MovieChat Forums > Cross of Iron (1977) Discussion > One of The Greatest War Films ever!

One of The Greatest War Films ever!

posted 15 years ago by AntoniousBlok
18 replies | jump to latest

Cross Of Iron is truly one of the greatest war films ever made, possibly the greatest of all WWII films. It was completely overlooked at the time of its release because by that time Peckinpah was seen as an alcoholic, drug-addicted madman, whose best days were far behind him, and few people in the US or UK were too interested in queueing up to see WWII German soldiers in a sympathetic light. Most of the critics who bothered to review it at all dismissed it. Added to that, it was butchered in the US, (surprise, surprise!!) from 132 to 117 minutes.

Also it was probably a little TOO realistic and graphic for mainstream audiences, and didn't feature the usual phony Hollywood comic-book heroics, opting instead for a truly bleak, brutal, horrific 'War is Hell' grimness. So it passed under the radar almost unnoticed. All over Europe however, (where it was uncut) it was a HUGE success, so much so that it spawned a sequel (!?!) the only Peckinpah film ever to do so.

Over the years though, it's had a dramatic re-evaluation and is now considered one of Sam's most highly respected works, and rightly regarded as a genuine (though disturbing) masterpiece, and features very highly on most 'best war films' lists. Check out Mike Sutton's reviews at DVDTimes here http://dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/6470/cross-of-iron.html and here http://dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id/64046/cross-of-iron.html.

It is not all bleakness however, there is also much beautiful visual poetry amid the savagery.

Not an easy film to watch, but important and essential viewing nonetheless. NOT TO BE MISSED!!!

[–] Björn-5 15 years ago

I rank it among the essential 10-15 WW2 movies of all time. If the budget had been a bit bigger, Peckinpah would've been able to shoot the intended ending, and used something other than stock footage of PTO Corsairs for the air attack.

[–] AntoniousBlok 15 years ago

Bjorn-5

According to most of Peckinpah's biographers, the ending in Cross Of Iron is the intended ending. Bear in mind they ran out of money many times during filming, and the production was held up and even shut down completely several times when the money ran out. Only to start up again when producer Wolf Hartwig came back with cash! The ending was no different.

David Weddle says in his book "If They Move, Kill 'Em" (widely considered to be the bible on Peckinpah) that there were three days scheduled for shooting the ending. However, on the first day, the producers came in and said "Sorry guys, the money's run out again, so we'll just shoot this (different and much shorter) ending instead and wrap up today." and began handing out script pages for their new ending. Peckinpah and Coburn refused to compromise, however, and shot the "intended ending" in one day instead of three (Sam being a Master at working at breakneck speed when it had to be done!).

And Weddle is not alone. Some people though, when hearing the stories of the money running out, are led to the mistaken belief that "Peckinpah didn't have enough money to shoot the ending he wanted", but this is incorrect. Sam had to improvise throughout the entire movie because of cash flow problems, but this doesn't mean the whole film isn't as he intended it!

The ending in Cross Of Iron is pretty much EXACTLY the ending Peckinpah wanted. He was just forced to shoot it much faster than intended.

[–] pe81171 15 years ago

I agree. The first time I saw it I was blown away by how excellent it was.

The scene where the trucks are just running over the body of a dead German soldier smashed in the mud perfectly captures the cheapness of life on the Eastern Front in WWII in one little scene.

The opening credits are just great with the effects of the children song cutting to Hitler, the Eastern front, the jubilant German crowds that had no problem with the war when it was going there way. Just excellent.

And James Coburn's hysterical laughter at the end is just great. What insanity war is and this film captures it perfectly.

Colonel Brandt: What will we do when we have lost the war?
Captain Kiesel: Prepare for the next one.

What a quote!

'Cross of Iron' is an war awesome film in every way!

Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.

[–] mark-pollard-1 15 years ago

I read somewhere that the laughter in the ending was not scripted or rehearsed, the scene of them fleeing may have been intended but the gun( prop) Stransky has actually fell to bits, and Coburn really did have a fit of laughter and Peckinpah just kept shooting and on playback thought that it summed up the film, be it Stransky's incompetence and bravado, or the insanity of war.

I think if this is true then it has to be one of the greatest improvised scenes in any film, with the production problems and time left, the stop/start of filming and lack of money then a prop gun dropping to bits just made Coburn crack up and it just so happened that it fit perfectly with the whole feel of the film, the decorated veteran seeing the aristocratic buffoon couldn't even pick up a gun and thinking these are the people in charge no wonder you don't have an Iron Cross.

On viewing since I read this I played the last bit a few times and it does seem genuine and spontaneous not rehearsed at all and it kicks the end of Saving Private Ryan (finish on the bridge then roll credits we know he lived you showed us at the start)and other more modern WW2 films well into the long grass, no schmaltzy Hollywood pleasing end to this film, just think what Peckinpah could have done with Spielberg's budget,when you see what he did with this film.

[–] pe81171 15 years ago

I agree. I read in the Peckinpah biography 'If They Move Kill 'em' by David Weddle that some film buffs in the early '90s wanted to have a showing of 'Cross of Iron' in California and they couldn't find a copy of the film and finally after much searching they did find a pristine copy. When the showing was over the some members of the audience came up to the man who had put the show on and said, "This is the greatest war film we have ever seen!" and "This movie has to be known by a wider audience! Is there anyway that it can be put back in theaters?" And the guy had to tell them, "Nope. A movie only has one shot in the theaters to be successful and that's it." And he later stated that this film that had been unjustly maligned by the critics and audience at the time of its release and was in reality one of the greatest WWII films ever made.

