IMDb > Cross of Iron (1977)
Cross of Iron
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Cross of Iron (1977) More at IMDbPro »

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Cross of Iron -- Trailer for this wartime drama

Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   12,786 votes »
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Director:
Writers:
Julius J. Epstein (screenplay) and
Walter Kelley (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Cross of Iron on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 January 1977 (West Germany) See more »
Genre:
Tagline:
The Power of Peckinpah Has Never Been So Real...Or So Brilliant! See more »
Plot:
In 1943, in the Russian front, the decorated leader Rolf Steiner is promoted to Sergeant after another successful mission... See more » | Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
2 wins See more »
NewsDesk:
(20 articles)
Philip Madoc obituary
 (From The Guardian - TV News. 6 March 2012, 4:05 PM, PST)

Actor Philip Madoc dies, aged 77
 (From digitalspy. 5 March 2012, 6:14 AM, PST)

"When Eagles Dared" By Howard Hughes - History Of WWII Film Classics
 (From CinemaRetro. 2 March 2012, 4:15 PM, PST)

User Reviews:
A Military Favourite See more (140 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)

James Coburn ... Unteroffizier Feldwebel (S / Sgt.) Rolf Steiner

Maximilian Schell ... Hauptmann (Capt.) Stransky

James Mason ... Oberst (Col.) Brandt

David Warner ... Hauptmann (Capt.) Kiesel
Klaus Löwitsch ... Unteroffizier (Cpl.) Krüger
Vadim Glowna ... Gefreiter (Pvt.) Kern
Roger Fritz ... Leutnant (Lt.) Triebig
Dieter Schidor ... Anselm
Burkhard Driest ... Schütze Maag
Fred Stillkrauth ... Unteroffizier (Cpl.) Schnurrbart ('Private Mustache') (as Fred Stillkraut)
Michael Nowka ... Dietz
Véronique Vendell ... Marga (as Veronique Vendell)
Arthur Brauss ... Pg. Zoll

Senta Berger ... Sister Eva
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thomas Braut ... Unteroffizier Feldwebel (S / Sgt.) Rolf Steiner (voice: German version) (uncredited)
Heinz Engelmann ... Oberst (Col.) Brandt (voice: German version) (uncredited)
Igor Galo ... Leutnant (Lt.) Meyer (uncredited)
Katherine Haber ... Nurse Sadie Finkelstein (uncredited)
Wolfgang Hess ... Schütze Maag (voice: German version) (uncredited)
Adolf Hitler ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Sweeney MacArthur ... Boy Soldier (uncredited)
Ivica Pajer ... (uncredited)
Thomas Piper ... Hauptmann (Capt.) Kiesel (voice: German version) (uncredited)
Hermina Pipinic ... Ruskinja (uncredited)
Nedim Prohic ... (uncredited)
Robert Rietty ... German Officer (voice) (uncredited)
Dragomir Stanojevic-Bata Kameni ... (uncredited)
Slavko Stimac ... Michail (uncredited)
Vladan Zivkovic ... (uncredited)
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Directed by
Sam Peckinpah 
 
Writing credits
Julius J. Epstein (screenplay) (as Julius Epstein) and
Walter Kelley (screenplay) &
James Hamilton (screenplay)

Willi Heinrich (novel "The Willing Flesh")

Produced by
Pat Duggan .... associate producer
Wolf C. Hartwig .... producer
Arlene Sellers .... producer
Alex Winitsky .... producer
Lothar H. Krischer .... co-producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Ernest Gold 
 
Cinematography by
John Coquillon (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Michael Ellis 
Tony Lawson 
Murray Jordan (uncredited)
Herbert Taschner (uncredited)
 
Production Design by
Brian Ackland-Snow  (as Brian Ackland Snow)
Ted Haworth 
 
Art Direction by
Veljko Despotovic 
 
Makeup Department
Colin Arthur .... makeup supervisor
Evelyn Döhring .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Dieter Nobbe .... production supervisor
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Milos Antic .... assistant director
Bert Batt .... assistant director
Chris Carreras .... second assistant director
Branislav Brana Srdic .... assistant director
Mark Winitsky .... third assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Harold Michelson .... illustrator (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
David Hildyard .... sound mixer
Rodney Holland .... sound editor
Ray Merrin .... dubbing mixer
Bill Rowe .... dubbing mixer
Herbert Taschner .... dubbing director: German version
Marton Jankov-Tomica .... boom operator (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Robin Cutteridge .... special effects
Helmut Klee .... special effects
Richard Richtsfeld .... special effects
 
