending where Floyra is gone in the crowd is more powerful than this and i hope to have a dream ending where all the characters I’ve loved from every war movie rejoin me with Ryan among them. That would be an emotional finale to my 12 year anniversary with the war fast approaching. Come and See ends my 13 year journey with the war just like that and all my war movies rejoining me for this anniversary will be a emotional celebration
I can hardly watch 30 seconds of Saving Private Ryan without tearing up.
I am retired Navy. Had the same experience at the USNA cemetery 10 years ago. I was alone (on a business trip) and it was hard. No one outside of the service will understand the inner pain of the veteran when recalling his fallen comrades.
Of course folk outside of service can feel the pain,
this scene makes me cry like a baby. thank you from across the pond. we will always be brothers
Amen, brother.
A few Stars of David with the crosses.
🙏🏻
Saving Private Ryan is one the few & rare movies that makes grown men cry 😭 they’re eyes out.
Me
Ur gay lol
It's true Saving Private Ryan is the only movie to make a man cry
My great-grandfather didn't fought in World War II. He fought in World War I as a german soldier. He never told anyone about his time at war, except he wrote it in his diary. He managed to visit Verdun before he died, he passed away in 1986, few months after loosing his wife.
Such a great scene , A man compelled to say thank you to the men who saved his life and allowing him to prosper and have a family . Hoping he did them justice by being a good man . A reminder of the value of life and freedom I didn't expect this scene , caught me by surprise .
IKR!! it gets me everytime!! And I'm not American
This Movie is Speilbergs best and the opening scene is so Sad,the ultimate respect to Capt Collins for how he lead him in battle and how fragile Collins was himself after witnessing warfare first hand.Ryan is man enough to thank another man for his life.
My dad was in WW2 443rd AABTN.
To all that serve, ever have, ever will.
A profound thank you.
Last night my family and I slept in peace.
God bless Y'all.
Thank you to your father. and like he said, all that ever served or will serve, thank you. I will never have the privilege to serve alongside you, but I would do so in a heartbeat if I could.
God Bless your dad, you and yours.
Your father and all his friends are true heroes. God bless them.
Michael B. Porter thank you for your father's service.
One of the most heartbreaking scene in this great movie. As a French I will forever be grateful for these young people who have come and died and saved my country and so many people from tyranny. This cemetary in Colleville with it's neverending lines of white crosses is a unique place that sorely reminds us the price of Freedom.
And we in the USA need to remember once it was France 🇫🇷 that sent soldiers, officers, supplies, and ships so we could change from guerilla war to fielding a military that could win independence. French infantry and artillery was at Yorktown and French ships drove off the Royal Navy.
My wife went to Normandy 3 years ago, most emotional experience of my life. Looking out at English Channel and seeing so many young men that would never see home again! God Bless Them
At 1:51 it really pulls at my heart strings. Such an amazing score in this movie, it really needs more recognition.
Truly is, almost like a slow funeral march
As a big classical ROMANTIC music lover I will tell you that Mr.Williams was inspired by and has literally stolen some great Brahms(1833-1897)scorelines 😊-which dóesn't bother me in the slightest.
As we say in dutch;"Beter goed gejat dan slecht bedacht"
The first minute is absolute f. genius.At 0.43 is like sliding into a huge nasty depression -knowing there's no way back in the short run.
Like Winston once remarked:"When you're going through hell....-kéép going"
Bruh I remember I've seen old folk wearing WW2 Veteran caps and had tickets to watch this amazing film. They walked out of the theater during the opening scene and I can not blame them at all.
The most epic opening scene to a movie hands down.
Doulton.S.91 Not the most epic but rather the most touching opening scene at least for me.
It truly is. All those brave men.
yes
When I saw this movie for the first time in the theater there were a group of male teenagers in the row in front of me. At the end of the movie they were all crying like babies. This movie's best gift was showing that generation the sacrifice that the Greatest Generation made for this country and all of us. The greatest war movie ever made.
yes this is the greatest war movie ever made it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
I agree 100 %¡
When I got to the end of Saving Private Ryan, I stood up and saluted.
@@captainjacksparrow9728 Dunkirk
This part is the best of the whole film. The graves the tears the music 😢
The Omaha beach scene was that intense that it gave me night terrors for a month and every time I heard a loud bang or something, I immediately get down to start crying my heart out
I love the 'really...now?' disapproving look the wife gives her husband at 0:58 when he snaps a photo of his father, Ryan, walking. So subtle, and to me is telling of how out of touch future generations were of what those men went through, so much that even Ryan's own son was so obliviously unaware he was being inappropriate that his wife had to remind him, as they usually do.
