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Cross of Iron

Play trailer Poster for Cross of Iron R Released Jan 28, 1977 1h 59m War Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
During World War II, Cpl. Rolf Steiner (James Coburn) is a well-respected member of the German military and a recipient of the Iron Cross, Germany's highest military honor. Envious of Steiner's award, Capt. Hauptmann Stransky (Maximilian Schell) clashes with Steiner while leading soldiers into battle along the Russian front. Desperate to receive his own Iron Cross, Stransky takes the credit for a significant attack and sparks a heated rivalry with Steiner.
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Cross of Iron

Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) There is brutal and beguiling power here. Rated: 4/5 Nov 17, 2023 Full Review Eric Henderson Slant Magazine Cross of Iron would almost seem a proper mea culpa by Peckinpah for his controversial career. Rated: 2.5/4 Apr 17, 2006 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times Mr. Peckinpah's least interesting, least personal film in years, a hysterically elaborate, made-in-Yugoslavia war spectacle, the work of international financiers and a multinational cast. Rated: 1.5/5 May 9, 2005 Full Review Jack Hawkins HeyUGuys Its cynical anti-war message remains dour and unsentimental, but the wonders of 4K restoration mean Cross of Iron has never looked or sounded so good. Rated: 4/5 Jul 31, 2023 Full Review Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) Cross of Iron says nothing new or better than countless war movies of the past. May 6, 2023 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …a great, thought-provoking, guelling film that deserves to carry an appreciative audience from generation to generation… Rated: 5/5 Jul 14, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Will B Imagine a movie where all of the scenes that are supposed to be most impactful are presented in such a goofy manner that it becomes nearly impossible to take the film seriously. Next, throw in long cuts of uninteresting and nearly unintelligible dialogue that are frequently interrupted by obnoxiously loud explosions. Finally, add in an overly convoluted plot with mind-bending pacing. If that seems appealing to you, then you’ll love Cross of Iron. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 08/16/25 Full Review Tasos L A very good war action flick, focused on the emotional situation of german soldiers. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/15/25 Full Review M D Like most good war movies this is really an antiwar movie. It covers WW2 combat on a collapsing eastern front. This is combat on a very human level, cycling through the range of human emotions. But as they say, in the end it is about men, and women, even children, trying to stay alive while also helping each other; except for the bad guys who see others as mere stepping stones to a false "glory." Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/06/25 Full Review Mark B This is a deferent kind of war movie. Definitely shows the horrors of war and the best and the worst of people. Different in that you do not really have a side Russian or German to see as the “good guys” but you see the individual soldiers for better or worse. Not a rah rah war movie but well worth your time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/29/24 Full Review David C THis movie is not what you call Academy Award materiel. It is about the horror of War in the same vein as "All quiet on the Western FRont". For that it stands by itself! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/05/24 Full Review kevin o ...brutal ww2 film about Germans fighting the Russians. Gets better on repeated viewings. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Cross of Iron

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Cast & Crew

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Sam Peckinpah

Director

James Coburn

Feldwebel Rolf Steiner

Maximilian Schell

Hauptmann Stransky

James Mason

Oberst Brandt

David Warner

Hauptmann Kiesel

Klaus Lowitsch

Unteroffizier Krüger

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Cross of Iron

Cross of Iron (1977) Cross of Iron (1977) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During World War II, Cpl. Rolf Steiner (James Coburn) is a well-respected member of the German military and a recipient of the Iron Cross, Germany's highest military honor. Envious of Steiner's award, Capt. Hauptmann Stransky (Maximilian Schell) clashes with Steiner while leading soldiers into battle along the Russian front. Desperate to receive his own Iron Cross, Stransky takes the credit for a significant attack and sparks a heated rivalry with Steiner.
Director
Sam Peckinpah
Producer
Wolf C. Hartwig
Screenwriter
Julius J. Epstein, James Hamilton, Willi Heinrich, Walter Kelley
Distributor
AVCO Embassy Pictures, Warner Home Vídeo, Hen's Tooth Video Inc. [us]
Production Co
Incorporated Television Company, Terra Filmkunst, Rapid Film, EMI Films Ltd., Jadran Film, Radiant Film GmbH
Rating
R
Genre
War, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 28, 1977, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 20, 2017
Runtime
1h 59m
Sound Mix
Mono
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