Saving Private Ryan - wikipedia Saving Private Ryan Saving Private Ryan Theatrical release poster Directed by Steven Spielberg Produced by Ian Bryce Mark Gordon Gary Levinsohn Steven Spielberg Written by Robert Rodat Starring Tom Hanks Edward Burns Matt Damon Tom Sizemore Music by John Williams Cinematography Janusz Kamiński Edited by Michael Kahn Production company Amblin Entertainment Mutual Film Company Distributed by DreamWorks Pictures ( United States ) Paramount Pictures ( International ) Release date July 24, 1998 ( 1998 - 07 - 24 ) Running time 169 minutes Country United States Language English German French Czech Budget $70 million Box office $481.8 million Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic war drama film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Set during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II, the film is notable for its graphic portrayal of war, and for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which includes a depiction of the Omaha Beach assault during the Normandy landings. It follows United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller ( Tom Hanks ) and a squad ( Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg, and Jeremy Davies ) as they search for a paratrooper, Private First Class James Francis Ryan ( Matt Damon ), who is the last - surviving brother of four servicemen. The film received widespread critical acclaim, winning several awards for film, cast, and crew, as well as earning significant returns at the box office. The film grossed $216.8 million domestically, making it the highest - grossing film of 1998 in the United States, and $481.8 million worldwide, making it the second - highest - grossing film of 1998 worldwide. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture ; Spielberg 's direction won his second Academy Award for Best Director, with four more awards going to the film. Saving Private Ryan was released on home video in May 1999, earning another $44 million from sales. In 2014, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed `` culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. '' Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3.1 Development 3.2 Pre-production 3.3 Filming 3.4 Portrayal of history 4 Reception 4.1 Box office 4.2 Critical response 4.3 Awards 4.4 Television broadcasts 4.5 Home video 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External links Plot In the present day, an elderly veteran visits the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial with his family. Upon seeing one particular grave, he falls to his knees overcome with emotion. The scene then shifts to the morning of June 6, 1944, as American soldiers land on Omaha Beach as part of the Normandy Invasion. They suffer heavy losses in assaulting German positions defended by artillery and machine guns. Captain John H. Miller of the 2nd Ranger Battalion assembles a group to penetrate the German defenses, leading to a breakout from the beach. Elsewhere on the beach, a dead soldier is face down in the bloody surf ; his pack is stenciled Ryan, S. In Washington, D.C., at the U.S. War Department, General George Marshall learns that three of the four brothers of the Ryan family were killed in action and that the fourth son, James, has been parachuted somewhere in Normandy. After reading Abraham Lincoln 's Bixby letter aloud for his staff, he orders that James Ryan be found and returned home immediately. Three days after D - Day, Miller receives orders to find Ryan and bring him back from the front. He assembles six men from his company -- T / Sgt. Mike Horvath, Privates First Class Richard Reiben and Adrian Caparzo, Privates Stanley Mellish and Danny Jackson, medic Irwin Wade -- plus T / 5 Timothy Upham, a cartographer and interpreter borrowed from another unit. They move out to Neuville, where they meet a squad from the 101st Airborne Division, where Caparzo is killed by a German sniper. They locate a Private James Ryan, but quickly learn he is not their man. They eventually encounter a friend of James Ryan, who tells them that he is defending an important bridge in the town of Ramelle. On the way to Ramelle, Miller decides to neutralize a German machine gun position, despite his men 's misgivings ; Wade is killed in the skirmish. Miller, at Upham 's urging, declines to execute a surviving German ( nicknamed `` Steamboat Willie '' ) and sets him free on the condition that he surrender to the first Allied unit he encounters. Losing confidence in Miller 's leadership, Reiben declares his intention to desert, prompting a confrontation with Horvath, which Miller defuses by disclosing his civilian background as a teacher, about which his men had set up a betting pool. Reiben reluctantly decides to stay. At Ramelle, Miller and the squad find a small group of paratroopers preparing to defend the bridge ; one is Ryan. Miller tells Ryan about his brothers and their orders to bring him home and that two men had been lost in finding him. He is distressed at the loss of his brothers, but asks Miller to tell his mother that he intends to stay `` with the only brothers ( he has ) left. '' Miller decides to join his unit with the paratroopers in defense of the bridge against the imminent German attack. Miller forms ambush positions throughout the ruined town, preparing to attack arriving tanks with Molotov cocktails, detonation cords and `` sticky bombs '' made from socks filled with Composition B. Elements of the 2nd SS Panzer Division arrive with infantry and armor. Although they inflict heavy casualties on the Germans, most of the paratroopers, along with Jackson, Mellish, and Horvath are killed, while Upham avoids fighting. Miller attempts to blow the bridge, but is shot and mortally wounded by Steamboat Willie, who has rejoined