I never noticed that. Very subtle detail. Good eyes Raymond Lee. Good call!
My father was in the Third Wave on Omaha Beach on this day. The only thing he ever said to me directly about it, well into my adult years, was, “If you hear the other fellow shoot, … he missed.”
@@matthiasbreithaupt1391 thank you for your reply and for sharing that. I can't imagine the impact it must have had on him. What did your father mean by that line? Was 'the other fellow' referring to the enemy?
@@leraygun A bullet travels faster than the sound made by the shot. There is an old expression, "You will never hear the bullet that kills you." Yes, Matthais' "other fellow" was a reference to the enemy. I also want to applaud you on the fine catch regarding the look the wife gives her husband. You are exceptionally observant. I also missed that.
I noticed that too
@@DATo_DATonian He is observant. While I did notice the wife's look when he snapped the photo, I missed the bigger commentary that his action made which Raymond Lee pointed out--it was just a good way to illustrate how oblivious the next generation would be since they didn't have to make those types of sacrifices/had those war experiences that their parents did.
This movie is a masterpiece.
yes this movie is a masterpiece always has been always will be forever and that is a promise
This scene is very personal for me. It takes me back to when my family took a trip to France and went to one of the cemeteries with our grandfathers, both veterans. The amount of emotion that was expressed without words or gestures was beyond measure. It seemed as if my grandfathers didn’t even notice the rest of us because their time overseas during the war was coming back to them and it was as if they were back in 1944. This scene will always be dear to me.
WW2 was arguably the biggest event in human history. It's significance still resonates with us 75 years later.
and 99.9 % of people unfortunately don't get the wise words you have just written
@@garyt19651 most do, humanity is good, the people in charge never got the memo
It’s sad that 10 years from now they’ll probably be 1,000 or 500 WW2 vets left. :(
@@Zoomer_Boiless
Not in human history, but in the 20th century for sure, even though it was basically WW 1.5. History is long...veeeery long.
This is the most powerful scene in the entire film, god bless them all
yes this is the most powerful scene in the entire film it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
Even after all these years, this opening scene is just as emotionally gripping as when the movie first came.
I saw that at the age ov 9. Greatest change in my life.
@@arnoldhernandez1910fr
this scene makes me bawl like a baby, God Bless our troops!
The scene at the end where they refocus back to James Ryan as an old man is just as tearful if not more so. He asks his wife to tell him that he is a good man. He wants and needs reinforcement to fulfill John Miller's request to "earn it"... or something like that.
So true! Great comment!
God bless America, without you, our beautiful France shall be dead... Thank you for your sacrifice to save us.
Alex77 77 Give Russia a big thanks
Shut up and screw Russia...the only Russians in France were fighting for the Germans.
Respect and honor for all the unknown heroes!
They are unforgotten.
That's so true
Aye sergeant
I am glad this movie was made 15 years ago and not today. A Private Ryan opening scene today would depict this man's grandchildren completely oblivious to him, texting their friends, and taking selfies.
D GW But my sad vision of this opening scene if made today is not of these grandchildren oblivious to anyone related to them besides their grandfather.
Sad but true. You are entirely correct. I would never hope I would do that, but honestly my generation scares me when they do stuff like that. There are so many disrespectful people at these cemeteries nowadays. My family went to the Arlington Cemetery and there was a woman talking loudly on her phone and laughing. Luckily a ranger yelled at her and kicked her out.
martinishot That's what Gran Torino is about. Clint Eastwood fought for his country and his people, then returned and raised his family to the best of his ability, only to have a two generations of shameful brats who think he's worth nothing more than his possessions.
That movie is exactly what you're talking about.
***** You don't have to respect the cause or think it is worthwhile or just. A soldier risking his or her life, months and years far away from home to follow orders given by a government who is democratically elected deserves respect and will get it from me that's for sure.
martinishot If I had a dollar for everytime someone criticized the younger generation I'd be able to afford a house in the economy the baby boomers destryed
Thanks for saving the world guys.
This movie makes me proud to be American.
At 3:11 is my great Uncles tomb Stone on the left. Met his brother/ my other great uncle (who was airborne) at a family reunion and being able to meet him was an experience I will never forget,
Your Local Inquisitor
Johnny Be Good
Which one?
Your Local Inquisitor mike Martinez?
This was the most highly appreciated movie of all time.this was also the movie that made you understand the life some of us are liveing at the moment.
