Wonkette Movie Night: Saving Private Ryan
'Earn this.'
“How do we relate this election to something in our history that most will understand and in a way that makes an actual impact? We still have that customer (it’s really more his daughter now who is our customer) who is a living veteran of D-Day. He paid the cost for freeing us from fascism eighty years ago and he has paid it every day since. I think this election lives with him.
That Republican voters are not only throwing away the incredible sacrifice so many Americans made for freedom, but they are condemning us to face those same unbearable costs yet again. It is just too much.
His message of “earn this” is a message for all of us. It’s up to us to make the incredible sacrifices of those who came before us worth something. It is a message America could use to have echo in this moment.”
— Bill Penzey
Saving Private Ryan opens with an elderly man and his family walking through the Normandy American Cemetery. He walks ahead of them with a purpose through the lines of white crosses and Stars of David. Stopping in front of one of them, he falls to his knees. The camera zooms into his blue eyes with tears waiting to fall, a man looking through the years to June 6, 1944.
For the next 24 minutes the film takes us on an intense cinematic representation of the landing at Omaha Beach, something you cannot look away from, life and death, terror and grief.
A band of brothers are given the task of saving one brother. Private James Ryan is the last surviving member of a quartet of siblings, Daniel, Peter, and Sean. Getting him back to his mother becomes a driving force for Captain Miller, the saving of this one young man a symbolic way to get them all home. He says to Private Ryan,
"Earn this."
So we come to the reason behind this very special Movie Night. The story of Private Ryan is based on the real life heroes the Niland Brothers. These heroes were fighting for humanity, they were fighting against fascism. As Election Day draws near it is a reminder that fascism still needs to be fought, that our democracy is at stake.
You are not being asked to storm the beach at Normandy but to remember the sacrifices of those who did. We are being asked to vote against tyranny and madness. To vote for hope and joy. To vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for president and vice president of the United States of America. Because we are not going back!
Saving Private Ryan stars Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Vin Diesel, Edward Burns, Giovanni Ribisi, Adam Goldberg, and Paul Giamatti. Directed by Steven Spielberg.
Saving Private Ryan will be starting an hour earlier than our usual movie start time due to its length. 5pm PT / 8pm ET
Available with subscription on Paramount +. With library card on Kanopy and hoopla.
$3.99 in the usual places.
To make requests and see the movie lists and schedules, go to WonkMovie.
Instead of an animated short I have a story about honoring the Niland Brothers from WAVY TV 10.
Thank you to our Wonkfriends Penzeys Spices for sponsoring this very special Movie Night.
If you didn't get the Penzeys email, today had something special in it. An email to Bill Penzey from the daughter of the D-Day vet in Bill's message to us I included at the top of the movie post.
(If you would like to collapse this thread click on the vertical line to the left.)
From Bill's email:
"George Mullins, D-Day Veteran and Kamala Harris Voter shared good words about how what he faced head on June 6, 1944 is coming back to repeat itself 11.5.24, but not many people saw his Facebook post. A week after posting he had 72 likes. A week later, with your help, between our post linking to his post his words now have over 360,000 likes and loves.
Friday George emailed me. Sheila, who he speaks of, is his daughter who reached out to me in the first place in hopes of us helping his words reach a wider audience."
"Hello Bill,
I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for sharing my post. I never would have dreamed that I would get the response that I have gotten.
I posted this letter mostly to make myself feel better, and to express to my family and friends where I stand in the political arena.
I am overwhelmed by all the comments and requests for my book.
Knowing that there are so many like-minded people in this country has given me hope that democracy will prevail, and without Sheila’s, and your support, these words would have never reached the masses. I am forever in debt to the two of you.
Yes, I have also received some hate mail, but haters are going to hate. I wonder how they would feel with my foot up their asses. I might be old, but I still can teach a couple of lessons.
I hope to someday meet you, and properly give my appreciation to you, you’ve made this old boy one happy fellow.
Thank you again, and know that you have a friend, and customer for life!
Many Regards,
George"
"Thanks to you, George, for sharing what needs sharing and one more time leading the way.
Like George, I too received an upsurge in hate mail just for telling his story of the 19 year old who landed on Utah Beach in 1944 living on to be the 99 year old voting “Against the Dictator” and for America’s first female president in 2024.
For a brief moment I did stop and think twice about what I knew would send the hate and anger of the ALL-CAPS BRIGADE George’s way. He’s such a nice guy. But then I remembered he’s gotten the best of far worse people. I hoped he would find some good fun in it. Sounds like he did.
George’s original post shares thoughts so worth sharing on the eve of this election:
I didn’t fight in World War II, standing on the front lines of history, so that we could one day find our country on the brink of dictatorship or authoritarian rule.
I have always believed in the decency and strength of this nation, but I fear we are losing sight of what makes us who we are. I urge you all to reflect on the long-term consequences of the choices we make.
We are better than this. We have faced dark times before, and we can rise again—but only if we stand together and remember that we are all Americans first. Please, let’s not allow fear and hatred to define our future.
Thanks to you, George."
I worked really hard on this one! Thanks for sticking with it, I think it was important to watch it with friends. Now I collapse and my muscles can finally relax.