the Germans. Just before a Tiger tank reaches the bridge, an American P - 51 Mustang flies overhead and destroys the tank, followed by American armored units which rout the remaining Germans. Witnessing Miller 's shooting, Upham confronts Steamboat Willie and his group as they attempt to retreat. Steamboat Willie raises his hands in surrender, believing that Upham will accept because of their earlier encounter. Instead, Upham kills him, but lets the other Germans flee. Reiben and Ryan are with Miller as he dies and says his last words, `` James... earn this. Earn it. '' Back in the present day, the elderly veteran is revealed to be Ryan and the grave he is standing at is Miller 's. Ryan expresses his appreciation for what Miller and the others did for him. He then asks his wife if he is a `` good man '' worthy of their sacrifices, to which she tells him he is. Ryan comes to attention and salutes Miller 's grave. Cast Tom Hanks as Captain John H. Miller, company commander, 2nd Ranger Battalion, U.S. Army Edward Burns as Private First Class Richard Reiben, a BAR gunner Tom Sizemore as Technical Sergeant Mike Horvath Matt Damon as Private First Class James Francis Ryan, a paratrooper Harrison Young as James Francis Ryan, present day Barry Pepper as Private Daniel Jackson, a left - handed sniper Adam Goldberg as Private Stanley `` Fish '' Mellish, a rifleman Vin Diesel as Private First Class Adrian Caparzo, a rifleman Giovanni Ribisi as Technician fourth grade Irwin `` Doc '' Wade, a medic Jeremy Davies as Technician fifth grade Timothy E. Upham, a cartographer and interpreter Ted Danson as Captain Fred Hamill, a pathfinder Paul Giamatti as Staff Sergeant Hill, a paratrooper Dennis Farina as Lieutenant Colonel Walter Anderson, battalion commander, 2nd Rangers Harve Presnell as General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the United States Army Leland Orser as Second lieutenant DeWindt, pilot of a crashed glider Bryan Cranston as Colonel I.W. Bryce, an officer at the War Department Nathan Fillion as Private James Frederick Ryan ( `` Minnesota Ryan '' ) Ryan Hurst as Paratrooper Mandelsohn, a soldier whose hearing was damaged by a grenade Max Martini as Corporal Henderson, ranking paratrooper at Ramelle Kathleen Byron as James Francis Ryan 's wife, present day Stéphane Cornicard as Jean, a French survivor Glenn Wrage as Doyle, a soldier of the 2nd Ranger Battalion Joerg Stadler as `` Steamboat Willie '', a German soldier Dale Dye as a War Department Colonel Production Development In 1994, Robert Rodat wrote the script for the film. Rodat 's script was submitted to producer Mark Gordon, who liked it and in turn passed it along to Spielberg to direct. The film is loosely based on the World War II life stories of the Niland brothers. A shooting date was set for June 27, 1997. Pre-production In casting the film Spielberg sought to create a cast that `` looked '' the part, stating in an interview, `` You know, the people in World War II actually looked different than people look today '', adding to this end that he cast partly based on wanting the cast `` to match the faces I saw on the newsreels. '' Before filming began, several of the film 's stars, including Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg, Giovanni Ribisi, and Tom Hanks, endured ten days of `` boot camp '' training led by Marine veteran Dale Dye and Warriors, Inc., a California - based company that specializes in training actors for realistic military portrayals. Matt Damon was intentionally not brought into the camp, to make the rest of the group feel resentment towards the character. Spielberg had stated that his main intention in forcing the actors to go through the boot camp was not to learn the proper techniques but rather `` because I wanted them to respect what it was like to be a soldier. '' The film 's second scene is a 20 + minute sequence recounting the landing on the beaches of Normandy. Spielberg chose to include this particularly violent sequence in order `` to bring the audience onto the stage with me '' specifically noting that he did not want the `` audience to be spectators '' but rather he wanted to `` demand them to be participants with those kids who had never seen combat before in real life, and get to the top of Omaha Beach together. '' Spielberg had already demonstrated his interest in World War II themes with the films 1941, Empire of the Sun, Schindler 's List, and the Indiana Jones series. Spielberg later co-produced the World War II themed television miniseries Band of Brothers and its counterpart The Pacific with Tom Hanks. When asked about this by American Cinematographer, Spielberg said, `` I think that World War II is the most significant event of the last 100 years ; the fate of the baby boomers and even Generation X was linked to the outcome. Beyond that, I 've just always been interested in World War II. My earliest films, which I made when I was about 14 years old, were combat pictures that were set both on the ground and in the air. For years now, I 've been looking for the right World War II story to shoot, and when Robert Rodat wrote Saving Private Ryan, I found it. '' Filming The opening and closing scenes of the film are set in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Spielberg wanted an almost exact replica of the Omaha Beach landscape for the movie, including similar sand and a bluff similar to the one where German forces were stationed and a near match was found in Ireland. The D - Day scenes were shot in Ballinesker Beach, Curracloe Strand, Ballinesker, just east of Curracloe, County Wexford, Ireland. Hanks recalled to Roger Ebert that although he realized it was a movie, the experience still hit him hard, stating, `` The first day of shooting the D - Day sequences, I was in the back of the