Imagine just being there. the shivers up your back...everything you got to hold back your tears.. all the regrets.. all the love you have weighing on your shoulders just leads up until this point where he shows everything.
I was there actually, last year.
eidius1989 I went there in 1995. It was so humbling! I didn't realise the scale of the loss until I saw all those countless white crosses. Heartbreaking!
B White what?
His comment must've got deleted
Just watching this scene sends shivers down my back! The entire movie is overwhelmingly powerful. Moreover, I actually got to go there when I went to France in 2009. Being there and seeing the sight of all those crosses... is like no other feeling in the world. But I couldn't imagine being there on June 6, 1944.
I watched this damn movie recently and it only took these first few moments to reduce me to tears! I’ve never served in the military, but it’s part of my family. Thank god I’ve never had to go to a graveyard to remember my own. God bless these brave men who sacrificed so much for our freedom and way of life.
I’ve always visited the war dead in my cemetery every remembrance week and I leave one or two years on their graves. I even hugged the graves as I was hugging them from up here and I think they felt it. I’m literally crying my heart out as I celebrate the 80th anniversary of D-Day
@@nicolelawless9942 I made sure to remind myself that 06/06/24, 80 years ago today, there were were young lads that never came home to their mothers, their fathers, their girlfriends, their wives, their brothers, their sisters, their buddies to help free the world from tyranny and oppression. It’s a debt that can never be repaid. God bless you brave bastards!
I remember seeing this film on Labor day weekend (sunday night) in 1998. I spent the entire evening in silence. No TV, radio.. anything. I was so shocked at the brutality of it all. Finally something that showed it all out as it should have been.
It took over 50 years. But by then we were ready to see the truth. So many of those men have gone. Their stories untold but their grief respect.
A masterpiece of an opening.
yes this opening is a masterpiece it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
They saved us all. My wife is from Hungary and she wouldn't be here if those guys didn't
invade. Thanks to the greatest generation.
The Soviet Red Army liberated Hungary and paid, by far, the largest price for defeating fascism.
They paid they heaviest price because of how they decided to fight the war. If US didn't invade Russia would've been defeated by Japan and Germany.
As the commies chased out the nazis from hungary after 1945 hungary is invaded by commies and we had them here for 45 years (the last russian soldier left hungary in 1990)
The revolution in 1956 was a nightmare
My grandpa killed 4 russians during that year to defend his country and family
If it weren't for him
I wouldn't be here :)
Damn that's deep
bronco devil not to crash any party here but Hungary fought along side Germany in Russia
If you have never been to a military cemetery, you will be overwhelmed. Row after row after row after row of white crosses in perfect alignment, as far as the eye can see. They freely gave their lives for the cause of freedom. Some things are worth dying for. Freedom is one of them!
This scene gets me everytime. It is easy to say that one should go to war, but the horrors of it is something will hit you for the rest of your life.
That look in his eyes near the end, every true veteran I know has that same look including me. Until you've lived it then have the nightmares you'll never understand.
I had 12 family members that fought in World War II. The last one just passed away in 2021. One cousin named Mack died on Okinawa. His younger brother, who himself is a Korean War vet, that is still alive has never forgotten him. Thinks about him every day and still tells his stories. I teach history and one of my biggest lessons to my students is that events like this to us end when we flip the page and start a new chapter. But for those involved, it is their whole life for the rest of their life. It consumes them and makes them who they are. It shapes them and their character. It never goes away. It is not a page to flip over and be done with. It becomes their whole book...
Never has a movie given me such a variety of emotions. Sadness, feeling of loss, fear, pride, anger, and a bit of humor. Wonderful movie.
yes saving Private Ryan is a wonderful movie it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
One of the best films ever made. Gorgeous music. Made me cry and I never ever cry.
This film should be mandatory viewing on Memorial Day.
After we chow down on the barbecue, and drink the beers, we thank those who we could never repay.
Sit back and watch a story about the men who saved the lives of millions, and by extension, untold BILLIONS not yet born.
We raise our glass, and salute.
Always.
For those whose relative fought in the Second world war, especially as an American, this must be so touching. I'm from Finland and my great grandfather fought in the Winter- and the Continuation war against the Soviet Union between 1939-1944. Rest in peace Vilho 1913-2003. I've always been very much into war history and personally find this movie scene very touching and sad. May all those who fought in the Second world war rest in peace. And yea, it's a great movie, one of my all-time favorites.
