Saving Private Ryan: Overview

saving private ryan

Set during and immediately following the invasion of Normandy, Saving Private Ryan tells the story of a squad of American soldiers on a dangerous mission to find Private James Ryan whose three brothers have been killed in combat. On direct orders from Washington, Captain John Miller leads his men deep behind enemy lines. As the squad pushes on, the men find themselves asking: Why is one man worth the lives of eight?

Amid the chaos and terror of those days in early June 1944, this remarkable story searches to find decency in the sheer madness of war.

While preparing to film Saving Private Ryan, hundreds of people spent countless hours researching and re-creating the battles, landscape, and the destruction of France during those days. One thousand soldiers were employed in filming the landing on Omaha Beach. Original landing boats, guns, and gear were restored to working order. While shooting the battle scenes in strict chronological order, tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition were fired. Every effort was made to capture the harsh reality of war as authentically as possible.

World War II was perhaps the pivotal event of the twentieth century and a defining moment for America and the world. It shifted the borders of the globe, forever changed those who survived it, and shaped the past five decades

- Steven Spielberg
Saving Private Ryan: The Men. The Mission. The Movie.