landing craft, and that ramp went down and I saw the first 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 rows of guys just getting blown to bits. In my head, of course, I knew it was special effects, but I still was n't prepared for how tactile it was. '' Filming began June 27, 1997, and lasted for two months. Some shooting was done in Normandy, for the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville - sur - Mer and Calvados. Other scenes were filmed in England, such as a former British Aerospace factory in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Thame Park, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. Production was due to also take place in Seaham, County Durham, but government restrictions disallowed this. Portrayal of history Saving Private Ryan has received critical acclaim for its realistic portrayal of World War II combat. In particular, the sequence depicting the Omaha Beach landings was named the `` best battle scene of all time '' by Empire magazine and was ranked number one on TV Guide 's list of the `` 50 Greatest Movie Moments ''. The scene cost US $12 million and involved up to 1,500 extras, some of whom were members of the Irish Reserve Defence Forces. Members of local reenactment groups such as the Second Battle Group were cast as extras to play German soldiers. In addition, twenty to thirty actual amputees were used to portray American soldiers maimed during the landing. Spielberg did not storyboard the sequence, as he wanted spontaneous reactions and for `` the action to inspire me as to where to put the camera ''. Saving Private Ryan was noted for its recreation of the Omaha Beach landings. The historical representation of Charlie Company 's actions, led by its commander, Captain Ralph E. Goranson, was well maintained in the opening sequence. The sequence and details of the events are very close to the historical record, including the sea sickness experienced by many of the soldiers as the landing craft moved toward the shoreline, significant casualties among the men as they disembarked from the boats, and difficulty linking up with adjacent units on the shore. The distinctive signature `` ping '' of the US soldiers ' M1 Garand rifles ejecting their ammunition clips is heard throughout the battle sequence. The contextual details of the Company 's actions were well maintained, for instance, the correct code names for the sector Charlie Company assaulted, and adjacent sectors, were used. Included in the cinematic depiction of the landing was a follow - on mission of clearing a bunker and trench system at the top of the cliffs which was not part of the original mission objectives for Charlie Company, but which they did undertake after the assault on the beach. The landing craft used included twelve actual World War II examples, 10 LCVPs and 2 LCMs, standing in for the British LCAs that the Ranger Companies rode in to the beach during Operation Overlord. The filmmakers used underwater cameras to better depict soldiers being hit by bullets in the water. Forty barrels of fake blood were used to simulate the effect of blood in the seawater. This degree of realism was more difficult to achieve when depicting World War II German armored vehicles, as few examples survive in operating condition. The Tiger I tanks in the film were copies built on the chassis of old, but functional, Soviet T - 34 tanks. The two vehicles described in the film as Panzers were meant to portray Marder III tank destroyers. One was created for the film using the chassis of a Czech - built Panzer 38 ( t ) tank similar to the construction of the original Marder III ; the other was a cosmetically modified Swedish SAV m / 43 assault gun, which also used the 38 ( t ) chassis. There are, however, historical inaccuracies in the film 's depiction of the Normandy campaign. At the time of the mission, American forces from the two American beach areas, Utah and Omaha, had not yet linked up. In reality, a Ranger team operating out of the Omaha beach area would have had to move through the heavily enemy - occupied city of Carentan, or swim or boat across the estuary linking Carentan to the channel, or transfer by boat to the Utah landing area. On the other hand, US forces moving out of Utah would have had direct and much shorter routes, relatively unencumbered by enemy positions, and were already in contact with some teams from both US airborne divisions landed in the area. The Utah beach landings, however, were relatively uncontested, with assault units landing on largely unoccupied beaches and experiencing far less action than the landings at Omaha. The filmmakers chose to begin the narrative with a depiction of the more dramatic story of Omaha, despite the strategic inaccuracy of an impossible mission that could easily have been pursued from the other beach area. In addition, one of the most notable of the operational flaws is the depiction of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich as the adversary during the fictional Battle of Ramelle. The 2nd SS was not engaged in Normandy until July, and then at Caen against the British and Canadians, 100 miles east. Furthermore, the Merderet River bridges were not an objective of the 101st Airborne Division but of the 82nd Airborne Division, part of Mission Boston. Much has also been said about various `` tactical errors '' made by both the German and American forces in the film 's climactic battle. Spielberg responded, saying that in many scenes he opted to replace sound military tactics and strict historical accuracy for dramatic effect. Some other technical errors were also made, often censored, including the mistaken reversed orientation of the beach barriers ; the tripod obstructions with a mine at the apex. To achieve a tone and quality that was true to the