The thought of the men who were brave enough to stand up against the USSR and actually be known to scare the absolute crap out of an army twice their size still leaves me in awe to this day, I'm pretty sure Finland is still thankful to your Grandad. my Great Grandfather or Grandaddy to my family, fought in WWII with the 84th Infantry but by some stroke of luck he was in a hospital in England when his Unit went to Normandy in November, he did see action in the Battle of the Bulge and liberated several concentration camps
I agree , great movie and gave me a glimpse of what my Dad saw in WWII. He served in the 45th Infantry Division, which saw more days in active combat than any other Army unit during WWII, ( over 500), which I guess is why he NEVER said a word about the war to anyone. I have his Ike jacket and dress hat that he had stored away and his medals. I learned a lot about his unit many years after he passed away and am VERY proud of what he and many others did to preserve our way of life. It unfortunate that not enough people understand the magnitude of what they did. This movie helps provide that.
My Mom’s Uncle was in the first wave at Omaha Beach on that day and the stuff he saw haunted him for the rest of his life. He would pick my mother up and have her sit on his lap telling her what he had seen on that day. Young men laying on the beach, bobbing up and down in the surf and the water turned blood red because of how many had been gunned down in the water.
My great uncle was buried there, took many years but the family had him bright back home to be buried with family. Had 2 other great uncles that were there with him as well
Excellent casting. The old guy really resembles his younger self.
The sight of those blessed soldiers resting in Arlington National Cemetery is enough to break a person wide open whether they have served or not.
its not in Arlington. this is in France
Minhaj Nizam How do you know?
TheCoolProfessor can you not see the french flag flying, and back then loads of soldiers were burried in the countries they died in. Except for Iwo Jima where the marines who were buried were exhumed and brought back to the US. And listen to what James Ryan says at the end, i dont know how i would feel coming back here
TheCoolProfessor I've been to this cemetery. It overlooks Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. You can take the stairs down to the sand-- unreal experience.
It's like looking at an ocean of our greatest generation's teenagers and young men! Then, I think about all those mothers aged 35 and up, who lost their boys...
My great Uncle was on Omaha Beach. All he ever said about it was "just keep going." What he meant was no matter what you see, just keep running. He described the scene as "a sea of red." He was on a tank destroyer in the second wave. He passed away in 1992 from a very bad heart. I only saw him a few times in my life. But he certainly was larger than life itself. Thank you to all who served in World War II. May you be an example of this great nation and what freedom has meant to so many throughout the ages. Most sincerely and respectively, Michael
We cannot thank the military family's enough for the sacrifice they gave. Life was lost for freedom.
Even knowing this scene is fictional im tearing up quite a bit. Such a well made movie.
The scene may be fictional, but the character Ryan portrayed here could easily be any real soldier that served in that war, and so we sympathize and grieve for all of them.
I remember watching this as a teenager. Changed my life.
A few Years later I finally made it to Normandy, and visited the Omaha Cemetery. I'll never forget the feeling of seeing that for the first time, nor the emotions.
"My God... these guys where my age."
You get it !!!! be proud of that
One of the best movies ever made....
yes saving Private Ryan is one of the best movies ever made it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
I love how you can tell what the tone of the movie is just from him walking ahead of his family, perfect movie
yes saving Private Ryan is a perfect movie it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
The first few horns make me tear up because it makes me realize how many soldiers gave their lives to keep freedom alive
We forget. . . So easily
My dad served in Vietnam. The first time i watched this movie with him tears were streaming down his face. I couldn't understand it as a kid. I do now. We will never know the burden those that have served in combat carry. Only those that have done it themselves can truly understand the horror of war.
Two years after this great film came out, my grandfather passed away from cancer in 2000. He enlisted in 1942 (age 20-21) & served in the 5th Ranger Battalion that trained in Tennesee. Eventually shipped out to Britain in late 1943/early 1944 in preparation for Operation Overlord. Trained in Special Cliff Operations in the Highlands of Scotland in early 1944 alongside his fellow Rangers (plus other Allied/UK Special forces) before D-Day.
On June 6th, 1944, he subsequently climbed the cliffs of Point du Hoc. He had to carry his BAR into battle in rough terrain under heavy fire, search & eventually destroy the German Howitzers that greatly saved thousands of his fellow countrymen on the beaches. As history goes, the Rangers had to traverse miles of the French countryside for the repositioned guns after hours of naval & air bombardment prior to the invasion forced the Germans back from Point du Hoc. My grandfather was one man out of 75 men (out of 225 Rangers, 67% of the unit were wounded or killed) who was able to reach the top of Point du Hoc & keep on fighting beyond the Longest Day. Played a part of Operation Cobra in the breakout out of Normandy.
