Saving Private Ryan (1998)1998 < 99% PLUS >

: The two "German" soldiers shot while trying to surrender in the beginning are actually speaking Czech . They were saying, "Please don't shoot me, I am not German, I am Czech!" —reflecting the "Ost Battalions" made up of forced prisoners. Historical & Structural Context

: Matt Damon was cast as Private Ryan because Spielberg wanted an actor who looked "all-American" and was relatively unknown at the time. Ironically, by the time the film was released, Damon had become an overnight star due to the success of Good Will Hunting . Saving Private Ryan (1998)1998

: The plot is loosely based on the Niland brothers, a family of four where only one was believed to have survived. This led the U.S. War Department to establish the "sole-survivor policy" to spare parents from losing all their children. : The two "German" soldiers shot while trying