Matt Damon may play the titular character inSaving Private Ryan, but it can be argued that another is more important to the film’s thematic explorations. For many reasons,Saving Private Ryanis considered among thebest war movies of all time. From the cast assembled and the intriguing, utterly human characters that they play to the spectacle-filled battle scenes that are equal parts exciting and traumatizing, it becomes clear by the time ofSaving Private Ryan’s endingthat it is a truly special movie.
At the head ofSaving Private Ryan’s castis Tom Hanks as John Miller, a captain of the U.S. Army who is forced to venture into wartorn Europe to find a young private named James Ryan. As alluded to, Ryan is portrayed by Matt Damon and serves as the center point of the entire movie. Although this remains true and Ryan is an excellent character in terms of exploringSaving Private Ryan’s many thematic elements in awar movie loosely based on a true story, it may be the case that another character is even more important despite being less obviously so.
Upham Is The Real Main Character Of Saving Private Ryan
Upham’s Journey Is Powerful & Tragically Real
The character in question is Upham. Timothy Upham is originally introduced in the movie as a staff assistant who primarily serves as a translator given his knowledge of the French and German languages. Played by Jeremy Davies,Saving Private Ryanmakes a strong case for Upham being the film’s main character. One of the reasons for this is how much he stands out in comparison to the other myriad characters that are assembled as part of Miller’s team to find the titular private.
Timothy Upham
Jeremy Davies
While each of the characters introduced toSaving Private Ryangets their own time to shine, none of them are focused on quite as much as Upham. Most of the other characters are fleshed out due to their acts of bravery in the field, as well as their comradery with one another that allows insights into their pre-war lives. This allows them to become great characters, but none of them ever rise above Hanks' Miller or Damon’s Ryan in importance - none except for Upham. Via Upham’s character arc, a solid case is raised for him being the true main character ofSaving Private Ryan.
Upham’s Character Is Transformed Throughout The Movie
From A Timid Man To A Battle-Weary Soldier
A large factor in this argument fromSaving Private Ryanthat supports the idea of Upham being the film’s main character is his character arc. Upham’s introduction in the film is excellent at conveying who he is as a person; he bumbles around when Miller recruits him, both in words and in actions. He awkwardly tells Miller that he has never seen combat and that, therefore, he should be reconsidered for Miller’s team. He then knocks over a shelving unit before picking up a German soldier’s helmet as opposed to his own, highlighting how timid, shy, and awkward he truly is.
Saving Private Ryan’s 10 Best Quotes
Saving Private Ryan is remembered for its stellar cast and story. However, the 1998 epic war film has some of the best quotes in cinematic history.
Throughout the film after this scene, Upham’s compassion for others shines above his awkwardness without lessening it. This makes him a very sympathetic figure, as does the fact that he is somewhat bullied by the more typical soldier types in Miller’s crew. Regardless of the situation,Upham’s compassion is highlighted, from filling up the water canteens of the comrades who belittle him to using his language skills to either try and avoid conflict or comfort French civiliansaffected by war.
However, it is in the film’s third act where Upham’s transformation takes place via the character of “Steamboat Willie,” a German soldier who is captured by Miller’s unit. Upham shows compassion for the German, sharing water and cigarettes with him before imploring Miller not to execute him. Miller spares the soldier, leading intoSaving Private Ryan’s final action set-piece in the Battle of Ramelle.
The soldier is named “Steamboat Willie” as he re-enacts the character, quoting Disney movies in an attempt to prove to the American soldiers he is not a threat.
During this battle, the crux of Upham’s arc takes place. The most important scene involves the exploration ofwhether Upham is a coward inSaving Private Ryanwhen he becomes paralyzed with fear and lets a German soldier kill his comrade, Mellish. This scene has long been one of controversy, with audiences split between whether Upham’s fear is tragically justified or whether he is simply a coward who should have done more to help. This is the first step of his transformation, with the second coming not long after.
After Hanks' Miller is fatally wounded, Upham realizes that it was “Steamboat Willie” who did so. Feeling betrayed and hurt that his compassion for the German resulted in Miller’s death, Upham mercilessly shoots “Steamboat Willie.” This transformation from a timid translator to a hardened soldier is undoubtedly the most pronounced in the movie, providing more support for the argument of Upham beingSaving Private Ryan’s main character.
Private Ryan Is Hardly In The Movie
The Titular Character Is Only Introduced In The Final Act
To further support Upham being positioned as the film’s main character, Matt Damon’sSaving Private Ryancharacter is barely in the story. For the first two-thirds, Ryan is merely a faceless soldier that Miller’s unit must reach. Ryan serves more as a presence for the majority of the film, only being introduced in the Battle of Ramelle. Even then, Ryan is not the focus of the battle, and it is only the ending scene that - due to how emotionally stirring it is - has led people to view him as the main character of theSpielberg-directed war project.
Upham’s Ending Proves How Important He Is To Saving Private Ryan’s Message
Upham’s Arc Conveys The Horrors Of War Just As Much As Ryan’s Does
Aside from these more surface-level elements of Upham’s character that make him seem likeSaving Private Ryan’s main character, his arc also conveys the thematic messages of the movie. It is worth noting that Ryan’s arc does too, with his survivor’s guilt at the end of the movie adequately portraying the horrors of war, given that several men gave their lives to save him. However, as mentioned previously, Upham’s arc is much more explicitly depicted, proving him to be vital toSaving Private Ryan’s themes.
The 10 War Movies That Defined The Genre
There are certain war movies which best define the genre, and they have also helped influence how other filmmakers have approached the subject of war.
In showing Upham’s transition into a soldier who will shoot someone without hesitation after being so averse to war and conflict previously, the exploration of how war can change people is typified. The horrors of war and the concepts of revenge, justice, and being a savior are all highlighted in Upham’s story. As such, he is not only more present in the movie than Ryan and with a more clear-cut arc, but he is just as important toSaving Private Ryan’s deeper elements, meaning the argument of Upham being the film’s main character is not one that can be easily dismissed.
Saving Private Ryan
Cast
Saving Private Ryan: Directed by Steven Spielberg, this World War II drama follows Captain John Miller, portrayed by Tom Hanks, as he leads a group of U.S. soldiers on a mission to rescue Private James Ryan, the sole surviving brother of four, from behind enemy lines in German-occupied France.
