Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: ODBAL on January 27, 2009, 11:33:38 AM
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Me and a guy from work have a bet concerning the movie "Saving Private Ryan". I am hoping you guys can chime in here and convince him which version is true so I don't have to bring in my DVD player to work tomorrow. I won't say who believes what, but here is what it is in regards to.
What do you think? Is "Steamboat Willey" (The German prisoner they release after storming the machine gun position) the same German Soldier who stabs Mellich in hand to hand combat later in the film.
I looked for pictures online to support me side of the argument (I know for a fact I am correct) but can't seem to find any. What say you?
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same guy
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Which is why he walks by and keeps quiet when he sees his next enemy is the one who helped in his survival ( the writer)
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Here's a couple of links I have found ODBAl, not good news for you:
http://www.moviedeaths.com/saving_private_ryan/private_stanley_mellish/ (http://www.moviedeaths.com/saving_private_ryan/private_stanley_mellish/)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/board/thread/128748102 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/board/thread/128748102)
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Nope, not the same. The released POW returns near the end of the final battle. They fire in the direction of the bridge and (maybe) hit Tom Hanks. Upham then crawls out of his ditch and shoots 'steamboat willy' and tells the rest to go. The stabby soldier in the second floor is a different guy.
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This is what I believe. The guy who stabs Mellich has an SS Patch on his collar, "Steamboat Willey" did not have an SS Patch. It was strange that he let Oppham live, I think he saw that he was not a threat and was not in the mood for killing after what had just transpired. I don't know the reason but I do know it is not the same guy.
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Here's a couple of links I have found ODBAl, not good news for you:
http://www.moviedeaths.com/saving_private_ryan/private_stanley_mellish/ (http://www.moviedeaths.com/saving_private_ryan/private_stanley_mellish/)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/board/thread/128748102 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/board/thread/128748102)
Low, I didn't reveal which way I thought. As you can see by my last post I believe them to be different people. Not sure what your links reveal yet.
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When Upham reveals himself the German soldier recognises him immediately and even says his name before getting shot by Upham.
Earlier, when the German who killed the GI bumps into Upham (and doesn't kill him) there is no recognition at all...the German just looks tired as heck from his life and death struggle.
Different German.
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Its the same guy of course. He recognizes the 'clerk' (Upham) is no threat to him and doesnt bother to kill him. Of course that comes back on him at the end. Its the main reason the Germans come in force to that bridge because the German that was in their custody learns where they are going and why.
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I always thought it was the same guy and thats how The Tool finally grew a pair and shot him. If he just shows up out of nowhere at the end and the knife dude is different guy, that doesn't really make any sense.
Of course he then lets the rest of the squad go after shooting him, so he's still a farkin retard.
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Nope, two different characters/actors. The one that fights with Mellich is much bigger than Steamboat Willey.
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Me and a guy from work have a bet concerning the movie "Saving Private Ryan". I am hoping you guys can chime in here and convince him which version is true so I don't have to bring in my DVD player to work tomorrow. I won't say who believes what, but here is what it is in regards to.
What do you think? Is "Steamboat Willey" (The German prisoner they release after storming the machine gun position) the same German Soldier who stabs Mellich in hand to hand combat later in the film.
I looked for pictures online to support me side of the argument (I know for a fact I am correct) but can't seem to find any. What say you?
i believe so.
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SS on his collar or not, the guy who stabs Mellish has a totally different face and thicker hair. I'm watching it as I type. :)
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http://www.sproe.com/s/steamboat-comparison.html
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Well I feel much better knowing its a common mistake. :rolleyes:
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Me and a guy from work have a bet concerning the movie "Saving Private Ryan". I am hoping you guys can chime in here and convince him which version is true so I don't have to bring in my DVD player to work tomorrow. I won't say who believes what, but here is what it is in regards to.
What do you think? Is "Steamboat Willey" (The German prisoner they release after storming the machine gun position) the same German Soldier who stabs Mellich in hand to hand combat later in the film.
I looked for pictures online to support me side of the argument (I know for a fact I am correct) but can't seem to find any. What say you?
i think he was the guy he shot
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When Upham reveals himself the German soldier recognises him immediately and even says his name before getting shot by Upham.
Earlier, when the German who killed the GI bumps into Upham (and doesn't kill him) there is no recognition at all...the German just looks tired as heck from his life and death struggle.
Different German.
You are correct sir. :aok
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http://www.sproe.com/s/steamboat-comparison.html
Mickey, thank you that is perfect!!!
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Different guys. Not all Germans look the same :lol
I wondered it for a while myself :)
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My apologies there ODBAL, I did read too much into your OP and thought you believed that it was....great link though Mickey, coming through in the clutch.
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Wasn't the same guy. Look up the credits online. I had a similar "discussion" with a friend a few years ago.
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Different guys. But of course all white guys with buzz cuts look alike. I think this is one of the reasons the military gives everyone buzz cuts. Takes away your individuality.
wrongway
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Yeah Different guy. Maybe we all were to busy thinking how we'd like to be seeing upham get it instead of the other guy.
But upham gets his pick on at the end.
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Not the same guy. The "Betty Boop..nice gams" guy looks alot skinnier. The dude who stabbed the jewish GI was a big fella. Dirty shaved heads, grayish/mottled uniforms, but not the same guy.
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Same Guy!
