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Saving Private Ryan Analysis Guide

During WWII, Steven Spielberg's film Saving Private Ryan depicts the U.S. Army mission to retrieve Private James Ryan after three of his brothers are killed in action. Captain John Miller and seven other soldiers are tasked with finding Ryan and bringing him home. The film realistically portrays the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day and the soldiers' intense battle to secure Omaha Beach. While searching for Ryan, Miller's group encounters danger and must make difficult choices. Their mission is inspired by the real-life story of the Niland brothers, four American siblings who all served during WWII.

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71 views2 pages

Saving Private Ryan Analysis Guide

During WWII, Steven Spielberg's film Saving Private Ryan depicts the U.S. Army mission to retrieve Private James Ryan after three of his brothers are killed in action. Captain John Miller and seven other soldiers are tasked with finding Ryan and bringing him home. The film realistically portrays the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day and the soldiers' intense battle to secure Omaha Beach. While searching for Ryan, Miller's group encounters danger and must make difficult choices. Their mission is inspired by the real-life story of the Niland brothers, four American siblings who all served during WWII.

Uploaded by

VeronicaLeeFolkedahl
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Film 2
Saving Private Ryan 1998
Directed By Steven Spielberg
169 minutes, in English

I. Film Summary
During WWII, the film opens with the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Members of the
2nd Ranger Battalion under Captain Miller fight to make their way to the shore to secure Omaha
Beach. During the fighting two Ryan brothers are killed in action. Earlier in New Guinea, a third Ryan
brother was also killed in action. It is discovered by a clerk that their mother, Mrs. Ryan, is going to
receive all three of the death notification telegrams on the same day. The United States Army Chief of
Staff, George C. Marshall, is given an opportunity to alleviate some of her grief when he learns of a
fourth brother, Private James Ryan, and decides to send out eight men to bring him home. Captain
Miller and select members from the 2nd Ranger Battalion are given the task of finding Private Ryan.

II. The “Real” Private Ryan/Inspiration For The Film


The Niland brothers were four American brothers of Irish descent from Tonawanda, New York,
serving in the military during World War II. Of the four, two survived the war, but for a time it was
believed that only one, Frederick "Fritz" Niland, had survived. After the reported deaths of his three
brothers, Fritz was sent back to the United States to complete his service and only later learned that his
brother Edward, missing and presumed dead, was actually captive in a Japanese POW camp in Burma.
While the character “Private Ryan” is fictional, the Niland brother’s real-life case shares some striking
similarities with the events portrayed in Saving Private Ryan.

III. Main Characters


Private James Ryan

“The Team of 8”
Captain John Miller
Private Caparzo
Private Jackson
Corporal Upham
Private Mellish
Private Reiben
Sergeant Horvath
T-4 Medic Wade

1
IV. Les Questions
1. Is Captain Miller a good leader? (80 words minimum)
(type your answer here)

2. Which scene was the most remarkable? What does this scene teach the viewer?
(80 words minimum)
(type your answer here)

3.What was the most difficult choice that Captain Miller had to make? (80 words minimum)
(type your answer here)

V. The Assignment Guidelines: This assignment is due Monday October 14 by 11:59 PM. Please
send your paper by email in a .docx (in this template) to [email protected]. This assignment
is typed, and electronically checked (using Microsoft Word proofing tools) for spelling and
grammatical errors. The content of the paper will be your own original work and information from
Internet websites will not be used. This is not a review of the film (whether it is good or bad, whether
or not you liked or enjoyed, the film). Rather, you will focus on your own critical analysis of the film
by answering the questions. Since I am the primary reader of your paper, you are asked to avoid plot
summary, biographical information about the filmmaker, and historical summary. Do not tell me
anything that I would find in an encyclopedia or on the Internet. Make direct references to individual
scenes in the film to support your position. 15 Points Possible.

*You may write this assignment in English.


**This video is streaming instantly on Amazon for $1.99 in standard definition.

Chester Fritz Library Call #: PN1997.S29 1999 DVD

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