Saving Private Ryan Question.......

[ASHTHECAT]

Thank you Andrew for finally answering my question........

[BoyScoutKevin]

I bow to Andrew's expertise in all things military, but, some of the dialogue in "Private Ryan" just reeks. Would somebody, who is involved in a hand-to-hand combat situation in wartime, actually say: "Don't fight it!" or "Give in!" It is my understanding, that they would more likely be screaming unintelligiblely at each other. And if they are screaming something at each other, which one can understand, it would be more likely: "F*** you! F*** you! F*** you!" Or more likely "F***! F***! F***!" Or even, "S***! S***! S***!"

[Andrew]

You would be surprised how people react under extreme stress.  Certainly, there are those who would scream, but others become very quiet and still others will freeze.  It runs the gauntlet.  Other than giving directions or something along those lines I tend to say nothing.

Andrew

[J.R.]

Me, I would be yelling, "Dude! Stop stabbing me!"

[ASHTHECAT]

That's good J.R.!   Your comment made me laugh

[Neville]

Despite its flaws (a mediocre script, specially), I like "Saving..." quite a lot. The main reason is that it is one of the few movieses where not only defeated soldiers look human. I tend to find very, very annoying the type of movies were soldiers' dialogue is reduced to orders and "yessirs". Details like the short dialogue that started the topic try to show that these people are human, whereas in other movies you couldn't care less about  the soldiers if they were substituted by androids.

About the lack of presence of non-american soldiers in US movies, I try to forget about it. While I am very touchy about many other stereotypes, I really don't see any malice in it. It is just that many producers don't think audiences will feel identified with non-american characters, hence their absence, here and in "U-571".  Of course, these wouldn't be so if there existed a tradition in Hollywood movies of treating well these type of characters, which makes us return to the stereotypical traits that have already been discussed.

[Flangepart]

I think Chris K. stole most of my lines. I'm going to England this vac., and i look forward to a break from the routine, in a place that speaks english, and has indoor plumbing!  I like England, and would love to viset Scotland and Ireland too, if i had the chance. As someone with English, Irish, dutch and German blood, the European aspects that bug me are cultural and political. Human nature is the same world wide, but its is expressed through Cultural styles. The Currant attitude found by friends who have been, say, in Paris, are unfortunatly true, but the People of Normandy are not quite so rude. Bush gave a good speech at the Normandy Cemetary this Memorial day, and i think the problim may be that the City French may be divorced from the cost of their freedom, as too many collage and university Americans are today. People tend to forget where their predacessors have gone wrong, and fail to leard to learn the right lessons. As for Saveing Privet Ryan......the film got to me, and a lot of people at the showing i attended. I cried. I did it like we guys do, quietly, but as i was walking out, a lady turned around and said "thank you". I don't know why. Because i was as moved as she was? I just don't know. Sure, after time, i could see many errors in the story. (Walking along the top of a ridge line? I don't think so!), but i've not felt the need to watch it agine. I respect it, but i just listen to the soundtrack cd now. Its enough.