Harbour Highlights: Saving Private Ryan

“I just know that every man I kill the farther away from home I feel.”

Welcome to Harbour Highlights, a series of cult and classic films all handpicked by the staff of Harbour Lights.

For June, we’re marking both D-Day and the 25th anniversary of one of the best works by one of cinema greatest filmmakers with Henry’s pick of Saving Private Ryan.

After taking a break following 1993’s double whammy of Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List, Spielberg returned in 1997 with The Lost World and Amistad – but it was this film the following year where he truly reminded everyone of his legendary status, not least in the opening D-Day landing scene , a sequence which remains one of the most visceral scenes in all of film.

As the film tracks the mission to find the titular character, Spielberg reckons with the morality of war and the notion of risking a group of men to save one.

Anchored by a great Tom Hanks performance and supported by a cast that included everyone from Matt Damon to Vin Diesel to Paul Giamatti, the film makes sure the characters are never lost among the incredible sequences, all of which are brought to life with Spielberg’s inimitable eye (and ear) for detail.

One of the defining films of the 90s and one that deserves the impact of the big screen.