Cross of Iron (1977)

Director:

Sam Peckinpah

Writers:

Julius J. Epstein (writer)
James Hamilton (writer)

Release Date:

28 January 1977 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

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

Plot:

In 1943, in the Russian front, the decorated leader Rolf Steiner is promoted to Sergeant after another successful mission...

Plot Keywords:

Sergeant | Soldier | WWII | German Soldier | Arrogance

Awards:

1 win

Cast

James Coburn	...	Unteroffizier / Feldwebel Rolf Steiner
Maximilian Schell	...	Hauptmann Stransky
James Mason	...	Oberst Brandt
David Warner	...	Hauptmann Kiesel
Klaus Löwitsch	...	Unteroffizier Krüger
Vadim Glowna	...	Gefreiter Kern
Roger Fritz	...	Leutnant Triebig
Dieter Schidor	...	Anselm
Burkhard Driest	...	Schütze Maag
Fred Stillkrauth	...	Gefreiter Schnurrbart ('Private Mustache') (as Fred Stillkraut)
Michael Nowka	...	Dietz
Véronique Vendell	...	Marga
Arthur Brauss	...	Pg. Zoll
Senta Berger	...	Eva
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Rietty	...	German Officer (voice)

Also Known As:

Steiner - Das Eiserne Kreuz (West Germany)

Runtime:

132 min | USA:119 min

Country:

UK | West Germany

Language:

English | Russian | French | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:M (alternate rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Italy:T | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Obrov, Slovenia

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

The ending wasn't the original ending in the script. At the time the film had run out of money so Sam Peckinpah got 'James Coburn' to improvise.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Lieutenant Triebig and Captain Stransky have an enlisted orderly to assist them. However, lieutenants and captains, because of their relatively low rank, were not authorized to have orderlies.

Quotes:

Colonel Brandt: Why did you ask to be relieved of duty in France?
Captain Stransky: I want to get the Iron Cross.
Colonel Brandt: [reaching into his pockets] We can give you one of mine.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Steiner - Das eiserne Kreuz, 2. Teil (1979)

Soundtrack:

Oh, Du wunderschöner Westerwald

Astounding!

Cross of Iron is probably the second best film made by Sam Peckinpah, rivalled only by The Wild Bunch. It is a war film shich follows a unit of German soldiers as they escape from the front line as the Russians smash through their ranks. This was perhaps the most devastating line to be fighting on during World War Two, and as expected there is a lot of death and gore, not to mention filth, sweat and treachery.

James Coburn plays a German soldier with an almost God-like air of invincibility about him. He is not a comic book creation, but a hardened soldier who terrifies everybody, including his commanding officers. Max Schell plays a commanding officer who wants an Iron Cross, despite the fact that he a coward, and will go to the most treacherous lengths to get it.

This is an upsetting and unflinching film. It pre-dates Saving Private Ryan by two decades, yet is just as detailed and frightening, just as bloody, and maybe even better.

Anyone yet to see Cross of Iron must do so as soon as possible. It is one of the great war films, and an unforgettably chilling experience.