In the film, Saving Private...
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In the film, Saving Private Ryan, the entire movie is framed by the context of a veteran who takes his family with him to visit the cemetery above Omaha Beach. He approaches a certain grave, sinks to his knees, and focuses on the name with his memories taking him back to the terrible realities of that day and time. It is only at the end of the film when the young man, the Private Ryan of the title, is challenged by a dying captain portrayed by Tom Hanks to "earn it," that the real meaning of the visit is made clear. The aging warrior turns to his wife and says, "Tell me I'm a good man." The reality that his life and the lives of their children have been dearly purchased at the cost of other precious lives is demanded in ways laying claim to the living of all subsequent days.
