Review of Cross of Iron (1977) by Mike G — 06 Apr 2011
A great war movie that ranks among Peckinpah's very best. The distinction between Nazis and plain German soldiers is made in order to humanize the characters led by Sgt. Steiner played by James Coburn who for my money was every bit as icy cool as Steve McQueen or anybody else in his time.
Matters of class are also explored through the arrogant Captain Stransky wonderfully played by Maximilian Schell. Eventually Steiner will show him "where the Iron Crosses grow", but first there is plenty of conflict to get through.
The cast was really great and the feeling of war at its bloodiest, muddiest and shittiest is palpable. Peckinpah took great pains to keep things authentic and his direction keeps everything together while allowing plenty of Peckinpah's distinctive visual style to come through.
Complaints of ultraviolence and over-the-top performances are out there for this underseen masterpiece and I think they're mainly irrelevant considering the murderous insanity that was the Russian Front in WW2.
There is some sly humor here and there to keep things from being totally grim, but mainly it's awful and bloody and grotesque and not for everyone.
This review of Cross of Iron (1977) was written by Mike G on 06 Apr 2011.
Cross of Iron has generally received positive reviews.
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