MovieChat Forums > Cross of Iron (1977) Discussion > Stransky's bunker rat (named "J.J.")

Stransky's bunker rat (named "J.J.")


Back in the day, my buds & I watched the hell out of this movie -- as soon as we discovered it -- and one bizarre scene never failed to crack us up:

Capt. Stransky is sitting in his bunker and another guy (an orderly?) spots a rat moving around and swipes at it, smacking the creature. The rat squeaks and runs off, at which Stransky barks, "Don't do that! That's my J.J."

Out of nowhere, apropos of nothing, we learn that the odious Stransky has adopted a bunker rat.

Just one of the weird little character moments that make this such a great film.

(We never see or hear from J.J. again... Must've known the Russians were coming.)



Send her to the snakes!

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Well, Stransky crawls to his superiors, browbeats, blackmails and betrays his subordinates and will lie to get an Iron Cross. That he can only manage fellow feeling with a rat is a nice touch.😀
A later thought. Why J.J.? Was this someone Peckinpah knew?

"Chicken soup - with a *beep* straw."

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It's been awhile --- BUT I always thought he said

Ju-G

That's what it sounded to me

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