080118 - SPIELBERG'S D-DAY: The Making of Saving Private Ryan (After The Battle)

Edited by Dilip Sarkar MBE FRHistS FRAeS

“Tell it the way it really was,” urged US Army veterans to Steven Spielberg as he prepared to depict the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan. Released in 1998 to critical acclaim, the film delivered an unprecedentedly realistic portrayal of war, hailed as one of the most impactful war films of the twentieth century.

Scriptwriter Robert Rodat was inspired by a war memorial in New Hampshire, where repeated family names across conflicts sparked the fictional story of Private James Ryan. After losing three brothers in combat, Ryan is to be brought home by Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) and his squad. While fictional, the story closely mirrors real-life cases like the Niland brothers, one of whom was pulled from Normandy after the deaths of his siblings.

To ensure authenticity, Spielberg immersed the cast in military training, teaching them to handle period weapons like the M1 Garand and Browning Automatic Rifle with precision. Omaha Beach was meticulously recreated in Wexford, Ireland, alongside other detailed sets to bring the battle to life.

Though undeniably a Hollywood production, Spielberg’s commitment to realism and the veterans’ experiences set Saving Private Ryan apart, blending drama with an unflinching portrayal of the brutality of war.