Into the battle of Saint-Lo in July 1944, he got wounded when a piece of mortar shrapnel hit his leg (from his calf to above his ankle) & took him out of action. The 29th Infantry Battalion alongside another American division with small groups of Army Rangers (intermix of the remaining 2nd & 5th Ranger Battalions) took massive losses from German artillery destroying the town. My grandfather would have met his end at Saint-Lo, but thankfully he had a guardian angel over him.
Over the years, I was told by my father & my aunt that after he got wounded, my grandfather was saved by a Sherman Tank Crew from the 747th Independent tank division that came to support the 29th Infantry division to take the ruins of Saint-Lo & were attempting to gather all the wounded GIs during the course of the battle. It's still very unclear how many were saved on that day alongside my grandfather, but as a result of them saving lives, the Sherman Tank Commander was the only casualty while gathering up the wounded men under heavy fire.
Due to their courageous actions, my grandfather lived, was able to go home to raise a family, & eventually serve as a police officer/sergeant for nearly 25 years until he retired in 1978. He got the Bronze Star for his heroic actions on D-Day & 2 Purple Hearts in the Fall of 1944. In both civilian life & his long days in law enforcement, he had to take small amounts of morphine (inside a capsule attached to a sliver neck chain around his neck) every day due to the wounds he received in the war until his last days on this earth. A reminder of the sacrifices he made in the defense of America, her people & the liberation of Europe.
My grandfather's mother was a German immigrant & orphan who came to America in the 1890s when her homeland (early German Empire) was facing some social destabilization. My grandfather had no ill will against the majority of the German troops he fought against in the Liberation of France. He always respected the Germans (the Wehrmacht/cousins) for their military leadership, combat efficiency & historical discipline. He absolutely hated the Nazi idealogy, who only represented Hitler & a few thousand people in the SS divisions that committed the Holocaust.
Like everyone else who first watched the movie, I began to truly understand & greatly appreciate the sacrifices my grandfather & the millions of soldiers made in WWII. That includes the common German Soldier (non-SS/Nazi) who fought not for Hitler, but for their family & their country.
This film will always be one of my favorite films about WWII despite some of its flaws. I always got emotional at the end of the film when Miller tells Ryan that "Earn this" & it cuts to Ryan asking his wife if he was a good man. My grandfather never ever saw Saving Private Ryan in the last years of his life (did like the movie The Longest Day), but like most veterans, he would have attempted to avoid seeing the horrors of war again.
I am immensely grateful to have known him before his passing & I am proud to be his grandson. This is a story I like to share with those who have first watched this film and Band of Brothers. If I had to create a book/movie title to describe his WWII story it would be called "Liberation at the Gates"
Such a powerful opening, a film made by a master at the peak of his cinematic storytelling. Even more significant on this Memorial Day. My undying respect to all who fought and died, for our nation and every nation.
yes this is such a powerful opening in saving Private Ryan it always has been and it always will be forever and that is a promise
Good gosh! The part where he falls to his knees gets me every time. In the context of the film we don't even know that that's Pvt. James Ryan being overcome with emotion when seeing the grave of Capt. John H. Miller. That could be any WW2 veteran be overcome with emotion at the sight of his fallen comrade's grave.
The greatest generation. We have so much to learn from them. Thanks to all soldiers, past and present, who have served.
My brother and I visited this place - even as Australians we were shocked and in awe at the same time. I hope the USA realise that despite the Corona virus there was a generation that teaches you and us in the Pacific to never give up , always fight and NEVER give in
June 6 D Day 75th Anniversary brought me here as well, although I watch this movie, and Band Of Brothers a few times a year.
God Bless The Greatest Generation 🇺🇸💙🇺🇸
Same here. Amen. I'm 65 and our parents truly were the Greatest. God bless all who served and all who serve today. We will never fully earn it but we must try.
Thank you in the name of all the Frenchmen. Thank you for the Freedom you gave back to us. Thank you for the blood you lost on our land. Thank you for giving us the Freedom to our children to grow in peace and happiness. THANK YOU. Maybe it is only a movie, but heavy of sens and symbolic for us.
Gilles Guillaumin you need to watch the fortieth anniversary speech on here made by pres Reagan at normandy. he mentions FreeFrance
We are united as brothers in our common goal of liberty, freedom, and peace...and an overwhelming desire to create and maintain a world worthy of the sacrifice of so many before us for our children and all future generations.
