Given the intense discussion this thread had generated on the list, I'm
surprised no one has mentioned the serious narrative flaws in the film. The
most troubling of which is the structure of the flashback. While the
close-up of the as yet unidentified old geezer at the beginning of the film
cut to the close-up of Tom Hanks' character would lead us to believe that he
is the narrator of the film, we find out at film's end that it is Private
Ryan, himself, standing in the cemetery. By that time we know that Ryan was
never on the Beach on June 6th, that he parachuted behind enemy lines. So
who is narrating the Omaha Beach sequence and all that transpires before
Ryan enters the picture?
 
I also agree with some commentators that Ryan remains a cipher. We certainly
don't know whether he has lead a good life, indeed, we find out much less
about him that about our school teacher hero.
 
 
Chris Horak
 
Jan-Christopher Horak
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