Recent from talks
Cross of Iron
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Cross of Iron
Cross of Iron (German: Steiner – Das Eiserne Kreuz, lit. 'Steiner – The Iron Cross') is a 1977 war film directed by Sam Peckinpah, featuring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason, and David Warner. Set on the Eastern Front in World War II during the Soviets' Caucasus operations against the German Kuban bridgehead on the Taman Peninsula in late 1943, the film focuses on the class conflict between a newly arrived, aristocratic Prussian officer who covets winning the Iron Cross and a cynical, battle-hardened infantry NCO. The screenplay is based on the semi-autobiographical 1955 novel The Willing Flesh by German author Willi Heinrich.
An international co-production between British and West German companies, the film's exteriors were shot on-location in Yugoslavia. The film was released in West Germany by Constantin Film on January 28, 1977, and in the United Kingdom by EMI Films on March 8. It received a mixed critical reception on initial release, though retrospective reviews have been much more positive, with some critics citing it as one of Peckinpah's best works.
A sequel, Breakthrough, was released in 1979.
Corporal Rolf Steiner is a veteran soldier of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front of World War II. During a raid on an enemy mortar position, his reconnaissance platoon captures a Russian boy soldier. They set off for friendly lines just as Captain Stransky arrives to take command of Steiner's battalion. When the regiment's commander, Colonel Brandt, asks Stransky why he requested transfer to the Kuban bridgehead from more comfortable duties in occupied France, he jokes to Brandt and the regimental adjutant, Captain Kiesel, that he wants to win the Iron Cross.
Stransky meets the patrol's return and orders the prisoner shot. Steiner refuses and the squad hides the boy in their bunker. Stransky promotes Steiner senior sergeant but Steiner is unmoved. Stransky then discerns that his adjutant, Lieutenant Triebig, is a closeted homosexual, a death penalty offence in the German Army.
Steiner's platoon celebrates the birthday of their leader, Lieutenant Meyer. Steiner releases the boy from a forward position just as the expected Russian offensive begins. The boy is killed as they approach. In the pitched battle that follows, Meyer is also killed leading a counter-attack while Stransky is overcome by fear in his bunker. Steiner is wounded and sent to a military hospital.
After his hospital stay, characterised by flashbacks and hallucinations as well as a romantic liaison with a nurse, Steiner refuses home leave to return to his men with Corporal Schnurrbart. Stransky's nomination for an Iron Cross requires Steiner's corroboration, but despite promises of preferential treatment by Stransky, Steiner tells Brandt he hates all officers, even "enlightened" ones like Brandt and Kiesel, and requests time to consider his answer.
When the battalion is ordered to retreat, Stransky doesn't notify Steiner's platoon, who are forced to retreat through enemy-held territory. They capture a detachment of female soldiers. While Steiner plans their next move, Zoll tries to abuse one of the women and is painfully wounded; he kills her in response. Dietz is deceived and killed by one of the prisoners. Steiner locks Zoll up with the vengeful Russian women, leaving them behind but taking their uniforms as disguises.
Hub AI
Cross of Iron AI simulator
(@Cross of Iron_simulator)
Cross of Iron
Cross of Iron (German: Steiner – Das Eiserne Kreuz, lit. 'Steiner – The Iron Cross') is a 1977 war film directed by Sam Peckinpah, featuring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason, and David Warner. Set on the Eastern Front in World War II during the Soviets' Caucasus operations against the German Kuban bridgehead on the Taman Peninsula in late 1943, the film focuses on the class conflict between a newly arrived, aristocratic Prussian officer who covets winning the Iron Cross and a cynical, battle-hardened infantry NCO. The screenplay is based on the semi-autobiographical 1955 novel The Willing Flesh by German author Willi Heinrich.
An international co-production between British and West German companies, the film's exteriors were shot on-location in Yugoslavia. The film was released in West Germany by Constantin Film on January 28, 1977, and in the United Kingdom by EMI Films on March 8. It received a mixed critical reception on initial release, though retrospective reviews have been much more positive, with some critics citing it as one of Peckinpah's best works.
A sequel, Breakthrough, was released in 1979.
Corporal Rolf Steiner is a veteran soldier of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front of World War II. During a raid on an enemy mortar position, his reconnaissance platoon captures a Russian boy soldier. They set off for friendly lines just as Captain Stransky arrives to take command of Steiner's battalion. When the regiment's commander, Colonel Brandt, asks Stransky why he requested transfer to the Kuban bridgehead from more comfortable duties in occupied France, he jokes to Brandt and the regimental adjutant, Captain Kiesel, that he wants to win the Iron Cross.
Stransky meets the patrol's return and orders the prisoner shot. Steiner refuses and the squad hides the boy in their bunker. Stransky promotes Steiner senior sergeant but Steiner is unmoved. Stransky then discerns that his adjutant, Lieutenant Triebig, is a closeted homosexual, a death penalty offence in the German Army.
Steiner's platoon celebrates the birthday of their leader, Lieutenant Meyer. Steiner releases the boy from a forward position just as the expected Russian offensive begins. The boy is killed as they approach. In the pitched battle that follows, Meyer is also killed leading a counter-attack while Stransky is overcome by fear in his bunker. Steiner is wounded and sent to a military hospital.
After his hospital stay, characterised by flashbacks and hallucinations as well as a romantic liaison with a nurse, Steiner refuses home leave to return to his men with Corporal Schnurrbart. Stransky's nomination for an Iron Cross requires Steiner's corroboration, but despite promises of preferential treatment by Stransky, Steiner tells Brandt he hates all officers, even "enlightened" ones like Brandt and Kiesel, and requests time to consider his answer.
When the battalion is ordered to retreat, Stransky doesn't notify Steiner's platoon, who are forced to retreat through enemy-held territory. They capture a detachment of female soldiers. While Steiner plans their next move, Zoll tries to abuse one of the women and is painfully wounded; he kills her in response. Dietz is deceived and killed by one of the prisoners. Steiner locks Zoll up with the vengeful Russian women, leaving them behind but taking their uniforms as disguises.