Steven Spielberg's plans for Saving Private Ryan made Matt Damon's life hell but eventually paid off well when they reflected in the movie. Set in the backdrop of World War II, Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan gives one of the most graphic visuals of war. It has been more than two and a half decades since its release, but the war epic continues to influence modern-day action movies with its emphasis on realism over romanticism and immersive storytelling over shallow spectacle.
While its technical aspects and overall production value made it visually chilling and spectacular, Saving Private Ryan's timeless take on heroism and the terrors of war was further elevated by the strength of its cast. As reports suggest, Steven Spielberg meticulously cast every character in the movie. Not all of Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan casting plans worked out the way he had expected, but the ones that did ultimately worked wonders for the film.
Steven Spielberg Excluded Matt Damon From Saving Private Ryan's Training Camp
To capture the reality of war in Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg sent his cast to a grueling army boot camp. Led by a retired 21-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Capt. Dale Dye, the boot camp was designed to make the actors' lives miserable. From calling the actors "turds" to making them run as long as five miles a day (via EW), the veteran put them through immense suffering for six days and nights. To make things even worse, the actors had to survive on rations, including canned "beef livers with onions" that looked "like vomit." While they toiled tirelessly, Matt Damon somehow avoided showing up for the camp.
Matt Damon was not accountable for his absence, though, since Steven Spielberg had excluded the Good Will Hunting star from Saving Private Ryan's training. Unaware of Steven Spielberg's plans, Saving Private Ryan's cast members grew bitter towards Matt Damon because while they were being name-called and forced through hours of painful training each day, Damon was relaxing back at home. Recalling the incident, Matt Damon quoted, “They started to harbor that kernel of resentment, ’cause I wasn’t there.”
How Steven Spielberg's Plan Made Saving Private Ryan Better
Fortunately for Matt Damon, Steven Spielberg had intentionally kept him out of the training boot camp to ensure that the cast members translated real resentment towards his titular character Ryan. Considering how Saving Private Ryan's characters seem to channel authentic feelings of animosity and frustration towards Ryan, Steven Spielberg's plan made Saving Private Ryan better and more believable. It added a genuine sense of conflict and tension to Saving Private Ryan's overarching narrative and also allowed Matt Damon to experience the isolation of a man who has lost his brothers in war but still hopes to win the trust and honor of his comrades.
Source: EW