“The man means nothing to me, he’s just a name. But if, you know, if going to Ramelle and finding him so he can go home, if that earns me the right to get back to my wife, well then, then that’s my mission.”
Director Steven Spielberg considered Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford for the lead role of Captain John Miller, before deciding on casting Tom Hanks. Edward Norton was offered the role of Private Ryan but turned it down. Spielberg was considering Matt Damon based on his performance in Courage Under Fire (1996), but thought he was too skinny. Then Spielberg’s friend, Robin Williams introduced him to Damon on the set of Good Will Hunting (1997) which changed his mind. Michael Madsen was offered the role of Sgt. Horvath but had to pass and recommended his friend, Tom Sizemore. All principal actors underwent days of grueling army training except for Matt Damon, who was spared so that the other actors would resent him, and convey their resentment in their performances. Matt Damon ad libbed the story he tells to Tom Hanks about spying on his brother in the barn with the homely girl. The Omaha Beach invasion scenes cost $11 million to shoot, took forty barrels of fake blood and involved over 1000 extras, some of whom were members of the Irish Army Reserve. Over two dozen extras were actual amputees issued with prosthetic limbs in order to simulate soldiers having their limbs blown off during filming. The film was banned in India at first and then Malaysia because their censors thought it was too violent. Spielberg is on record as saying that even if this film had received an NC-17 rating, he still would only release it uncut. Saving Private Ryan is the first film from DreamWorks to cross $100 million.
