Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Saving Private Ryan
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Saving Private Ryan (1998) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 145 | slideshow) Videos
Saving Private Ryan (1998) -- Based on a World War II drama. US soldiers try to save their comrade, paratrooper Private Ryan, who's stationed behind enemy lines.

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 62% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Steven Spielberg
Writer (WGA):
Robert Rodat (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Saving Private Ryan on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 July 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Drama | War more
Tagline:
In the Last Great Invasion of the Last Great War, The Greatest Danger for Eight Men was Saving... One. more
Plot:
Following the Normandy Landings, a group of US soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 5 Oscars. Another 52 wins & 53 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(268 articles)
Atlas Entertainment to Make Voltron Movie
 (From MovieWeb. 19 July 2009, 6:42 PM, PDT)

Paschendale Movie Review
 (From MoviesOnline. 13 July 2009, 8:00 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
I Agree: This Is The Best War Movie Ever Made more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for intense prolonged realistically graphic sequences of war violence, and for language.
Runtime:
170 min
Country:
USA
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS
Certification:
USA:R (certificate #35942) | Taiwan:GP | Malaysia:18SG (DVD release) | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:14 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | India:A | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (re-rating on appeal) | Australia:R (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Ontario) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:14 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-14 (re-rating) | Finland:K-16 (original rating) | France:U | Germany:16 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:16 | Ireland:15 | Israel:PG | Italy:VM14 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R15 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating on appeal) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating)
Filming Locations:
Calvados, France more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Private Jackson's shot through the sniper scope and into the eye did actually happen, though not in WWII and not by a Private Jackson. In fact, this was accomplished by Carlos Hathcock (III) during the Vietnam War. It is rumored to be a tribute to Hathcock who has been regarded as one of the USA's most famous snipers. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Miller takes his last shot at the second tiger and it explodes, it is very clear that the tank is fake, especially because it is not even moving even though we hear the squeak of the treads. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Ryan's son: [running to comfort his father] Dad?
[flashback to D-Day]
LCVP pilot: Clear the ramp! Thirty seconds. God be with ya!
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 'Saving Private Ryan': An Introduction (2004) (V) more
Soundtrack:
C'Était Une Histoire D'Amour more

FAQ

What was the name of the beach on which they landed at the beginning of the movie?
What does the German soldier say when killing mellish with the bayonet?
Why did Wade go on the attack of the MG42 nest instead of Upham? Wade didn't have a gun.
more
103 out of 169 people found the following comment useful:-
I Agree: This Is The Best War Movie Ever Made, 27 February 2006
10/10
Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

Without looking, I am sure other reviewers here have headlined their article "Best War Movie Ever Made"" and I agree. However, before briefly discussing the film, let me just say if you don't have a decent 5.1 surround sound system, you aren't going to fully appreciate this movie (DVD).

It's a great film to start with, and sitting in a room surrounded by five speakers with bullets flying from all directions around you - as in that spectacular 22- minute opening scene or in the final 45 minutes of action against the Germans in tanks - is an astounding movie experience. The sound in this film elevates it even higher.

The visuals are outstanding, too. I've never seen so many grays, beiges and olive-greens look this good: perfect colors for the bombed-out French city where the last hour takes place, perfect for the faces and uniforms of the gritty soldiers, for the machinery, the smoke-filled skies, etc.

My only complaint is the usage of Lord's name in vain 25-30 times, but, hey, when you consider it's tough men in tough times, that's what you are going to hear. In real life, the profanity probably was worse than the film.

It's hard to picture the brutality of war being any worse than you see here, but it probably was. This is about as graphic as it gets. The violence and gore was shocking when this film came out in 1997 and still is when watched almost a decade later. It's unbelievable what some of the WWII soldiers went through, but that can be said for any war. I believe the purpose of this film was to pay tribute to the sacrifices these men made, and it succeeds wonderfully. Hats off to Steven Spielberg and to Tom Hanks, the leading actor in here, both of whom have worked hard for WWII vets to get the recognition they deserve, not just on film but in a national memorial.

Anyway, language or blood and guts aside, this is still an incredible portrait of WWII. The almost-three hour film is riveting start-to-finish, especially with that memorable beginning action scene, probably the most dramatic in the history of film.

As "entertaining" as those action scenes were, I found the lulls, if you will, to be even better. Listening to Hanks and his men discuss various things as they look for Private Ryan, was fascinating to me. Hanks is just superb in here and once again shows why he is considered one of the best actors in his generation.

The most memorable and powerful moment among the "lulls," is the shot early on of the Ryan mother sinking to her knees on her front porch as she realizes she is about to get disastrous news from the war. Moments later, Harve Presenell, playing Gen. MacArthur, eloquently reads a letter by Abraham Lincoln that is so beautifully written, so profound that it is quoted near the end of the film, too, and I never get tired of hearing it.

This is a man's movie, and shows the horrors of war as few others ever have. To say it is "memorable," just doesn't do it justice. It is the greatest war movie ever made....period.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
What did Upham and Willie say to each other in German b4 Upham shoots? glacierslug
Trailer - 'New Band of Brothers-series' - LOOKS AMAZING! ('The Pacific') Robin_Koeman
A big disappointment owen_rachel7-1
Anyone else watch this on TCM yesterday? startrek3718
Actor who has bad hearing due to blast. Barney-Robel
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Rambo The Longest Day Black Hawk Down Cross of Iron The Patriot
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb top 250 movies IMDb Action section
IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.