>> that film embodies everything that makes tom great. he's a fantastic dramatic actor. he's a magnificent comedy actor. i can't think of another actor living or dead who could have ever done that part. >> by the 1990s, the median age of the people who served in world war ii was around 70. they were growing old, and they were disappearing. and there was a powerful sense of nostalgia. and we saw a lot of retrospective looks at aspects of world war ii. this was the time when people started talking about the greatest generation. >> "saving private ryan" was a film that i was going to make someday in my life. my dad used to have his band of brothers from the air corps come over to the house every year. the first time i ever heard grown men cry was at these