A Composite of Other War Movies

Rating: Null/10 (26 August 1999)

Forgive me if I am only restating what many others have already pointed out. I simply don't have time to review all of the previous posts on this movie.
I personally was somewhat disappointed with SPR. I would agree with others that the initial 25 minutes, sans the cheesy opening with old man Ryan, was one of the more vivid battle scenes I have seen depicted on film. The invasion sequence definitely gave me a feel for what my grandfather (the son of German immigrants to the US) went through on 6/6/44. From there the movie goes downhill, IMHO.
It seems to me that Speilberg set out to incorporate segments of other well known war movies into this one. Scenes in SPR are reminiscent of:
Forest Gump:
Carpazzo tells the translator not to salute the captain (Hanks) because that only makes him a target for enemy snipers. ( "Major Dan" admonishes Gump not to salute him as enemy soldiers may be standing by to "grease an officer".
All Quiet on the Western Front:
The night time shelling scenes as the soldiers are making their way over the battlefield at night are similar to what is portrayed in the 1929 classic.
The soldier that picks up his dismembered arm is similar to a scene in a great Japanese film.
The Edith Piaff record that the Translator analyzes is the same record that is discussed in "the Dirty Dozen".
Patton:
The discourse between Ted Danson & Hanks (Who else thought that Sam Malone was out of place?) was right out ot George C. Scott's masterpiece. (i.e. "Monte" taking too long to take Caen".
Full Metal Jacket:
The translator sports a yin-yang symbol on his helmet, similar to private Joker's peace symbol. I don't believe that yin yang became en vogue in the US until well after WWII.
The metallic "tank" sounds as the panzers are approaching in the final batle scene are similar to the sound effects in Full Metal Jacket.
While flying in the helicopter, Joker remarks in FMJ: "Do you ever kill any women & children?"
A: "Especially women & children"
Joker: "How can you justify killing women & children?"
Later, at the end of the movie, Joker finds himself face to face with a young girl that was shooting at his company: the sniper. In the end, he kills her, but it is no victory for him, only the end of whatever innocence he has left.
The translator protests that the company should let the "Steamboat Willie" guy go. (No explanation is provided as to why he stayed around to be captured while the American soldiers were ministering to the fatally wounded Wade). Later, "Steamboat Willie" walks down the stairs past the translator after killing Mellish. He forgoes a perfect opportunity to kill the cowardly translator, sparing him, ala Androcles and the Lion. In the end, the translator musters up the courage to confornt several German soldiers, Steamboat Willie among them. He shoots Steamboat Willie and orders the others the leave. This sequence leading to "innocence lost" simply is unrealistic and does not do justice to circumstance. In addition, while Steamboat Willie's initial portrayal of a soldier in ememy hands is initially realistic, he soon becomes a comic book character with his Star Spangled Banner/"F**k Hitler" routine.
The final battle scene disqualified this movie from any semblance of greatness. Great war movies convey the total fultility of war. This film did not end on the empty note that Full Metal Jacket did, but rather the dive bombers showed up just in time and all was well. Where was Sylvester Stallone? The Sticky Bombs would have fit right in with any Rambo movie.
I agree with others that the opening and closing sequences were annoyingly sappy, what with the flag and all. However I would note one thing: I don't think that this movie constitutes "propaganda:" as some put it. I call it commercialism. IMHO, this is a movie made by an American director for an American audience. I feel that this movie does not set out to persuade anyone to view the war from the American perspective as much as it is meant to sell the movie to what an American audience wants to see. SPR follows the same formula as counltess other movies before it. Look at the predictable scene where Hanks runs across the wrong Private Ryan. This is about as consistent with a typical American script as a movie can get. As long as this sappy humor sells, it will be a staple of the American cinema.