The film is set on the eastern front in world war ii during thesoviets caucasus operations against the wehrmachts kuban bridgehead on the taman peninsula in late 1943. German commander captain hauptmann stransky maximilian schell places a squad in extreme danger after sergeant rolf steiner james coburn refuses to lie for him. However, within his pompous persona lies a quivering coward who longs for the iron cross so that he can return to berlin a hero. With james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason, david warner. Cross of iron official trailer restoration of a classic youtube. A cowardly commandant wants to win the cross of iron, germanys highest medal for bravery, but hes a chicken. A cowardly german officer places a unit in jeopardy as an act of revenge over the sergeant who refused to lie for him. This is regiment 2 headquarters calling corporal steiner. If youre not familiar with peckinpah, hes the director quentin tarantino wanted to be when he was a kid. Cross of iron good luck, miss wyckoff music composed. Cross of iron is a 1977 wwii film directed by sam peckinpah and stars james coburn, maximilian schell, and james mason. The result is as bleak, if not quite as bloody, as one expects, in part because the 1977 film was cut to ribbons by nervous studio executives. In the midst of all this madness, conflict brews between the aristocratic yet ultimately pusillanimous captain stransky and the courageous corporal steiner.
War is hell and cross of iron 1977 is director sam peckinpahs proof. Gallery of 34 movie poster and cover images for cross of iron 1977. Steiner the iron cross is a 1977 war film directed by sam peckinpah, featuring james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason and david warner. A german army sergeant doggedly struggles to keep his platoon intact while surviving the horrors of the russian front in 1943. Set on the eastern front in world war ii during the soviets.
Epstein and herbert asmodi, from the novel a willing flesh by willi heinrich phot. The assorted excerpts that remain dont constitute an exhilarating or even an. The machine guns we see and hear in the film are actually m53s, the postwar yugoslavian copy of the mg42 with a much slower rate of fire 500600rpm. The german machine guns shown in the film are portraying mg42s, a weapon commonly known as having a high rate of fire around 1,2001,500 rpm. 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 is definitely a different war film from its time and now. Winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events.
A very good film showing the german side of the war and to my surprise james coburn plays lead as a german enlisted man who gets the job done. Hauptmann stransky maximilian schell clashes with steiner while leading soldiers into battle along the russian front. During a siege, stransky hides in his bunker, terrified of battle, only to later file a report claiming that he himself led. Rent cross of iron 1977 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Starring james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason, david warner.
Rolf steiner is a wellrespected member of the german military and a recipient of the iron cross, germanys highest military honor. End scene based on the novel about german soldiers on the eastern front, during the lull before the kursk offensive in july 1943. Directed by sam peckinpah, with james coburn sergeant rolf steiner, igor galo lieutenant meyer, maximilian schell captain s. A squad of german soldiers fighting on the eastern front during wwii led by a battlehardened officer fight to survive soviet attacks and dogmatic commanders in a chaotic and lethal environment in this sympathetic portrayal of another side of the war. Stransky is the only man who believes that the third reich. The german invasion of the soviet union during the second world war began in 1941. Cross of iron official trailer restoration of a classic. Set on the eastern front in world war ii during the soviets caucasus operations against the german kuban bridgehead on the taman. All is going as well as can be expected during a retreat until a zealous, but inexperienced, captain turns. Angloemi londonrapid film munichterra filmkunst west berlin prod. The bluray transfer is outstanding as a green look about it as the many trench and forest scenes are captured beautifully. The film tells the story of a disgruntled yet highly decorated german sergeant, and his reconnaissance platoon that is fighting on the kuban bridgehead, soviet union. James coburn and maximilian schell star as wehrmacht officers battling each other in this slowmoving second world war film.