story as well as reflected the period in which it is set, Spielberg once again collaborated with cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, saying, `` Early on, we both knew that we did not want this to look like a Technicolor extravaganza about World War II, but more like color newsreel footage from the 1940s, which is very desaturated and low - tech. '' Kamiński had the protective coating stripped from the camera lenses, making them closer to those used in the 1940s. He explains that `` without the protective coating, the light goes in and starts bouncing around, which makes it slightly more diffused and a bit softer without being out of focus. '' The cinematographer completed the overall effect by putting the negative through bleach bypass, a process that reduces brightness and color saturation. The shutter timing was set to 90 or 45 degrees for many of the battle sequences, as opposed to the standard of 180 - degree timing. Kamiński clarifies, `` In this way, we attained a certain staccato in the actors ' movements and a certain crispness in the explosions, which makes them slightly more realistic. '' Reception Box Office Saving Private Ryan was a critical and commercial success and is credited with contributing to a resurgence in America 's interest in World War II. Old and new films, video games, and novels about the war enjoyed renewed popularity after its release. The film 's use of desaturated colors, hand - held cameras, and tight angles has profoundly influenced subsequent films and video games. Saving Private Ryan was released in 2,463 theaters on July 24, 1998, and grossed $30.5 million on its opening weekend. The film grossed $216.5 million in the US and Canada. and $265.3 million in other territories, bringing its worldwide total to $481.8 million and making it the highest - grossing US film of the year. Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 45.74 million tickets in the United States and Canada. Critical response The film received critical acclaim and has a ' certified fresh ' rating of 92 % on Rotten Tomatoes based on 132 reviews with an average score of 8.6 out of 10. The consensus states `` Anchored by another winning performance from Hanks, Spielberg 's unflinchingly realistic war film virtually redefines the genre. '' The film also has a score of 90 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 35 critic reviews indicating `` universal acclaim ''. Much of the praise went for the realistic battle scenes and the actors ' performances. However, it did earn some criticism for ignoring the contributions of several other countries to the D - Day landings in general and at Omaha Beach specifically. The most direct example of the latter is that during the actual landing the 2nd Rangers disembarked from British ships and were taken to Omaha Beach by Royal Navy landing craft ( LCAs ). The film depicts them as being United States Coast Guard - crewed craft ( LCVPs and LCMs ) from an American ship, the USS Thomas Jefferson ( APA - 30 ). This criticism was far from universal with other critics recognizing the director 's intent to make an `` American '' film. The film was not released in Malaysia after Spielberg refused to cut the violent scenes ; however, the film was finally released there on DVD with an 18SG certificate much later in 2005. Many critics associations, such as New York Film Critics Circle and Los Angeles Film Critics Association, chose Saving Private Ryan as Film of the Year. Roger Ebert gave it four stars out of four and called it `` a powerful experience ''. Filmmaker Robert Altman wrote a letter to Spielberg stating, `` Private Ryan was awesome -- best I 've seen. '' Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has expressed admiration for the film and has cited it as an influence on his 2009 film, Inglourious Basterds. Many World War II veterans stated that the film was the most realistic depiction of combat they had ever seen. The film was so realistic that combat veterans of D - Day and Vietnam left theaters rather than finish watching the opening scene depicting the Normandy invasion. Their visits to posttraumatic stress disorder counselors rose in number after the film 's release, and many counselors advised `` ' more psychologically vulnerable ' '' veterans to avoid watching it. The Department of Veterans Affairs set up a nationwide hotline for veterans who were affected by the film, and less than two weeks after the film was released it had already received over 170 calls. The film has gained criticism and negative reviews from war veterans and film critics. Film director and military veteran Oliver Stone has accused the film of promoting `` the worship of World War II as the good war, '' and has placed it alongside films such as Gladiator and Black Hawk Down that he believes were well - made, but may have inadvertently contributed to Americans ' readiness for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In defense of the film 's portrait of warfare, Brian De Palma commented, `` The level of violence in something like Saving Private Ryan makes sense because Spielberg is trying to show something about the brutality of what happened. '' Actor Richard Todd, who performed in The Longest Day and was amongst the first of the Allied soldiers to land in Normandy ( Operation Tonga ), said the film was `` Rubbish. Overdone. '' American academic Paul Fussell, who saw combat in France during World War II, objected to what he described as, `` the way Spielberg 's Saving Private Ryan, after an honest, harrowing, 15 - minute opening visualizing details of the unbearable bloody mess at Omaha Beach, degenerated into a harmless, uncritical patriotic performance apparently designed to thrill 12 - year - old boys during the summer bad - film season. Its genre was pure