Stunts
Peter Brayham .... stunt coordinator
Milan Mitic .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Breeze .... assistant camera
Dennis Fraser .... key grip
Branko Knez .... assistant camera
Lars Looschen .... still photographer
Herbert Smith .... camera operator (as Herbie Smith)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Josef Satzinger .... wardrobe supervisor (as Joseph Satzinger)
 
Editorial Department
George Akers .... assistant editor
Pat Brennan .... assistant editor
Ronny Reyer .... assistant editor
Mark Winitsky .... apprentice editor (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Robin Clarke .... music editor
Ernest Gold .... conductor
John Richards .... music recording engineer
Gerard Schurmann .... orchestrator
 
Other crew
Peter Brayham .... action arranger
Marilyn Clarke .... production secretary
Stipe Gurdulic .... technical services supervisor
Katherine Haber .... production assistant to director
A.D. Schrodek .... military consultant (as Major A.D. Schrodek)
Claus von Trotha .... military consultant
Trudy von Trotha .... script supervisor
 
Thanks
Ron Hosberle .... acknowledgment: archive still photographs provided by
Tim Page .... acknowledgment: archive still photographs provided by
 

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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Runtime:
132 min | USA:119 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (archive footage) | Black and White (archive footage) | Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Certification:
West Germany:16 | New Zealand:R18 | UK:X (original rating) | Brazil:14 | UK:15 | Italy:VM14 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:M (alternate rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16
Filming Locations:
Company:

Did You Know?

Trivia:
The lyrics to the famous 'Kinderlied' which is played over the montage at the beginning of the movie are, in German: Hänschen klein Geht allein In die weite Welt hinein. Stock und Hut Steht im gut, Ist gar wohlgemut. [first verse] Which, translated, means: Little John He has gone Out to see the world alone Staff and hat, Look at that, He's one happy cat. But his mommy cries a lot Now she has no Johnny got. "Fortune find, But you mind, Come back to your kind." Seven years, Joy and tears, John in many lands appears. Then he thought That he ought To go home and got - But now he's no Johnny small, No, he is now big John tall. Tall and tanned, Face and hand. Will they know this man? One, two, three Pass and see, Don't know who this man might be. Even Sis: "Who is this?" Knows not who he is. Then along comes mother dear, Barely sees his eyes so clear, Says: "My son, Welcome home, God bless you my son." [all verses]See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: During the starting minutes (about 10-15 after the title credits)of the film, a soldier is shown to be blasted through his waist and back before falling on barbed wire, the gory wound reveals blood bags under the wound which can be very clearly seen.See more »
Quotes:
Unteroffizier Krüger:This isn't a brothel. This is a war!See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in I Spit on Your Grave (1978)See more »
Soundtrack:
Im FeldquartierSee more »

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
50 out of 54 people found the following review useful.
A Military Favourite, 2 September 2004
Author: vimhawk from London

I can't add much to these reviews except to comment that I've found this film to be a great favourite among real soldiers. I once got to deliver the classic line to a Major and a Captain about hating all officers. Luckily(?) they knew I was quoting from the film!

I'm not bothered about the assortment of accents in the cast (that others have mentioned). It seems to me that if you believe in their situation and have immersed yourself in the film, as it was easy for me to do, then you don't even notice them after a while. I would argue that the cast (in terms of dialogue) in Private Ryan is far more of a problem, since these seem to be 1990s guys transported back to 1944 and are far too 'knowing'. Moreover, in Private Ryan I kept stepping back from the film feeling that I was simply being manipulated by the director. COI is far more chilling. I really liked (if that's the word) a scene where an artillery explosion killed both Germans and Soviets. Kind of emphasises the 'war is hell' message without preaching or being manipulative.

I think Steiner is one of the greatest military characters ever to appear on film (for what its worth, Gregory Peck as Savage in Twelve O'Clock High, and Jeff Daniels as Chamberlain in Gettysburg are also up there). I must say I didn't really like the ending, but I can't suggest a better one, but as an alternate "ending" I would certainly recommend that people *do not* see the awful sequel 'Sergeant Steiner' with Richard Burton(!) as Steiner.

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Saw it again for 1st time in 34 years; some comments bookrefuge
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This film had a sequel bookrefuge
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