chaswe-28402 Resembles an Impressionist or Modernist painting, as, for instance, Guernica. Each sub-theme plays its part, but is not followed through in the overall narrative. The whole is greater than the sum of these parts. Those reviewers who find the film to be a total mess are the usual obtuse and insensitive dunces that made up the studio suits who dumbly did their best to wreck Peckinpah's creations. Moreover, several of those retards seem to think this film is about Nazis: in fact, there is not a solitary Nazi in the entire movie. (Well, there may be one). These men are hapless apolitical soldiers, even the pompous self-promoting and dishonourable Prussian. Also, the Iron Cross is not remotely the equivalent of the American Purple Heart. The Iron Cross was awarded for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions in a battlefield environment. The Purple Heart is awarded for a broken nose, provided a bona fide enemy delivered the punch; or a flesh-wound in the bum, when running away. The film's story plays out as a series of interlocking and merged, but individual and self-contained, episodes. For instance, the early episode of the ironic tragedy of the little Russian boy, taken prisoner and then shot by his own side, is one of these episodes. His harmonica can be taken as a lucky charm, which saved his life when captured, and which he gives to Steiner, thereby surrendering his good luck to the German Sergeant, who survives to the bitter end.The battle scenes are intensely striking. The combatants are difficult to tell apart, and that figures, since there's little essential difference between them. They might as well be on either side. The tanks are faceless, anonymous, death-dealing robots, indiscriminately destroying anything in their path, human or inanimate.Another very effective and affecting episode is Steiner's hallucinatory and romantic spell in the hospital. This recalled the fate of those wounded British soldiers in World War I, who returned to the front when recovered but undaunted, to carry on and die regardless. The nurse is resigned to the soldier's decision. No genuine frontline soldier is concerned in the slightest with the rights and wrongs of the conflict, but, as the film notes, merely with staying alive and supporting his comrades. Captain Stransky, with his questionable un-Germanic name, loses sight of that ethic because of his unnatural desire for the bravery cross; but he maybe sees enough light towards the end to shelve this attitude.This is, obviously, a remarkably fine film. The only reason I'm docking one star is because it seems wrong to have all the good Germans played by American and British actors, and the dodgy German played by a German. Also, the dirty, long-haired, unshaven David Warner doesn't appear to be German at all.

Dan Ashley (DanLives1980) One of the all-time classics of western cinema, Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid) proved a huge feat of filmmaking strength with this gruelling and sadistic wartime drama pitting Nazi Germany against Russia on the Eastern Front! No stranger to controversy, Peckinpah masterfully handled both beasts on the frontline while coaxing an almost Shakespearean feel out of the story pitting not only army versus army but a Captain against his Lieutenant.The hard-nosed but effective Lt. Steiner (James Coburn), commands a loyal unit of rogues against a marauding enemy as Germany inevitably fails to occupy the East. He not only has the respect and friendship of the men he fights with, but even the Colonel (James Mason) believes that his kind may be Germany's only hope.His new commanding officer, Captain Stransky (Maximillian Schell) however - a highly educated and proud officer with the kind of superiority complex that one could associate only with a Nazi officer - quickly puts the situation further at odds with his dislike of Steiner.As the barrage of infantry and artillery against the German line intensifies and costs more than any man is able to take, their rivalry comes to a head through an epic war in every sense.Cross of Iron is first and foremost very gory and one of the first true war movies of its kind to swap paintball grade bullet wounds for explosive exit wounds and authentic wartime injuries, to the point where it could almost be considered Grindhouse; considering its production values.Coburn takes the classic antihero archetype beyond Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin, giving us a dirtier, more damaged frontman than had been seen before (and for some time after). Whereas Schell is deliberately cold, proper and clean cut as the kind of German we really love to hate. But he too goes beyond the stereotypical.The support cast is brilliant and not just James Mason and David Warner as one would expect. Cross of Iron sports actual Germans playing Germans and are committed to creating stand-out characters that we do grow attached to.What we end up with may be somewhat expected, but there is plenty you won't see coming and Cross of Iron sports anti-war messages of a different nature to that of what you may be used to. In fact, despite it's dated production values, it's totally on target.Cross of Iron is one of the essentials of war film!