cowboys and Indians, with the virtuous cowboys of course victorious. '' Awards The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and won five including Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Film Editing, and Best Director for Spielberg, but lost the Best Picture award to Shakespeare in Love, being one of a few that have won the Best Director award without also winning Best Picture. The Academy 's decision to not award the film with the Best Picture Oscar has resulted in much criticism in recent years, with many considering it as one of the biggest snubs in the ceremony 's history. The film also won the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture -- Drama and Director, the BAFTA Award for Special Effects and Sound, the Directors Guild of America Award, a Grammy Award for Best Film Soundtrack, the Producers Guild of America Golden Laurel Award, and the Saturn Award for Best Action, Adventure, or Thriller Film. The American Film Institute has included Saving Private Ryan in many of its lists, ranking it as the 71st greatest American movie in AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Movies ( 10th Anniversary Edition ), as well as the 45th most thrilling film in AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Thrills, the 10th most inspiring in AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Cheers, and the eighth best epic film in `` AFI 's 10 Top 10 ''. List of awards and nominations received by Saving Private Ryan Award Nominee Result 71st Academy Awards Best Picture Steven Spielberg, Ian Bryce, Mark Gordon and Gary Levinsohn Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role Tom Hanks Nominated Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Original Screenplay Robert Rodat Nominated Best Cinematography Janusz Kamiński Won Best Art Direction Thomas E. Sanders and Lisa Dean Nominated Best Sound Mixing Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Ron Judkins Won Best Film Editing Michael Kahn Won Best Sound Effects Editing Gary Rydstrom and Richard Hymns Won Best Makeup Lois Burwell, Conor O'Sullivan and Daniel C. Striepeke Nominated Best Music, Original Dramatic Score John Williams Nominated Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Best Thriller Film Won Best Special Effects Nominated Amanda Awards Best Foreign Film Steven Spielberg Nominated American Cinema Editors Best Edited Feature Film Michael Kahn Won American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases Janusz Kamiński Nominated Art Directors Guild Feature Film Nominated Awards of the Japanese Academy Best Foreign Film Nominated BAFTA Awards Best Sound Won Best Special Visual Effects Won Best Music John Williams Nominated Best Cinematography Janusz Kamiński Nominated Best Editing Michael Kahn Nominated Best Film Nominated Best Makeup & Hair Nominated Best Actor Tom Hanks Nominated Best Production Design Nominated Best Direction Steven Spielberg Nominated BMI Film Music Award BMI Film Music Award John Williams Won Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Actor Tom Hanks Won Favorite Supporting Actor Jeremy Davies Nominated Boston Society of Film Critics Awards Best Cinematography Won British Society of Cinematographers Best Cinematography Nominated Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Picture Won Best Score John Williams Won Camerimage Best Cinematography Nominated Casting Society of America Best Casting Won Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Won Best Actor Tom Hanks Nominated Best Cinematography Nominated Best Director Steven Spielberg Nominated Cinema Audio Society Best Sound Won Czech Lions Best Foreign Film Steven Spielberg Won César Awards Best Foreign Film Steven Spielberg Nominated Dallas - Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Won Best Actor Tom Hanks Nominated Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Steven Spielberg Won Empire Awards Best Actor Tom Hanks Won Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Film Nominated European Film Award Screen International Award Steven Spielberg Nominated Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Foreign Film Nominated Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Cinematography Won Golden Globes Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Motion Picture -- Drama Won Best Original Score John Williams Nominated Best Actor Tom Hanks Nominated Best Screenplay Nominated Grammy Awards Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television John Williams Won Huabiao Film Awards Best Foreign Film Won Humanitas Prize Feature Film Category Nominated Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Best Foreign Director Steven Spielberg Won Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards Best Film Won Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Supporting Actor Jeremy Davies Won Key Art Awards Best of Show -- Audiovisual Won Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards Best Cinematography Won Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Picture Won London Critics Circle Film Awards Film of the Year Won Actor of the Year Matt Damon Nominated Actor of the Year Tom Hanks Nominated Director of the Year Steven Spielberg Nominated Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Cinematography Won Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Picture Won MTV Movie Awards Best Action Sequence Tom Hanks Nominated Best Male Performance Tom Hanks Nominated Best Movie Nominated Motion Picture Sound Editors Best Sound Editing -- Dialogue Won Best Sound Editing -- Sound Effects Won Best Sound Editing -- Music Nominated National Board of Review Top Ten Films Won National Society of Film Critics Awards Best Film Nominated New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Film