MOVIEmeter
SEE RANK
Up 343 this week

Cross of Iron (1977)

 -  Action | Drama | War  -  8 March 1977 (UK)
7.5
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 7.5/10 from 14,911 users  
Reviews: 141 user | 47 critic

In 1943, in the Russian front, the decorated leader Rolf Steiner is promoted to Sergeant after another successful mission. Meanwhile the upper-class and arrogant Prussian Captain Hauptmann ... See full summary »

Director:

Writers:

(screenplay), (screenplay), 2 more credits »
Watch Trailer
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 964 titles created 10 Mar 2012
 
a list of 2369 titles created 4 months ago
 
a list of 10000 titles created 2 months ago
 
a list of 1017 titles created 8 months ago
 
a list of 1920 titles created 02 Apr 2012
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: Cross of Iron (1977)

Cross of Iron (1977) on IMDb 7.5/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of Cross of Iron.
2 wins. See more awards »

Videos

Photos

Learn more

People who liked this also liked... 

Action | Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.8/10 X  

A US Army Major is assigned a dozen convicted murderers to train and lead them into a mass assassination mission of German officers in World War II.

Director: Robert Aldrich
Stars: Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson
Drama | War | Action
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.6/10 X  

A very realistic interpretation of one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War.

Director: John Irvin
Stars: Anthony Barrile, Michael Boatman, Don Cheadle
Drama | History | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

A young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation during World War II.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson
Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X  

Director Terrence Malick's adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War.

Director: Terrence Malick
Stars: Nick Nolte, Jim Caviezel, Sean Penn
Certificate: M Action | Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.6/10 X  

As the Allied armies close in, the Nazis decide to blow up the last Rhine bridge, trapping their own men on the wrong side. But will it happen?

Director: John Guillermin
Stars: George Segal, Robert Vaughn, Ben Gazzara
Ran (1985)
Action | Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.3/10 X  

An elderly lord abdicates to his three sons, and the two corrupt ones turn against him.

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu
Action | Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

The story of a sergeant and the inner core members of his unit as they try to serve in and survive World War II.

Director: Samuel Fuller
Stars: Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine
Memphis Belle (1990)
Action | Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.8/10 X  

It's May 1943 at a US Air Force base in England. The four officers and six enlisted men of the Memphis Belle - a B-17 bomber so nicknamed for the girlfriend of its stern and stoic captain, ... See full summary »

Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Stars: Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Tate Donovan
Platoon (1986)
Action | Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.2/10 X  

A young recruit in Vietnam faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.

Director: Oliver Stone
Stars: Keith David, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe
Action | Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.2/10 X  

During World War II, several oddly assorted military experts are teamed in a mission to raid and destroy a bridge vital to enemy strategy.

Director: Guy Hamilton
Stars: Robert Shaw, Harrison Ford, Edward Fox
War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X  

Small squad must hold off German attack.

Director: Don Siegel
Stars: Steve McQueen, Bobby Darin, Fess Parker
Action | Drama | War
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

A hard-as-nails general takes over a bomber pilot unit suffering from low morale and whips them into fighting shape.

Director: Henry King
Stars: Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill
Edit

Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Unteroffizier Feldwebel (S / Sgt.) Rolf Steiner
...
Hauptmann (Capt.) Stransky
...
Oberst (Col.) Brandt
...
Hauptmann (Capt.) Kiesel
Klaus Löwitsch ...
Vadim Glowna ...
Gefreiter (Pvt.) Kern
Roger Fritz ...
Leutnant (Lt.) Triebig
Dieter Schidor ...
Anselm
Burkhard Driest ...
Schütze Maag
Fred Stillkrauth ...
Michael Nowka ...
Dietz
Véronique Vendell ...
Marga (as Veronique Vendell)
Arthur Brauss ...
Pg. Zoll
...
Sister Eva
Edit

