Military Historian Breaks Down Saving Private Ryan, Omaha Beach Scene

Battlefield Historian Mat McLachlan breaks down the dramatic opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan. Were the D-Day landings really like this? What did the movie get right and wrong?
**SPOILER ALERT** Please watch the movie before checking out this video!
Please note, this video is uploaded for review purposes. Copyright remains with Paramount Pictures.
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[@waveygravey3575]

Another thing about the beginning a keen eye would notice. The old man is wearing a pin for the 101st airborne giving away the ending.

[@benjo_pharmer]

I was listening to a veteran of the 101st airborne and he specifically said an nco told him to undo his chin strap as they were taking incoming artillery fire. He was told a nearby blast would blow his helmet so violently it would break his neck if the strap was done up. Don't know if that's scientifically correct but that's what he was told and did.

[@SalemElloit]

This is accurate. They believed it would break their necks. However, if a force that strong did that, they were already dead from whatever it was that made it happen. The second belief, was that enemy soldiers would come up behind and grab it to throw them off balance.

[@ISCDesignArchitect]

very informative thankyou

[@Rosnoseros]

Nice work :)

[@bennettrogers7921]

Great commentary and observations, only criticism is that during some of the presentation, your voice is difficult to hear over the sound of the movie audio.

[@davedublin1]

Beech scene filmed in Wexford, Ireland

[@PATRICKEIRE]

Aye...those along with the D-DAY fighting scenes...i was in irish army reserves that were used to make these scenes....allways annoys me that in many cases the Irish troops get overlooked for their efforts to make arguably the best ww2 action scenes made

[@PATRICKEIRE]

You decribe the landing scenes as made in cornwall England...this is totally wrong....the DDAY landing and D-DAY fighting scenes were filmed in Co Wexford in Ireland and used the Irish army reserves as the troops im these scenes..both german and US troops..i was part of the irish army reserves and was there for over 3 weeks while these and other scenes not in the final movie were filmed....

[@MatMcLachlanHistory]

Not sure where I read that it was filmed in Cornwall. Apologies.

[@SalemElloit]

The old man's eye color in the very beginning, are blue (obviously). Tom Hanks (Capt Miller) has 'mossy green' eye color, while Matt Damon (Ryan) has blue eye color. Of course as you said in the beginning, it is a cheap way to make one believe it was Capt Miller. However, this little factor as well as the 101st pin the man wears, gives the notion that it is Ryan (Harrison Young RIP)when we learn he jumped in with the 101st airborne division.

[@Bigmar98]

Age of actors: Should check age of 2nd ranger battalion. There's some tough old dudes.

[@griff2712]

I always see this scene as a depiction of a veteran's recollection of the battle.

[@FancyMcDancy]

Interesting that in all of the shots from shore to sea there is no sign of the largest fleet ever assembled.

[@davidwatson2399]

Re: Shooting directly into the landing craft. While you are correct about most MG's being sited to shoot along the beach, there are numerous accounts by vets of whole boat loads of soldiers being wiped out before the got off. Most of the beach landing scenes depicted in the movie, come from veterans accounts of the Omaha landing, most can be found in D-day by Steven Ambrose.

[@davidwatson2399]

Yes second Rangers were meant to land at the cliff, according to the plan, some of them got swept off course and ended up having to land on the beach. Refer to D-day by Steven Ambrose.

[@BlueBaron3339]

An important film for many reasons but the opening wasn't just a cheap trick, it was a viewpoint violation. It was deliberate and insulting. But Spielberg has long been overrated. I prefer The Longest Day. Not as horrifically realistic certainly, but a much better film. Plus it had some actual veterans in the cast such as Richard Todd who served with the unit portrayed in the film.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Firstly the opening scenes on Omaha were unnecessary as it had nothing to with the ‘finding of Ryan. The anti tank girders on the beach are pointing the wrong way and the story is fiction.

[@AdamMann3D]

you don't know what you're talking about. The M1 chinstrap comment alone is laughable.

[@MatMcLachlanHistory]

How so?

[@GloryGodAlmightygloryAlmightyg]

Sean Ryan Peter Ryan Daniel Ryan bothers 101st. Three. 4 🌅🌅🌅📖😍😞😞

[@Rocky-xx2zg]

The only reason I disliked the Movie was that the lead role was given to Tom Hanks.