Saving Private Ryan

FADE IN:

CREDITS:
White lettering over a back background. The

THUNDEROUS SOUNDS OF A MASSIVE NAVAL BARRAGE are heard. The

power is astonishing. It roars through the body, blows back

the hair and rattles the ears.

FADE IN:

EXT. OMAHA BEACH - NORMANDY - DAWN

The ROAR OF NAVAL GUNS continues but now WE SEE THEM FIRING.

Huge fifteen inch guns.

SWARM OF LANDING CRAFT

Heads directly into a nightmare. MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS from

German artillery shells and mined obstacles tear apart the

beach. Hundreds of German machine guns, loaded with tracers,

pour out a red snowstorm of bullets.

OFFSHORE:

SUPERIMPOSITION:

OMAHA BEACH, NORMANDY

June 6, 1944

0600 HOURS

HUNDREDS OF LANDING CRAFT Each holding

thirty men, near the beaches.

THE CLIFFS:

At the far end of the beach, a ninety-

foot cliff. Topped by bunkers.

Ringed by fortified machine gun nests.

A clear line-of-fire down the entire

beach.

TEN LANDING CRAFT

Make their way toward the base of

the cliffs. Running a gauntlet of

explosions.

SUPERIMPOSITION:

THE FOLLOWING IS BASED ON A TRUE

STORY THE LEAD LANDING CRAFT Plows

through the waves.

THE CAMERA MOVES PAST THE FACES OF THE MEN

Boys. Most are eighteen or nineteen years old. Tough.

Well-trained. Trying to block out the fury around them.

A DIRECT HIT ON A NEARBY LANDING CRAFT

A huge EXPLOSION of fuel, fire, metal and flesh.

THE LEAD LANDING CRAFT

The Motorman holds his course. Shells EXPLODE around them.

FLAMING OIL BURNS on the water. CANNON FIRE SMASHES into

the bow.

THE MOTORAMAN IS RIPPED TO BITS

BLOOD AND FLESH shower the men behind him. The mate takes

the controls.

A YOUNG SOLDIER:

His face covered with the remains of

the motorman. Starts to lose it.

Begins to shudder and weep. His

name is DeLancey.

THE BOYS AROUND HIM

Do their best to stare straight ahead. But the fear infects

them. It starts to spread.

A FIGURE:

Pushes through the men. Puts himself

in front of DeLancey.

The figure is CAPTAIN JOHN MILLER. Early thirties. By far

the oldest man on the craft. Relaxed, battle-hardened,

powerful, ignoring the hell around them. He smiles, puts a

cigar in his mouth, strikes a match on the front of DeLancey's

helmet and lights the cigar.

DeLancey tries to look away but Miller grips him by the jaw

and forces him to lock eyes. Miller smiles. DeLancey is

terrified.

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