A post Viet-Nam Hollywood failure (as a period film)

Rating: 2/10 (28 July 2002)

The audio engineering and sound effects are the best of any war picture ever. This is among many valid reasons why SAVING PVT RYAN is a must-see movie. However, do not expect perfection. Do not expect this film will live up to all of the hype.
Briefly stated, members of the WWII generation spoke with a formality not captured in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Unlike Hanks et al, Rock Hudson, Jimmy Stewart, Earnest Borgnine, and many old-time actors served in WWII. Even more future writers, directors and Hollywood producers served as well. Their later film efforts accurately captured the feel of the times. The difference is rather striking. Please view any movie or even a TV production created by members of the Greatest Generation and see for yourself how it compares to RYAN.
As unlikely as it may seem, one can even hold out "Hogan's Heroes" -- a light TV comedy set during WWII created in the early 60's by men who had experienced WWII -- as a Hollywood production better capturing the essence of WWII era interpersonal communication. The characters in HOGAN naturally and automatically interacted with each other with the yes sir's and no sir's, personal respect and greater formality common in the 1940's. Looking further, any Hollywood film produced in the 40's and 50's captured the essence of the day even better.
Where a lightweight TV comedy succeeds, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN shockingly fails. Characters in RYAN interact with the casual ease of 1998, and NOT with the formality common in the 1940's. Rather than appearing to be part of the Greatest Generation, the actors in PRIVATE RYAN seem to be following the motivations of modern Hollywood producers who know only today's post Viet-Nam contempt, scorn and cynicism. Speaking of cynicism, the subplot of the General's high class transport plane was completely made up in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN -- made up by a post Viet-Nam Hollywood.