TankGuy Our story begins on the punishing wasteland of the eastern front in 1943. The gallant but disillusioned Sgt. Steiner(James Coburn)has been awarded the coveted iron cross for bravery in combat. Steiner's new commanding officer Capt. Stransky(Maximillian Schell)a supercilious Prussian aristocrat, hungers for nothing more than personal glory and the chance to earn his own iron cross. It isn't long before a bitter contempt develops between the two men, as the jaded Steiner realises that Stransky is a dangerously deluded coward. With the red army pushing the Germans back, contempt turns to disgust after Stransky takes credit for the heroic actions of Steiner and his men and leaves them at the mercy of the Soviets.Steeped in deliciously morbid cynicism, Sam Peckinpah's only war movie captures military life on the hellish eastern front with unparalled skill. Deeply rooted in satire, never have I had the pleasure to enjoy an (anti)war movie so raw, so mesmerising, so flawless. The hauntingly dreamlike imagery does nothing short of dazzle and the poignant atmosphere of muddy trenches fills ones nostrils with the nauseating stench of war. As far as war movies go, Orson Welles said that Cross Of Iron was the greatest he had ever seen. I am inclined to agree, if it wasn't for stiff competition from classics like Patton, A Bridge Too Far or Attack!. The performances are nothing short of brilliant. James Coburn and Maximillian Schell dazzled in their portrays. The one and only James Mason was also on fine form as the war weary Colonel Brandt. A hoard of competent European talent also flex their acting muscles in supporting roles. With a flawless script, Cross Of Iron is just as much a study of class relations as it is a study of war. The battle of wits between the demoralised Steiner and the priggish Stransky is just as gripping as the physical battles between soldiers and tanks. Steiner is a man more loyal to his men than he is to his country. His only goal is to survive the carnage which surrounds him. Officers and medals mean nothing to him whatsoever, describing his iron cross as nothing more than "a worthless piece of metal". Stransky on the other hand, has his loyalties driven by an almost erotic obsession to win the iron cross. Like most members of the upper classes, he views war through rose tinted glasses, a trait which eventually leads to his undoing.The explosive but bizarre climax oozes with darkly comic humour. As a matter of fact, the entire movie does, although the black humour is at its greatest near the end of the movie. The film itself is a metaphor for insanity, with insanity shamelessly represented by the climax. The final 25 minutes make the writers seem as if they were high on crack, although the final sequence itself is just so beautiful in a darkly humorous, yet horrifying kind of way that it succeeds on every level!. Too amazing to spoil, no war movie you have ever seen or will see will end with a sting more piercing than Cross Of Iron. The movie boasts a handful of muscular battle scenes which see Peckinpah play his trump card. Anyone who has seen The Wild Bunch or Straw Dogs will know that I am talking about slow-motion!. The intercutting of slow-mo action with standard speed action heightens the tension here in a way more impressive than that of any other Peckinpah movie!. The camera techniques utilised include shakycam and tight close-ups. Monstrous explosions puncture the scenery as men brutally fight for their lives with the odd squib bursting(another Pekinpah speciality). I was also impressed to see real Soviet tanks put to terrifying use in a taut skirmish at a disused factory.Whilst totally surreal, Peckinpah's gorgeous nightmare will definitely leave a lasting bitter taste in your mouth. The lashes of black humour(which are occasionally hilarious in a cruel kind of way)and harrowing imagery will rock your world in one of the most severe portraits of war ever painted!. 10/10.

feichholz Crap. Dynamite and more dynamite, but no real drama. For those who believe that war is like a western, here are their heroes. But war is not. And in this film there is no single historical reference.Does knowing handle explosives to give more "drama" to a movie entitled to replace an effective war story? Why this film is - supposedly- set in Russia during WWII? The filmmakers have simply sought excuses to prove they are capable of using more dynamite that has been used in any other movie.And the drama course is simply stupid, if not entirely child. Admittedly Maximilian Shell makes a very good comic role as the Nazi general in search of his iron cross. But the problem is that the film is not intended to be a comedy. He always tough Coburn, meanwhile, leaves much to be desired as ever when it comes to acting variations. Mason, meanwhile, does a good job in comedy. That's all.