I think that Kubrick even called it one of the most powerful war films that he had ever seen and Orson Welles later sent Peckinpah a message saying how blown away by the film he was.

'Cross of Iron' is simply great. I hope it will live on in World War II film annals forever.

Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.

[–] swimeasy2 15 years ago

CROSS OF IRON is a masterpeice but very much Peckinpah's treatment of the Eastern Front. For me it's basically an action film set in war. I don't think it rates high as a historically significant war film in comparison with the likes of STALINGRAD or COME AND SEE - but as an action/war film it's second to none. I think at the time it was made (1977) it must have been ground breaking and still today I see war movies like JOY DIVISION which borrow from it (watch link and see how it has inspired)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4SO0szO6v0

I agree, it is one of the greatest war films, but it has to take it's place behind the likes of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, STALINGRAD, COME AND SEE, DOWNFALL whose treatments of war are more in depth and realistic whilst being just as inspirational in a creative sense.

[–] bstephens21 15 years ago

Saving Private Ryan is pap. I don't know if Cross of Iron is particularly historically accurate (or significant, whatever that means), but I don't think it matters. It's a powerful work, and an honest one.

I'll agree about Come and See. Perhaps the only war film that successfully refuses to glorify carnage.

[–] wildbillharding 11 years ago

Exactly, bstephens21. Saving Private Ryan is a soap opera, and not a particularly competent one. It's often boring and the work of someone whose most frightening experience is signing his tax return. To back up what you say, and we both agree on, read William Goldman's comments immediately after release. Come and See is by a military mile the greatest war film ever, ever, EVER, closely followed by All Quiet On The Western Front and Cross Of Iron. Spielberg's manipulative and inexplicably overrated work is not worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as these truly great works of art.

[–] pe81171 15 years ago

The other films that you mention contain some of my favorites made about World War II. I would also add 'A Bridge Too Far' to that list. It has excellent battles scenes, is historically accurate, and captures the tragedy of war all at the same time.

I think 'Cross of Iron' is as gutsy as any of them. I think that it is historically accurate in its depiction of the brutality of the Eastern Front.

When I first viewed 'Cross of Iron' I could not believe that a film like this was made over twenty years before 'Saving Private Ryan'. I found 'Cross of Iron' that powerful.

I don't think 'Cross of Iron' is in the second rank of any film done on World War II. I think it stands in the front rank with the other films mentioned.

Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.

[–] phrumpster 15 years ago

I just don't get "Come and See". Could have used much more editing. I had little interest until the crazed Germans showed (over one hour in). Of the three Russian films on WWII I've seen, I'd rank this last.

Another graphic film that doesn't glorify war is the Japanese "Battle of Okinawa".

Poets are made by fools like me, but only God can make STD.

[–] pe81171 15 years ago

I'd like to see the Japanese film that you mention, 'Battle of Okinawa'. The same production team did the very good 'Japan's Longest Day' which covers the hours after the Atomic bombs have been dropped and the various behind the scenes machinations of the Japanese military and government.

Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.

[–] phrumpster 15 years ago

Battle of Okinawa was a quality production. I couldn't believe it was done in the
early 70's.
I recently saw "Ascent", which i liked more than "Come and See".

Poets are made by fools like me, but only God can make STD.

[–] loyallufc2 12 years ago

Yorkshire bred and born,the centre of England's universe! Lol.

Outstanding war film,in the top 10 ever made about any war. Coburn is totally believable as a battle hardened sarge and nice to see a sympathetic depiction of the German fighting man for a change. It just shows there were not all bloodthirsty nazis as most war films make out. Warner is great as a cynical officer,Mason pragmatic and Schell a total coward! Great acting,fine action and war sure is hell! Loved the final scene where sarge just laughs at the madness of war.

[–] nickm2 12 years ago

And most interestingly enough it wasn't made by Germans...I loved this film,, not the least of which was it was 'sympathetic' but it was not 'pathetic' in the portrayals of the soldiers---unlike movies like 'Stalingrad' where everyone except the requisite 'Nazi Officer' is such a depressed mope, These landsers could fight like hell & kick some serious ass, as well as being 'tight' & totally loyal to each other.

[–] ridge-m-1 10 years ago

Let's see swimeasy2, above we have your take. And then there is Orson Welles you know, the Orson Welles of "Citizen Kane", "Touch of Evil", "The Third Man" and on an on who called COF his favorite anti-war picture of all time.

Except for the realism of the landing at Normandy (kudos to Spielberg), SPR is your typical we are the American good guys who saved the world Hollywood schmaltz and you get to shed a tear at the end since all good Americans know that the good ol' US of A is God's special country.

[–] Ghenghy 13 years ago

LOL This may be the worst movie ever made, not just a war movie, the worst of all time. Seriously, you Peckinpah worshipers are brain damaged.

[–] ribby45 13 years ago

OP -

Nicely put.

This film was ahead of its time and one of the best war films of all time.

[–] Ehrgeiz 12 years ago

Think so, too. Peckinpah broke the typical narrative of world war two movies - where we see usually some special kind of units. Like special forces, submarine teams, airborne squads or even windtalkers, which fight in a way - losing or winnig - heroic against the odds. Here we have a look mainly on the basic ww2-soldier, and they are losing from the start. There a few movies similar to that, one I remember is "The thin line".