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Well now, this sort of changes the whole dynamic of Upham shooting Willie at the end. I had thought Willie was the same guy that stabbed Millich and Upham's shooting of him seemed like justified revenge. It seemed when Upham released Willie, to me Willie had taken the uniform of another German soldier therefore hiding his SS status, and acted like a squirming rat to get spared, Upham let Willie go back to his unit. Willie did what any soldier worth his salt would do, re-joined his unit and went back to the fight, and that's all he did. Upham's singling him out in the end now seems unjustified, or in the very least, unnecessary. Maybe Upham thought the same thing we did, "Must be the same guy!"
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ok since it's not the same guy, i want to know why he didn't kill Upham.
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I've known it was a different person since I saw it in the Theater. The "prisoner" was Wehrmacht. The "knifer" was SS. "The "prisoner" shot Hanks' character.
But they are NOT the same.
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ok since it's not the same guy, i want to know why he didn't kill Upham.
He was really really tired...and Upham was no threat.
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could be a wardrobe malfunction if you will, continutiy issue, I always assumed it to be the same guy, would make sense because he sparred his life just like opham did for him earlier, but if you guys have the movie in front of you and say the guys look different then, well thats weird, doesnt make as much sense as my theory.
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As Karaya said, Upham kills "willie" at the end because he saw him shoot Captain Miller.
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I hoped and believed it was the same guy. Nuff of that - Diablo would you please slow down your avatar? I'm trying to get a better look at two of the pictures. :devil (with respect)
<S>
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I had always believed it was 2 different people. To me they didn't look anything alike, and the obvious uniform changes were a give away. I felt that not having him kill Upham sent a more powerful message than had he slit his throat as he walked by. Maybe to show even the most hardened SS Soldier would be effected by such a powerful moment in life? Don't know, all I DO know is they are different guys and I got a free lunch today!
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The "Steamboat Willie" guy was in a wehrmacht uniform...the other guy who stabbed Fisch was in an SS cammo uniform top.
2 different people.
ROX
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Well now, this sort of changes the whole dynamic of Upham shooting Willie at the end. I had thought Willie was the same guy that stabbed Millich and Upham's shooting of him seemed like justified revenge. It seemed when Upham released Willie, to me Willie had taken the uniform of another German soldier therefore hiding his SS status, and acted like a squirming rat to get spared, Upham let Willie go back to his unit. Willie did what any soldier worth his salt would do, re-joined his unit and went back to the fight, and that's all he did. Upham's singling him out in the end now seems unjustified, or in the very least, unnecessary. Maybe Upham thought the same thing we did, "Must be the same guy!"
upham witnesses him shooting the captain.
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And Upham vouched for Steamboat Willie - perhaps if he hadnt the Capt Miller may have survived etc, so when Willie appeals to Upham again its too much for him..
As for the bloke who killed Melish - I've had this conversation myself with someone - and to me they don't even look the same but theres so much to take in during those scenes I guess its easily confused
Tronsky
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Posted by AWwrgwy:
I think this is one of the reasons the military gives everyone buzz cuts. Takes away your individuality.
You are correct sir.
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Its the main reason the Germans come in force to that bridge because the German that was in their custody learns where they are going and why.
Really? Im pretty sure it was said by one of the soldiers in the airborn unit that was in charge of defending the town/bridge that the bridge was a key crossing to the germans retreat.
Then again, i havent seen that movie in a few years, *turns on dvd player* *starts to scan the dvd rack*
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Your right stodd, ive seen the movie a million times....
They must defend the bridge and hold it at all costs because the road leads directly to the beaches and the armor could roll over the beach heads.....
Now im curious, is this battle real, or was it something made up for Hollywood?? Ive tried looking it up many times on the internet, and have gotten no where!!
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Your right stodd, ive seen the movie a million times....
They must defend the bridge and hold it at all costs because the road leads directly to the beaches and the armor could roll over the beach heads.....
Now im curious, is this battle real, or was it something made up for Hollywood?? Ive tried looking it up many times on the internet, and have gotten no where!!
The story is fictional. The premise of "Saving Private Ryan" is based on the story of the Niland Brothers. They were four brothers from New York. Oldest brother Edward was a gunner on a B25 in the CBI and was shot down, posted as MIA. Robert Niland, was a paratrooper with the 82nd. He was killed north of St. Mere Eglise on D-Day. On June 7, 44 another brother, Preston was killed fighting with the 4th Division northwest of Utah Beach. Fritz Niland was a paratrooper with the 101st. He was not pulled from combat during the Invastion. Father Sampson, a chaplain with the 101st passed on the story incorrectly starting the idea that Fritz Niland was removed from combat because of the loss of his brothers. He in fact finished out the Normandy campaign and was with the 101st right up until Market Garden when he was in fact transferred back to the states.
There was no unit sent to find him etc. While the Nilands lost two sons, it turned out that oldest brother Edward had infact survived his shoot down and he returned from a Japanese POW camp at the end of the war.
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Dan you sure about that? I think I remember hearing that the Sullivan brothers were the inspiration for SPR saying that what if one of them were able to survive and come home but I may be wrong.
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Yeah, it was the Niland bros.
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Now im curious, is this battle real, or was it something made up for Hollywood?? Ive tried looking it up many times on the internet, and have gotten no where!!
It does have some things in common with Pegasus Bridge, the Brit glider troops had to hold off several counterattacks and some of these had German armor. The capture of Pegasus bridge wasn't so much to slow the German as much as it was to prevent its destruction, slowing the Allied advance.
One of the main objectives of D-Day was to reach Caen and not having that bridge intact to cross the canal would of made that objective much tougher. Even with Pegasus Bridge taken intact, they didn't take Caen (the vast majority of it) until early July with Operation Charnwood.