Stephen Spielberg's SAVING PRIVATE RYAN is a great flic, with authentic combat action, moving dramatic situations, and even a great surprise ending. It has sparked another media revival of all things WWII, doing for the period what Ken Bums work did for the ACW. This is good, for now that the 50th Anniversary hoopla is over, another shot in the arm for us WWII enthusiasts is welcome, especially if it spawns more media projects. Everyone I know is planning to either see this movie or see it again' Yet poor Mr. Spielberg must of course be subject to the detailed criticism of us "military realism experts" in the hobby. Now I had parental generation WWII veterans in Europe, the Pacific, and even the CBI--so I guess I'm as expert as the next American. Not to mention this is one of my periods of interest. I'm not being unreasonable--those who know me could tell you I'm always quick to admit a lack of expertise in periods that are not my favorites. Not to mention having designed "Recon and Rushes of WWII" (doesn't this guy ever stop plugging his own stuff). So starting off with this film, here is a WWII movie Trivia quiz for you to enjoy (all answers below). Questions 1-6: My friends and I found 6 nits to pick in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Name them (or any of your own). Take extra credit if you found more! Question 7 and 8: Here's another WWII movie trivia question. Both THE LONGEST DAY and A BRIDGE TOO FAR boast a large cast of international stars. Name two actors who were in both of them. (if you can think of more than two, take extra credit and write in to tell us who they are). Questions 9-19: Speaking of WWII movie actors and other entertainers, many of them of course were actually in the war in real life as well as playing WWII film parts. Identify the following: 9. He flew a full "career" of combat missions over Germany as a bomber pilot in the USAAF. 10. He was one of the few US Marine survivors of the first wave assault on Tarawa. 11. He was killed on a secret British intelligence mission. Appeared in one movie with # 17 below. 12. He was killed when his transport was shot down. Tragically, HQ knew about his danger but chose not to warn his plane, as they were afraid of revealing their Top Secret Ultra knowledge. 13. A congressional Modal of Honor winner, he became a movie star by first playing--himself. 14. A famous WWII US "Journalist-entertainer," he appeared in only one later film--with # 13 above. 15. He was easily the most famous US war film hero who never actually served. 16. He served in the US Merchant Marine, and then played a Navy Commander on a TV series. 17. He served in the US Navy in World War one, and got a splinter in his lip when his destroyer was shelled by a German submarine! He later played in several WWII flics, with his trademark slight lisp; a result of the original wound. 18. He served in the US Navy, became a famous fictional infantryman, and died filming science fiction in a helicopter crash. 19. He served in dangerous amphibious operations in the Pacific on Navy Attack Transports. Later he appeared in an infantry film and was shot by his own men. Question 20. Finally, a famous movie set in the WWII Europe had one character saving another's life during do a German artillery barrage, and never letting him forget it! Who saved who, and in what film? ANSWERS TO WWII MOVIE TRIVIA QUIZ 1. After the first squad member is killed, a long shot showing the squad moving through the fields erroneously shows the entire squad still alive. (Yes; I'm a compulsive counter, but others noticed it too). 2. In the Prologue and Epilogue the grave site of a particular Normandy casualty is visited. But the Normandy beach casualties were actually evacuated back to England; those in the Normandy cemeteries come from the second half of the European campaign. 3. The squad members are constantly bantering while in enemy/neutral territory. ("No way," says my uncle, "not until return to base"). I grant this for artistic license. 4. At one point a squad member threatens to "desert" the mission and return to friendly territory by himself. This would be: a) suicide and b) unlikely behavior from a Ranger (US Commando). 5. The paratroops at the bridge claim antitank mines in their inventory; later these play no part in preparing their desperate defense against tanks. 6. The US scout reports German "Tiger and Panzer tanks" coming. While perhaps not an armor expert like ourselves, wouldn't a combat infantryman make a distinction between a Panzer IV and a Panzer V? Would he use the term Panzer ("tank") at all, since a Tiger is technically a Panzer VI? Not to mention that what attacks them is a Tiger and a Self-Propelled gun (to the best of my memory; I've only seen it once so far). Some scout! 7. Sean Connery (Irish private Danny and General Roy Urquart). 8. Curt Jurgens (General Bluinentritt and General Rundstedt). 9. Jimmy Stewart 10. Lee Marvin 11. Leslie Howard 12. Glen Miller 13. Audie Murphy 14. Bill Mauldin (Willis and Joe cartoonist fo STARS AND STRIPES); appeared with 413 in'l-HF. RED BADGE OF COURAGE. 15. John Wayne 16. Ernest Borgnine (McHale's Navy) 17 Humphrey Bogart (appeared with #11 in THE PETRIFIED FOREST). 18. Vic Morrow (Sergeant Saunders in COMBAT). 19. Eddie Albert (Attack) 20. Danny Kaye saved Bing Crosby in WHITE CHRISTMAS. Back to MWAN #97 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1999 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com