Cross of iron is an antiwar film in that it focuses on the average foot soldier, the harshness of his daily existence, and the horrors inflicted on him by war. In cross of iron sam peckinpah weighs in on world war ii from the german point of view. James coburn is steiner, a german corporal and recipient of the iron cross who feels that he owes his loyalty to his family and fellow. Cross of iron digitally restored 1977 bluray by james coburn bluray. It is 1943, and the german army, ravaged and demoralised, are hastily retreating from the russian front. For one thing, the narrative is unlike any wartime film. The result is as bleak, if not quite as bloody, as one expects from the director of the wild bunch, in part because this 1977 film was cut to ribbons by nervous studio executives. Peckinpahs only war film, based on a novel by willi heinrich, displays his familiar preoccupation with the individual confronted by events beyond his control. Cross of iron 1977 a squad of german soldiers fighting on the eastern front during wwii led by a battlehardened sergeant fight to survive soviet attacks and dogmatic co. German soldiers at the eastern front with an arrogant prussian captain hauptmann stransky who claims the iron cross for something that another leader did. Cross of iron is probably the second best film made by sam peckinpah, rivalled only by the wild bunch.
Cross of iron is peckinpahs only militaryaction film he directed. James coburn unteroffizier feldwebel rolf steiner, maximilian schell hauptmann stransky, james mason oberst brandt, david warner hauptmann kiesel, klaus lowitsch unteroffizier kruger, vadim glowna gefreiter kern, roger fritz leutnant triebig, dieter schidor anselm, burkhard driest schutze maag, fred stillkrauth. The incompetent wehrmacht hauptman captain stransky maximillian schell admits he wants nothing more then to win the iron cross. The war is grinding to a close, and veterans like james coburns. Cross of iron is a 1977 war film directed by sam peckinpah, featuring james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason and david warner. Rent cross of iron 1977 starring james coburn and maximilian schell on dvd and bluray. Cross of iron depicts the brutal collapse of the wehrmacht. Overview of cross of iron, 1977, directed by sam peckinpah, with james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason, at turner classic movies. Peckinpahs directed this in a great fashion that hasnt been seen i have not seen his films since the.
It also sets the tone of something that reminded me of another epic german film. A clint eastwood role for sure, some very good actual. It is 1943, and the german armyravaged and demoralisedis hastily retreating from the russian front. In the midst of the madness, conflict brews between the aristocratic yet ultimately pusillanimous captain stransky and the courageous corporal steiner. Cross of iron is a world war ii film from 1977 directed by sam peckinpah. Trailer for cross of iron a very strong antiwar message film, set during world war ii and told entirely from the german perspective. Cross of iron is not a musical but it makes me wanta sing it seems to me ive seen that war before, only without so much blood and gore.
The film focuses on the class conflict between a newly arrived, aristocratic. Based on the novel about german soldiers on the eastern front, during the lull before the kursk offensive in july 1943. Steiner, on the other hand is cynical, defiantly nonconformist and more concerned with the safety of his own men rather than the horde of military decorations offered to him by his superiors. Rolf steiner james coburn is a wellrespected member of the german military and a recipient of the iron cross, germanys highest military honor. The thing is, if youre only going to do one such genre, then here the master director got it right from start to finish. Cross of iron is filled with many of sam pekinpahs famous trademarks the slow motion death scenes as soldiers are brutally mowed down from guns tanks all in slow motion. The assorted excerpts that remain dont constitute an exhilarating or even an especially thrilling battle epic. Jun 03, 2011 cross of iron is a 1977 war film directed by sam peckinpah, featuring james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason and david warner. Cross of iron 1977 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Cross of iron internet movie firearms database guns in. Movie title from the film cross of iron 1977, directed by sam peckinpah, starring james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason, senta berger. Cross of iron lieutenant meyers birthday ita youtube.
The film starred james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason and david warner. In 1977, ernest gold wrote one of his finest scores for sam peckinpahs searing war film, cross of iron. The film is based on a famous german novel and is set on the russian front during wwii. Fred stillkrauth, senta berger, vadim glowna, maximilian schell, klaus lowitsch, james mason, james coburn, david warner. Sam peckinpah, vadim glowna, and ivica pajer in cross of iron 1977. Cross of iron is a britishgerman 1977 war film directed by sam peckinpah, featuring james coburn, maximilian schell, james mason and david warner. A quote from bertolt brecht ends this bitter and angry war film by sam peckinpah. The film focuses on the class conflict between a newly. David warner, james mason, maximilian schell, james coburn. An old forgotten ww2 film staring, robert mitcham, richard burton, rod steiger. Stransky is desperate to win an iron cross a medal steiner has already earned, but considers worthless and so promotes the highlyrecommended steiner to sergeant.
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