PS Keith, that lid is a gift to myself for putting up with so much BS from a few people here in Corpus Christi. Well, not really. That's just one of many excuses ill come up with in order to justify buying that lid. :-))
Posts from The Ringo Kid in thread „Saving Private Ryan (1998)“
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The other night on the Smithsonian Channel, they had a program about this movie and if any of it was based on fact. They told of the five Sullivan brothers from Iowa who died when their ship, the cruiser USS Juneau, was sunk in the early days of WW2. Three of them went down with the ship, the other two survived but later died in the water. One of them because of the severe heat and exposure and he just slipped away, the last because he was so distraught over losing his four brothers, he just dove under the sea and never came up.
It also told the story of the four Niland brothers of NY, who seemd to be the pattern for the Ryan brothers of the movie. Three of Niland brothers were part of the D-day, landings. One with the 101st, one with the 82nd, and the other with another unit whose name escapes me. The fourth Niland brother was in the Army Air Corp in the Pacific. Of the first three, the one with the 82nd was killed by a sniper, I can't remember how one of the others were killed but it was near the same time as the first. And the Niland who was a flyer was shot down over New Guinea and reported missing. Fritz Niland was with the 101st, much like James Ryan in the movie. It was assumed that he was the sole survivng son and he was pulled out of the front lines and sent home. It was awhile later that the family found out that another had survived and was in a Japanese POW camp and he returned home after the war.Hi Jim, ive heard this story before and thanks for more details.
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Well, nice Christmas there Carl. Now, pray tell, how do you get provinance and what is it? I would want him to put it on and take a picture of him, LOL!
KEITHThe item is a 100% genuine and complete US Paratroopers Helmet from WWII. These things are faked all day long and sold as originals too. This "lid" comes complete with original Westinghouse made helmet liner--paratroopers chinstrap (which does NOT--look like the ones used in SPR or even The Longest Day) and also comes with helmet netting. I can get proof of ownership from the vet himself. Im more than sure he will let me get some images of his wartime service as well as maybe a few at Andy's Kitchen. A group of several WWII vets meet there daily from around 9Am to about 10:30am--ish. Also, im told that many of them have no probs telling of their wartime experiences but a coupe there do.
Anyway, ive met a few "Screaming Eagles" but never an 82nd Airborne Trooper ;-))
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Update: That 82nd Para lid is now mine ;-)) Once i get it in me mitts-im going to get provinance on its former owner who is still alive ;-))
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Keith, ya didint miss much in the way of classic cinematic art filmed.
Anyway, while at the gun show today, I found a dealer who has a WWII American 82nd Airborne DIvision Paratroopers helmet--complete with original and VERY scarce Westinghouse made liner. It looks exactly like the lid the ""G.I."" in the middle of this photo posted by Bill--is wearing--same exact type helmet net too. Im thinking of getting it since it cam efrom a local WWII 82nd AB trooper who is still alive and I now know where to meet these gent sat. He comes into a local place called: Andy's Kitchen--along with about 10 other WWII Vets. I cant wait to go meet them as well as buy that helmet and get provinance from the vet who wore it. For $150--that's CHEAP FOR A WWII pROVED pARA LID.
Forgot to post the pix so here it is:
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As a side note, SPR is one movie that ill never call a "classic." It was good in its own right but-I prefer The Longest Day as well as The Big Red One and Breakthrough--over it anytime any day. The other movies mentioned also have landings taking place at Normandy--even if not intended to be the main subject of said movies.
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I am not sure what people's beef is with this movie but objectively speaking, this is a great movie. No one is comparing it to "The Longest Day". No one said that it was meant to be a true story. But from a pure movie making stand point, it was a excellent movie. Better then most of the stuff that has come out in recent times.
And you really cannot compare it too "The Longest Day" as one movie is trying to be a accurate representation of the events on June 6th, 1944. The other is a story of what might have happened during the same period.
I thought it was a brilliant script and very well acted movie. The scene that get's me the most is when Matt Damon's charactor as a old man asks his wife if he has lived a good life and been a good man with tears in his eyes. I also think that it was a great tribute to the veterans of WW2.I know this is an old topic but--MY beef with it is several-fold. For one--yeah--I KNOW it's a fictional story based around the real stuff but though I initially liked the film, it has NOTHING on: The Longest Day. Also, movie-wise--there was NO need to have that much cussing and gore-to get the point across--PERIOD>>>> I dont need to see several G.I.s chests ripped open and spurting pints of blood-in order to "see" that they got mowed down by a German Machine gun.
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On the http://www.ww2f.com site, we have several members there who are WWII Vets who were "there" and they all said that SPR "hit-the-nail-on-the-either head" with the Beach landing scenes. One of our WWII vets was in the British Army and landed at Sword Beach and was almost immediately hit in the abdomin. He recovered quickly enough in order to get to go to with his unit as they made their way towards Bremen.
At least three of our GI Vets were at Omaha and one at Utah. The stuff these guys tell about really does strip the "Romance" out of war-for those who don't seem to know its much worse than watching gritty war movies.
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Though I will probably watch this movie again on some rainy Sunday afternoon and if nothin better is on-i'll never own another copy of it.
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This movie has nothing on Duke's The Longest Day. Am I the only one who thinks that the plot of this movie was absolute unrealistic nonsense? I can't believe that during the middle of WWII the Army would waste valuable lives and send men out to face their possible deaths just to try to get back one lousy, unimportant private.
I keep thinking of the scene from Duke's Sands of Iwo Jima where Duke refuses to let John Agar go out in the night to rescue their wounded comrade who is crying out for help because it's against orders to leave the lines. That, I believe, was a much more realistic attitude for people from the 1940's. That commitment to a "greater good" and a realization that sometimes personal feelings had to be laid aside for the sake of the overall war effort was what truly made them the "greatest generation."
Hi EJ, I fully agree with you.
Duke's The Longest Day was a much better movie than that of Saving Private Ryan. I liked the movie initially but, the needless almost incessant cussing was partly what ruined the movie for me. The gorefest that SPR was, was not necessary in order to get the point across.
Best regards-Carl.
