Leaving the fate of a movie like 'Saving Private Ryan' to the toss of a coin isn't a typical Hollywood strategy, but it's hard to say it didn't work.

With a unique ability to portray the horrors and heroism of war, Spielberg's portraits of war have become timeless classics.

John McManus, a World War II historian, looks at war scenes from "Saving Private Ryan" and rates them for realism. He breaks down the iconic movie opening of the landing on Omaha Beach during the ...