Review of Cross of Iron (1977) by Eric R — 15 Dec 2011
It had been awhile since I had seen it, so I decided it was time to re-watch one of Peckinpah's lesser talked about films. Cross of Iron, is an engrossing, gritty film that really feels like a genuine depiction of War.
The film is told from the German perspective, following a platoon of soldiers on the Russian front. Led by their battle-hardened Sergeant (James Coburn), they are faced with dealing not only with the Russian troops but with the dogmatic nature of their commanding officers.
The film brilliantly captures the insanity of war and all the complexities and absurdities which exist. The foot soldiers know they are fighting a lost cause but have no say in the matter, essentially being at the mercy of their superiors.
Peckinpah spends as much time focusing on the psychological horrors as he does on the physical destruction which War causes. James Coburn is perfectly cast as the hardened Sergeant balancing the toughness with the vulnerability of the character, which is more beneath the surface.
The film is very blunt and really focuses on the separation between the men who do the fighting and the men who give the orders. A truly great anti-war film from the German perspective.
This review of Cross of Iron (1977) was written by Eric R on 15 Dec 2011.
Cross of Iron has generally received positive reviews.
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