The sons of America, England, France, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Yugoslavia Luxembourg, and so many others are not forgotten.
@@natskivna Mexico also.
Shame you’ve given, what has been earned by millions of lives from your very own country and others, to foreign invaders. My country too is suffering. We have only a politician’s to blame.
Hey the French helped America during the American Revolution. So thank you
This is a incredibly moving scene, gives me shivers. We owe them respect. Imagine running on the blazing field of battle into enemy gun fire and mortars, imagine the courage that would have god damn taken.. We owe these men and others our freedom.
I can only imagine what must of gone through a veterans mind seeing such a sight, and wondering why he was picked to live when so many weren't. the music cuts me deep.
This scene always reminds me of my grandfather. He fought in the Pacific Theater as part of an AA battery. He walked the same way when he was older and wore the same windbreaker. It was always difficult talking with him for school projects. Whenever i interviewed him, we would need to take breaks because it was difficult for him to relive those memories. I miss those conversations and hope that I can pass on to my children the respect I have for him. Miss you Grandpa
This scene chokes me up everytime I see it. My Grandfather was a Veteran of WWII. He wasn't at Normandy But he was in Southern France and The Italian Campaign as a member of The First Special Service Force. When this came out in Theatres My Dad tried to get him to go But he Wouldn't. I guess it would bring back too many bad memories. He passed away in 2008
The first time you ever watch this, you see him collapse, and cry, and your heart breaks. Then you continue watching and have NO idea what you're about to see.
I bet that's how our veterans feel.
I got detention for an entire week for causing a scene in my history class in high school, because I got pissed they turned it off after a couple minutes and told them everyone needed to really see it. It was totally worth the uproar I caused and I'd do it again and again.
This generation that did so much for us at so great a personal sacrifice is fading into history and with it their stories. Their stories are what will protect generations in the future lest we let their flames die out and let history get twisted by the pundits and storytellers in pretty makeup on television. These men did, and still do while we play soccer, watch the football game, and worry about cell phone coverage. And we rewrite / revise history again only to unfortunately repeat it.
Well written words.
Master Chief Thank you. Remember to thank them on Nov. 11th.
Great comment.
no truer words have been spoken
Thanks for the kind words folks. I know a veteran who at the tender age of 19 or so, jumped out of a perfectly good airplane in the middle of the night over occupied France of 5 June, 1944 (no typo) in advance of the following day's history. He walked to Germany with the broken end of a German bayonet in his side from a tussle in the French hedge rows. He later ended up in the battle of the "bulge" where he remembers being the coldest he's ever been in his life. When I talk to him every year on 11 Nov.,he lamented to me recently how all of his mates from those days are gone. That got to me. Let's never forget what these people (military and civilian) did then for us now. It was pretty amazing compared to what we do and don't do now.
Who’s gonna be watching this June 6, 2019
thejackregala watching it on base, at the on post theater today
I'm watching it right now and it's my country's (Philippines) independence day, June 12.
@Hammerschlägen M hahaha no. There's no such thing. We/Some celebrate independence day by going to "Libingan ng mga Bayani" (cemetery for our country's heroes) and light some candle to pay respect and/or by simply watching historical movies. You can eat balut whenever you want.
@Hammerschlägen M it's a pleasure. Glad to share ☺
i was there on 5th of june 2019, paying respects to those who gave everything . i was lucky to have a quick chat with a R.N veteran, who was on the beach on the 6th.
I will never understand why this failed to win the best picture Oscar.
Harvey Weinstein's smear campaign. Look it up. Dreadful.
I always cry during the opening scene. This movie is a classic.
My uncle, Jimmy, was in the Navy during the Great War and was shot down over the Bay of Biscay. I now know he was memorialized in England; he was never recovered. It’s probably the cemetery in this movie someone (probably will never know who/how) honored him. He was just a teenager. UPDATE: Trying to see if the Navy has his records.
Seeing all those graves gives me chills.
When I first saw this movie and the Normandy Beach sequence happened, my dad told me that graves we saw at the beginning were theirs and that really hit me. I think I was 16 at the time. He also pointed out that many of those men were only a few years older than me.
These men and women are heroes if wasn't for these brave souls the world would be a different place..thank you all for your great sacrifice...
His eyes remind me of my grandfather who served in Vietnam. As blue as the sea I always thought. I will never forget the last time I saw them
Salute to present soldiers of war: retired, active, inactive, veterans, disabled and deceased. Rest in Heaven Gramps, Dad, and one of my Uncles from U S Army (1991, 2009, and 2010)