Source:
Saving Private Ryan -Wikipedia
The film begins with an elderly World War II veteran (Harrison Young) and his family visiting the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy, France. The veteran collapses to his knees in front of a gravestone, overwhelmed by emotion. The scene then changes to the beginning of the Normandy invasion, with American soldiers landing on Omaha Beach and struggling against dug-in German Army infantry, machine gun nests and artillery fire. One of the men who survives the initial landing, Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks), commanding officer of the C Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion, assembles a group of soldiers and slowly penetrates the German defenses, leading to a breakout from the beach.
Meanwhile, in the United States, General George C. Marshall discovers that three of the four brothers of the Ryan family have all died within days of each other and that their mother will receive all three notices on the same day. He learns that the fourth son, Private First Class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) of Baker Company, 1st Battalion 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment is missing in action somewhere in Normandy. The drop target for Ryan's unit was Neuville-au-Plain, Manche. Marshall orders that he be found and sent home immediately.
Back in France, Miller receives orders from Lieutenant Colonel Walter Anderson (Dennis Farina) to find Private Ryan and assembles six Rangers (Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, and Adam Goldberg), plus one man detailed from the 29th Infantry Division (Jeremy Davies) to accomplish this task. With no information about Ryan's whereabouts, Miller and his men move out to Neuville. On the outskirts of Neuville they meet a platoon from the 101st. After entering the town Private Adrian Caparzo (Diesel) is fatally wounded by a sniper who is then killed by Private Daniel Jackson (Pepper) with a round through the eye. After finding James Fredrick Ryan from Minnesota (Nathan Fillion) by mistake, they find a member of Charlie Company 506th, who informs them that his drop zone was at Vierville. He also tells them that both Baker and Charlie companies have the same rally point. Once they reach the rally point, Miller locates a friend of Ryan's, who reveals that Ryan is defending a strategically-important bridge over the Merderet River in the fictional town of Ramelle. They also find Brigadier General Amend dead in a glider (based on the death of Brigadier General Don Pratt).
On the way to Ramelle, Miller decides to take the opportunity to neutralize a small German machine gun position close to an abandoned radar station. Technician Fourth Grade Irwin Wade (Ribisi), their medic, is fatally wounded in the ensuing skirmish. The last surviving German (Joerg Stadler) incurs the wrath of all the squad members except Upham (Davies), whom he befriends. Miller decides to let the German walk away and surrender himself to the next Allied patrol, a decision viewed by Reiben (Burns) as letting the enemy go free. No longer confident in Miller's leadership, Reiben declares his intention to desert, prompting a tense confrontation with Horvath (Sizemore) that threatens to tear the squad apart until Miller resolves the situation by revealing his origins, on which the squad had formed a betting pool. Reiben decides to stay.
The squad finally arrives on the outskirts of Ramelle where they destroy a German reconnaissance unit with the help of some American paratroopers, one of them being Ryan. The unit regroups in Ramelle, joining with the American paratroopers defending the town, where Captain Miller informs Ryan of his brothers' deaths and of their mission to bring him home. Ryan adamantly refuses to leave his makeshift unit, demanding that he remain to help defend the bridge against an impending German counterattack. Miller reluctantly agrees and orders his unit to help defend the bridge in the upcoming battle, taking command and setting up the defense with what little manpower and resources they have.
The Germans arrive in force supported by tanks, a towed FlaK 38 cannon, and half-tracks. Miller leads the defense, but in spite of inflicting heavy German casualties, most of his remaining squad members are killed (Jackson and Parker are hit by a high explosive tank round in their perch, Mellish is stabbed to death in a close quarters fight, Henderson is shot in the throat, Horvath is fatally wounded after taking several shots from assorted small arms) and the American unit is slowly pushed back by superior numbers and firepower. The defenders retreat across the bridge, suffering further casualties, pursued by gunfire and an advancing German Tiger. In the middle of an American attempt to blow the bridge, Miller is shot and fatally wounded by the German man that Upham convinced him to release earlier. Just before the Tiger reaches the bridge, an American P-51 Mustang destroys the tank, followed by more Mustangs and advancing American infantry who assault the town and rout the remaining German forces. Ryan, Reiben and Upham are the only main characters to survive the battle. Ryan is with Miller as he dies and hears his last words, "James... earn this. Earn it."
Back in the present, the elderly veteran is revealed to be Ryan at Miller's grave. Ryan asks his wife to confirm that he has been a "good man" and thus worthy of Miller's and the others' sacrifice. He then salutes the Captain's grave as the camera pans down the gravestones to the American flag and fades out.
Main cast
- Tom Hanks as Captain John H. Miller
- Tom Sizemore as Platoon Sergeant Michael Horvath
- Edward Burns as Private First Class Richard Reiben, a BAR gunner
- Jeremy Davies as Technician Fifth Grade Timothy E. Upham
- Barry Pepper as Private Daniel Jackson, a sniper
- Adam Goldberg as Private Stanley Mellish, a rifleman
- Vin Diesel as Private Adrian Caparzo, a rifleman
- Giovanni Ribisi as Technician Fourth Grade Irwin Wade, a medic
- Matt Damon as Private First Class James Francis Ryan, a paratrooper
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