Won Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Cinematography Won Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Ensemble Won Best Film Won Best Film Editing Michael Kahn Won Best Actor Tom Hanks Nominated Best Music John Williams Nominated PGA Awards Motion Picture Producer of the Year Award Won Russian Guild of Film Critics Best Foreign Film Steven Spielberg Won Satellite Awards Best Editing Michael Kahn Won Best Director Steven Spielberg Nominated Best Film Nominated Best Cinematography Nominated Best Original Score Nominated Best Original Screenplay Nominated Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture Tom Sizemore Nominated Best Visual Effects Nominated Saturn Awards Best Action or Adventure Film Won Screen Actors Guild Awards Best Ensemble Nominated Best Actor Tom Hanks Nominated Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Picture Won Toronto Film Critics Association Awards Best Director Steven Spielberg Won Best Picture Won Best Male Performance Tom Hanks Nominated Writers Guild of America Best Original Screenplay Robert Rodat Nominated Television broadcasts On Veterans Day from 2001 -- 2004, the American Broadcasting Company aired the film uncut and with limited commercial interruption. The network airings were given a TV - MA rating, as the violent battle scenes and the profanity were left intact. The 2004 airing was marred by pre-emptions in many markets because of the language, in the backlash of Super Bowl XXXVIII 's halftime show controversy. However, critics and veterans ' groups such as the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars assailed those stations and their owners, including Hearst - Argyle Television ( owner of 12 ABC affiliates ) ; Scripps Howard Broadcasting ( owner of six ) ; and Belo ( owner of four ) for putting profits ahead of programming and honoring those who gave their lives at wartime, saying the stations made more money running their own programming instead of being paid by the network to carry the film, especially during a sweeps period. A total of 65 ABC affiliates -- 28 % of the network -- did not clear the available timeslot for the film, even with the offer of The Walt Disney Company, ABC 's parent, to pay all fines for language to the Federal Communications Commission. In the end, however, no complaints were lodged against ABC affiliates who showed Ryan, perhaps because even conservative watchdogs like the Parents Television Council supported the unedited rebroadcast of the film. Additionally, some ABC affiliates in other markets that were near affected markets, such as Youngstown, Ohio, ABC affiliate WYTV ( which is viewable in parts of the Columbus, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh markets, none of which aired the film ) and Gainesville, Florida, ABC affiliate WCJB - TV ( which is viewable in parts of the Orlando and Tampa markets ), still aired the film and gave those nearby markets the option of viewing the film. TNT and Turner Classic Movies have also broadcast the film. Home video The film was released on home video in May 1999 with a VHS release that earned over $44 million. The DVD release became available in November of the same year, and was one of the best - selling titles of the year, with over 1.5 million units sold. The DVD was released in two separate versions : one with Dolby Digital and the other with DTS 5.1 surround sound. Besides the different 5.1 tracks, the two DVDs are identical. The film was also issued in a very limited 2 - disc LaserDisc release in November 1999, making it one of the very last feature films to ever be issued in this format, as LaserDiscs ceased manufacturing and distribution by the year 's end, due in part to the growing popularity of DVDs. In 2004, a Saving Private Ryan special edition DVD was released to commemorate the 60th anniversary of D - Day. This two - disc edition was also included in a box set titled World War II Collection, along with two documentaries produced by Spielberg, Price For Peace ( about the Pacific War ) and Shooting War ( about war photographers, narrated by Tom Hanks ). The film was released on Blu - ray Disc on April 26, 2010 in the UK and on May 4, 2010 in the US, as part of Paramount Home Video 's premium Sapphire Series. However, only weeks after its release, Paramount issued a recall due to audio synchronization problems. The studio issued an official statement acknowledging the problem, which they attributed to an authoring error by Technicolor that escaped the quality control process, and that they had already begun the process of replacing the defective discs. See also Film in the United States portal World War II portal 1990s portal List of World War II films Sole Survivor Policy Niland brothers Saving Private Ryan ( soundtrack ) The Big Red One, a 1980 World War II film with a similar Omaha Beach landing scene. Band of Brothers and The Pacific, two companion piece miniseries, executive produced by Spielberg and Hanks. References ^ Jump up to : `` Saving Private Ryan ''. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Grow, Kory ( December 17, 2014 ). `` ' Big Lebowski, ' ' Ferris Bueller 's Day Off ' Added to National Film Registry ''. Rolling Stone. Jump up ^ Gordinier, Jeff ( July 24, 1998 ). `` Message in a Battle ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 5, 2008. ^ Jump up to : Ebert, Roger ( July 19, 1998 ). `` Private Spielberg ''. Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016. Jump up ^ `` Boot Camp ''. Behind the Scenes. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Excluded field training ''. WarriorsInc. Jump up ^ `` Five Star General ''. American Cinematographer Online Magazine. August 1998. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Omaha Beach ''. Saving Private Ryan Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Dog One ''. Saving Private Ryan Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan ''. The Irish Film & Television Network. