Steven Spielberg’s 1998 war action film Saving Private Ryan may be a thrilling watch for the general audience because of the intense drama and battle scenes, but this isn’t the case for veteran soldiers. The director had to warn them that it might be too distressing because it is based on real-life events.
Led by Tom Hanks, the award-winning movie has become a cult-classic favorite among fans and is one of the most popular war movies of all time.
Steven Spielberg Claimed Saving Private Ryan May Stress Out Veterans
In an interview with WFAA, director Steven Spielberg was asked if he would invite World War II veterans to see Saving Private Ryan and he promptly responded:
Yes, I would. But the same, I would say the same thing to the World War Two veterans I said to the Holocaust survivors when I made Schindler’s List. That is – many of you will find it harder to watch this movie than, you know, unseasoned and you know, soldiers who never fought a war and don’t know what combat’s like.
The movie follows Tom Hanks’ Captain John Miller as he leads a group of soldiers on a mission to find Matt Damon’s Private James Francis Ryan and bring him back home after his three brothers were killed in battle.
The toughest audience to get into a theater to watch this movie is actually the audience I made the picture for which is the veterans, and it might be too tough for a lot of them as Schindler’s List was, in many cases, too tough for the actual survivors of the Holocaust.
There were many scenes in the film that were too disturbing and upsetting for the veterans to watch. Many deaths were shown as well as explosions and gunfights.
A Redditor explained that Saving Private Ryan was so stressful to watch because it was “far more personal in its deaths.” The fan described the scenes where “grown men crying, calling out for their mothers, begging for mercy, and then you see them dying and be killed” as the most devastating part of the film.
Even the knife fight scene at the end was too gruesome that the studio wanted it to be cut, but Spielberg fought to have it included. Like the survivors of the Holocaust, the veterans may also find it difficult to be reminded of their past experiences.
Saving Private Ryan Is One Of Steven Spielberg’s Most Successful Movies
Saving Private Ryan grossed over $482 million in global ticket sales against a budget of $70 million, making it a box office success. Not only was it a commercial hit, but it was also awarded several accolades.
At the 71st Academy Awards, it won Spielberg a Best Director award, along with Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Sound Effects Editing. Hanks was nominated for Best Actor, while the film received nods for Best Original Screenplay, Best Music, Best Production Design, and Best Makeup.
Saving Private Ryan is available to watch on Prime Video.
