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Steven Spielberg has an impressive portfolio of works in Hollywood. If fans get a closer look at his films, they can notice a pattern in them. Spielberg’s films are either great science fiction films or they’re set in the World War II period. TheJawsdirector once revealed the reason behind the recurring theme of World War 2 in his films.
Fans should thank his father, Arnold Spielberg, a WWII veteran, who served as an inspiration for Spielberg’s projects likeSaving Private RyanandBand of Brothers. Arnold Spielberg was also an Electrical Engineer, who made significant contributions to his real-time data acquisition.
Steven Spielberg’s Dad Inspired Him To Make Great War Films
Steven Spielberghas made some of the greatest works based on World War 2. Be it the harrowing Holocaust story inSchindler’s List, the rescue operation inSaving Private Ryan, or a young Christian Bale’s plight as a POW inEmpire of the Sun. Spielberg opened up about the WW2 influences in his films during an interview with the Indian magazine, The Economic Times.
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TheBridge of Spiesdirector shared that his father served as the biggest inspiration for these war movies. Spielberg was born to Arnold Spielberg, an electrical engineer, and Leah Adler, a restaurateur. His paternal grandparents were Jews from Ukraine. According toSteven Spielberg’s biographyby Joseph McBride, his father hadlost many relatives in the Holocaust.
During the interview, he shared that his father was in the Air Force during the Second World War. Arnold Spielberg told his son war stories and also introduced him to classic John Wayne films. The father and son used to watch war movies together when he was growing up. Eventually, Spielberg got fascinated with WW2 and history in general due to his father. He shared withThe Economic Times:
My dad is 96 years old and he was in the Air Force during WW2. He had a tremendous influence on that part of my life. He told me war stories and he directed my attention to Hollywood and the movies made starring John Wayne.
My dad and I used to watch all war movies together when I was growing up in New Jersey and Arizona. I guess it was my dad who got me fascinated with not just WW2, but to history in general. I wasn’t a good student, but I was a good history student.
When asked if he had discussed film scripts with his father, Spielberg shared that he talked to his father about the scripts that he was exploring it he thought it would interest him. Arnold Spielberg passed away in 2020 at the age of 103.
Steven Spielberg Made His Actors Go Through Some of the WW2 Soldiers’ Experiences
During his film projectSaving Private Ryanand his seriesBand of Brothers, Steven Spielberg insisted that thegroup of lead actors attend a BootCampunder Captain Dale Dye. The BootCamp simulated the environment of an actual World War 2 military camp, with no phones, no books, and no real-life names.
Saving Private Ryanactors almost caused a mutiny and threatened to quit the film after the challenging training camp. Captain Dye toldYahoo!that it wasTom Hankswho stepped in and settled the issue. He reportedly told his fellow actors,“You owe it to these people you’re representing on film to get this right.”
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Band of Brothersactors also had a very similar experience, with many of them thinking that they were never going to last in the BootCamp. According toThe Telegraph, they underwent orienteering training, tactical maneuvers, firearms drills, and mock fire-fights in the camp. Actor Scott Grimes shared,“Some guys cried themselves to sleep.”
However, the boot camp worked out for the movie in the end as the actors formed a bond like the real-life paratroopers.Saving Private Ryanis available for streaming on Fubo whileBand of Brothersis available on Max.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