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger. `` TOM HANKS RECALLS ' PRIVATE RYAN ' SHOOT ''. Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016. Jump up ^ `` Private Ryan ' expo ''. Wexford People. June 6, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Ryan 's slaughter ''. Independent. August 3, 1998. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan ''. Britannia Film Archives. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan ''. Sunderland Echo. November 2, 1999. Jump up ^ `` 50 Greatest Movie Moments ''. TV Guide. March 24, 2001. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Roaring back to the forties ''. Matlock Mercury. August 6, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2008. ^ Jump up to : `` How we made the best movie battle scene ever ''. Independent. June 7, 2006. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Steven Spielberg Goes To War ''. Empire. Retrieved January 17, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Saving Private Ryan : Company C, 2nd Ranger Battalion. Sproe.com. Retrieved September 8, 2011. Jump up ^ Saving Private Ryan : LCM ( 3 ). Sproe.com ( April 11, 2009 ). Retrieved September 8, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Ryan Tigers ''. Second Battle Group. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Marders ''. Second Battle Group. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Reproductions of Panzers based on modern Tanks.shadock.free.fr. Last update : March 9, 2010 Jump up ^ On June 12, 1944, three days after the fictional Ryan mission was to begin, Carentan was finally captured after heavy fighting, and US forces operating out of the two beaches finally linked up. See Messenger, Charles, The Chronological Atlas of World War Two ( New York : Macmillan Publishing, 1989 ), 182. Jump up ^ Ryan, Cornelius, The Longest Day : June 6, 1944 ( New York : Popular Library, 1959 ), 286 - 8. Jump up ^ Out of 23,000 men landed at Utah, only 197 were casualties on the first day, compared to 55,000 men landed at Omaha with 4,649 casualties. See Messenger, 181. Jump up ^ `` Normandy and Falaise -- April to August 1944 ''. Das Reich. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` U.S. Airborne in Cotentin Peninsula ''. D - Day : Etats des Lieux. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Sunshine, Linda ( July 24, 1998 ). Saving Private Ryan, The Men, The Mission, The Movie : A Steven Spielberg Movie. Newmarket Press. ISBN 1 - 55704 - 371 - X. Jump up ^ `` Combat Footage ''. Saving Private Ryan Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 8, 2008. Jump up ^ Desowitz, Bill ( May 20, 2001 ). `` Cover Story ; It 's the Invasion of the WWII Movies ''. Los Angeles Times. Jump up ^ Nix ( May 25, 2002 ). `` Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) Movie Review ''. Beyond Hollywood. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Tom Chick ( December 8, 2008 ). `` A Close Encounter with Steven Spielberg ''. Yahoo !. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved December 11, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) ''. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 13, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan ''. Rotten Tomatoes. July 24, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan ''. Metacritic. Retrieved December 15, 2015. Jump up ^ Turan, Kenneth ( July 24, 1998 ). `` Saving Private Ryan review ''. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` Saving Private Ryan ''. Roger Ebert. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan -- Film Review ''. Total Film. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Veterans riled by Ryan ''. BBC. March 19, 1999. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ `` LCM ''. Saving Private Ryan Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Reynolds, Matthew. `` Saving Private Ryan ''. Channel 4. Archived from the original on January 6, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Malaysia bans Spielberg 's Prince ''. BBC. January 27, 1999. Retrieved September 5, 2008. ^ Jump up to : `` Awards for Saving Private Ryan ''. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved September 6, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Letter from Robert Altman to Steven Spielberg, 1998. - Online Exhibits - MLibrary ''. Retrieved March 15, 2017. Jump up ^ Quentin Tarantino 's favorite WWII movies -- Film -- Time Out New York. Time Out. ( August 18, 2009 ). Retrieved September 8, 2011. Jump up ^ Basinger, Jeanine ( October 1998 ). `` Translating War : The Combat Film Genre and Saving Private Ryan ''. Perspectives, the Newsmagazine of the American Historical Association. Jump up ^ Halton, Beau ( August 15, 1998 ). `` ' Saving Private Ryan ' is too real for some ''. The Florida Times - Union. Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved June 12, 2011. Jump up ^ McCrary, Lacy ( August 6, 1998 ). `` Watching ` Private Ryan, ' Veterans Relive The Horrors Years From Omaha Beach, Pain Lingers ''. Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Retrieved July 30, 2016. Jump up ^ David D'Arcy ( May 25, 2010 ). `` The world according to Oliver Stone ``. The National. Abu Dhabi. Retrieved May 11, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Film Scouts Interviews ''. Filmscouts.com. Retrieved February 1, 2013. Jump up ^ Meeke, Kieran. `` 60 seconds interview : Richard Todd ''. Metro. Retrieved April 24, 2011. Jump up ^ Fussell Paul. `` Uneasy Company ''. Slate. Retrieved December 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` 1999 Oscars Ceremony ''. AMPAS. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Young, Josh ( April 9, 1999 ). `` Why did Private Ryan falter ? ''. Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 10, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015. Jump up ^ Susman, Gary ( February 20, 2013 ). `` Oscar Robbery : 10 Controversial Best Picture Races ''. Time. Retrieved May 21, 2015. Jump up ^ Hyman, Nick ( February 22, 2011 ). `` The Least Deserving Best Picture Winners Since 1990 ''. Metacritic. Retrieved May 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Movies ( 10th Anniversary Edition ) ''. American Film Institute. 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2010. Jump up ^ `` AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Thrills ''. American Film Institute. 2001. Retrieved September 5, 2010. Jump up ^ `` AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Cheers ''. American Film Institute. Retrieved September 5, 2010. Jump up ^ `` AFI 's 10 Top 10 : Top 10 Epic ''. American Film Institute. 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2010. Jump up ^ Oldenburg, Ann ( November 11, 2004 ). `` Some stations shelved ' Private Ryan ' amid FCC fears ''. USA Today. Retrieved September 5, 2008. Jump up ^ Martin, Ed ( November 17, 2004 ). `` Return of Janet Jackson 's Breast ; `` Saving Private Ryan '' Controversy ``. mediaVillage. Archived from the original on March 26, 2008. Retrieved April 17, 2010. Jump up ^ Sussman, Gary ( November 11, 2004 ). `` War of Attrition ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 7, 2009. Jump up ^ Wood, Andrea ( November 12, 2004 ). `` Scaring Private Ryan : 20 ABC Affiliates Nix Movie ''. The Business Journal. Retrieved December 15, 2015. Jump up ^ Scott, Mike ( September 5, 2008 ). `` TNT to show ' Saving Private Ryan ' in HD ''. The Times - Picayune. Retrieved December 15, 2015. Jump up ^ Axmaker, Sean. `` Saving Private Ryan ''. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved December 15, 2015. Jump up ^ Graser, Marc ( July 29, 1999 ). `` ' Ryan 's ' next attack : sell - through market ''. Variety. Retrieved September 6, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Dreamworks ' Saving Private Ryan DVD press release ''. September 13, 1999. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved September 6, 2008. Jump up ^ `` The Matrix disc soars beyond 3 million mark ''. January 8, 2000. Archived from the original on August 10, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2008. Jump up ^ Kelley III, Bill ( July 22, 1999 ). `` ' Private Ryan ' Is A No - Show On DVD Format ''. Virginian - Pilot. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan : D - Day 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition review ''. IGN. May 26, 2004. Retrieved September 6, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Saving Private Ryan Blu - ray Announced ''. Blu-ray.com. February 8, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010. Jump up ^ Lawler, Richard ( May 14, 2010 ). `` Saving Private Ryan Blu - ray discs recalled due to audio glitch ''. Engadget. Retrieved February 1, 2013. Further reading Kershaw, Alex ( May 11, 2004 ). The Bedford Boys : One American Town 's Ultimate D - day Sacrifice. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0 - 306 - 81355 - 6. Lefebvre, Laurent ( September 2008 ). 29th Division... a division of heroes. American d - Day. ISBN 2 - 9519963 - 9 - X. Lefebvre, Laurent ( June 1, 2004 ). They Were on Omaha Beach. American d - Day. ISBN 2 - 9519963 - 5 - 7. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : Saving Private Ryan Saving Private Ryan on IMDb Saving Private Ryan at AllMovie Saving Private Ryan at Box Office Mojo Saving Private Ryan at Rotten Tomatoes American D - Day informational website 29th Infantry Division Historical Society informational website Steven Spielberg Filmography Awards and nominations Films directed Firelight ( 1964 ) Slipstream ( 1967 ) Amblin ' ( 1968 ) Night Gallery ( `` Eyes '' segment, 1969 ) L.A. 2017 ( 1971 ) Duel ( 1971 ) Something Evil ( 1972 ) Savage ( 1973 ) The Sugarland Express ( 1974, also wrote ) Jaws ( 1975 ) Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( 1977, also wrote ) 1941 ( 1979 ) Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) Twilight Zone : The Movie ( `` Kick the Can '' segment, 1983 ) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ( 1984 ) The Color Purple ( 1985 ) Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ( 1989 ) Always ( 1989 ) Hook ( 1991 ) Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) The Lost World : Jurassic Park ( 1997 ) Amistad ( 1997 ) Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) A.I. 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Confidential ( 1997 ) Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) American Beauty ( 1999 ) Being John Malkovich ( 2000 ) Moulin Rouge ! ( 2001 ) About Schmidt ( 2002 ) Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World ( 2003 ) Sideways ( 2004 ) Brokeback Mountain ( 2005 ) United 93 ( 2006 ) No Country for Old Men ( 2007 ) The Wrestler ( 2008 ) A Prophet ( 2009 ) The Social Network ( 2010 ) The Artist ( 2011 ) Amour ( 2012 ) 12 Years a Slave ( 2013 ) Boyhood ( 2014 ) Mad Max : Fury Road ( 2015 ) La La Land ( 2016 ) Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri ( 2017 ) Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture Driving Miss Daisy ( 1989 ) Dances with Wolves ( 1990 ) The Silence of the Lambs ( 1991 ) The Crying Game ( 1992 ) Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) Apollo 13 ( 1995 ) The English Patient ( 1996 ) Titanic ( 1997 ) Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) American Beauty ( 1999 ) Gladiator ( 2000 ) Moulin Rouge ! 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Question: who are they fighting in saving private ryan
Answer: German defenses