Storyline

In 1943, in the Russian front, the decorated leader Rolf Steiner is promoted to Sergeant after another successful mission. Meanwhile the upper-class and arrogant Prussian Captain Hauptmann Stransky is assigned as the new commander of his squad. After a bloody battle of Steiner's squad against the Russian troops led by the brave Lieutenant Meyer that dies in the combat, the coward Stransky claims that he led his squad against the Russian and requests to be awarded with the Iron of Cross to satisfy his personal ambition together with his aristocratic family. Stransky gives the names of Steiner and of the homosexual Lieutenant Triebig as witnesses of his accomplishment, but Steiner, who has problems with the chain of command in the army and with the arrogance of Stransky, refuses to participate in the fraud. When Colonel Brandt gives the order to leave the position in the front, Stransky does not retransmit the order to Steiner's squad, and they are left alone surrounded by the enemy and... Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

The Power of Peckinpah Has Never Been So Real...Or So Brilliant! See more »

Genres:

Action | Drama | War

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Country:

|

Language:

| | |

Release Date:

8 March 1977 (UK)  »

Also Known As:

Croix de fer  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(archive footage)| (archive footage)| (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sgt. Steiner, as an officer at the hospital notes, "has been highly decorated." His awards: the Iron Cross 2nd Class, Iron Cross 1st Class (rarely awarded to enlisted men), the Silver Wound Badge (3 separate times wounded), the Infantry Assault Badge (combat in 3 separate battles) and the rare Gold Close Combat Bar. See more »

Goofs

The Soviet planes that bomb the German trench system are actually U.S. Navy Vought F4U Corsairs. You can even see the U.S. military markings on them. See more »

Quotes

Captain Kiesel: Steiner... is a myth. Men like him are our last hope... and in that sense, he is a truly dangerous man.
See more »

Crazy Credits

In the End Credits in the North American BETA/VHS & DVD versions of the movie "Cross of Iron"(1977),there is the following quote; "Don't rejoice in his defeat, you men. For though the world stood up and stopped the bastard, The bitch that bore him is in heat again." -Bertolt Brecht See more »

Connections

Followed by Breakthrough (1979) See more »

Soundtracks

"Hänschen klein"
(german traditional)
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

 
Underrated Anti-War classic from Sam Peckinpah.
16 October 2004 | by (Sacramento, CA) – See all my reviews

Cross of Iron (1977) was a low budget masterpiece from ace director Sam Peckinpah. After having a falling out from Hollywood, Peckinpah went to Europe to direct this W.W.II. anti-war film. The film centers around Sergent Steiner, a battle weary veteran who leads his company into battle everyday for the past three years. Unlike others his only concern is the survival of his men and the fact that he's a live to live another day. One day an officer of Prussian descent (Maximillian Schnell) decides to make his and everyone beneath him lives miserable. James Mason plays the battle hardened Colonel whilst David Warner co-stars as his cynical aide de camp.

Using the limited time and budget to it's fullest extent, Peckinpah created a very stylish and action packed film. The bullets fly, shells pound the earth and the blood flows. The editing is brilliant and the cinematography perfectly captures the action. The battles are very well staged and the acting is executed very well. James Coburn earned his stripes with this film. He's the man! Senta Berger a Peckinpah veteran from Major Dundee) has a small role as a German nurse who briefly becomes involved with Sergent Steiner. What I liked about this movie was the fact that Coburn, Warner and Mason didn't bother to use fake Teutonic accents.

If you're a viewer of war films or a Peckinpah fan, this has to be on top of your list. This is one hell of an action film. War will never look the same again after watching this film. Sadly the domestic D.V.D. release is not only expensive but of poor quality. Try and find and alternate way of watching this neglected masterpiece. I have to give this film a very high rating.

Highest recommendation possible.


89 of 99 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
Saw it again for 1st time in 34 years; some comments bookrefuge
Why is it so awesome? memphisblues1
One of The Greatest War Films ever! AntoniousBlok
This film had a sequel bookrefuge
Why did Steiner... wotamovie1
Blu-Ray coming to UK! mike-temple
Discuss Cross of Iron (1977) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?