re: Who is the main character in Saving Private Ryan?

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Tom Hank’s character is the popular choice but I’m not so sure.

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Sometimes it isn't a trick question. Obviously Captain Miller.

You could make a few cases for #2... I would probably say Upham but wouldn't argue with a few of the others.

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The pointlessness of war.

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That is even sillier. THAT war clearly had a fricking point. Liberate Europe and defeat Adolf Literally Hitler.

As wars go, that was one of the best wars ever.

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That is even sillier. THAT war clearly had a fricking point. Liberate Europe and defeat Adolf Literally Hitler.

As wars go, that was one of the best wars ever.

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Upvoted

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Yeah. Even if you count war as a character, Miller's reaction to the different facets of war and the mission are the touchstone of the film. It's like Captain Willard in Apocalypse Now. The character serves to reflect on the reality of war.

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To me, one of the most powerful scenes remains the near mutiny after the machine gun assault when Wade gets killed and Miller lets the German prisoner go. Reiben and Horvath are at each other's throats and Miller reveals who he was in civilian life before the war.

He's not some uber tough guy or Regular Army lifer from West Point, he's just another guy from somewhere with a wife and a normal profession (teacher) who, if he survives, will never be the same because of what he's done and experienced.

I often think of the countless number of citizen soldiers who went through the same transformation during the war when I watch that scene. It reminds me of the "what the frick are we doing here?!" rant by Webster to a column of German POWs in Band of Brothers.

Vin Diesel

Who starts the worst threads on TD? Some other dude is the popular choice, but I am not so sure.

Yeah, it's weagle.

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Upham of course.

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Ryan's not the main character, "saving Pvt Ryan" was the mission.

Tom Hanks' character was the mythical hero who performed it.

Nearly the entire film was seen through the eyes of Upham, as he witnessed Hanks' heroism and sacrifice.

The final scene really shouldn't have been Ryan as an elderly survivor, it should have been Upham instead.

You could even make the point that the movie wasn't exactly "true to facts", but rather, it was Upham's memories, and colored by his self-loathing for not being as strong as Hanks was. In other words, he didn't really get others killed, he just didn't measure up in his own mind, and now he blames himself for living while the others died. "If I'd have been more worthy, these great men would be here beside me. Instead, I was a coward, and I'm alive and they died".

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Ace Midnight

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You are educated beyond your intelligence.
(no, that is not a compliment)

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You are educated beyond your intelligence.

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Meh. At over half-century I'm still one of the smartest motherfrickers I've ever met.

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(no, that is not a compliment)

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frick you, aight?

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Ryan's not the main character, "saving Pvt Ryan" was the mission.

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I would have to say that Ryan was a more significant character when he was the unseen objective than when they met the paratrooper in the flesh. Something about legends and "never meet your heroes" is probably the point there.

"Main" character is obviously Miller. But in storytelling, the "main" character isn't always the protagonist.

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Nearly the entire film was seen through the eyes of Upham

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While that doesn't necessarily dispose of the issue, certainly it is a hint. The Great Gatsby is told from the perspective of Nick Carraway (the novel's protagonist). Along similar lines, Gatsby explores similar themes - Gatsby's "legend" (versus his mundane reality) and, in turn, Gatsby's own build up of Daisy as a legend contrasted to the reality of the woman. Gatsby is the main character, but Carraway turns out to be the protagonist - it is his struggle with legend versus reality that changes him AND it is through his eyes we see the entire story.

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The final scene really shouldn't have been Ryan as an elderly survivor, it should have been Upham instead.

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While Upham was present for more of the story and experienced changes, his observations are a proxy for Ryan's (when he is not present), his struggle is not the point of the story (any more than any other member of the squad, survivor or not).

Ryan IS the protagonist. The antagonist is not "the pointlessness of war" - it's death (or, maybe the Germans, but probably death). The Rangers, in many cases, literally traded places with Ryan in order to spare his mother from another death. Ryan was willing to die in the battle with his comrades, and he faced it with them.

"Earn this" - means the proxy fight was for his benefit - the Rangers (and others) died in his place, and his recognition and acceptance of this, his return to the world and live out his life until he was an old man.

You baws are overthinking this - they give you the hint right there in the title. He's the first and last guy we see. The entire plot was about saving him as the sole survivor.

Still silly, but let's keep the analysis straight. This isn't complicated.



Now - let's try the companion film - who was the protagonist in Schindler's List? (Hint: in the title.)