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Trailer

Cross of Iron

1977Movie2 h 13 minR

Drama
72
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.4Metacritic647.4Rotten Tomatoes71%87%

A nerve-racking, brutally violent drama movie about war and history.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · graphic violence bothers you · you want something quiet and calm

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

On the Eastern front in 1943, the German soldiers no longer had any ideals. They were not fighting for the Party—but for their lives!

It is 1943, and the German army—ravaged and demoralised—is hastily retreating from the Russian front. In the midst of the madness, conflict brews between the aristocratic yet ultimately pusillanimous Captain Stransky and the courageous Corporal Steiner. Stransky is the only man who believes that the Third Reich is still vastly superior to the Russian army. However, within his pompous persona lies a quivering coward who longs for the Iron Cross so that he can return to Berlin a hero. Steiner, on the other hand is cynical, defiantly non-conformist and more concerned with the safety of his own men rather than the horde of military decorations offered to him by his superiors.

Feels like

  • War Drama
  • Eastern Front
  • Anti-War
  • Moral Conflict
  • Historical Setting
  • Psychological Impact
  • Bleak Atmosphere
  • Brutal Realism

Cast

21 of 21

Crew

Directed by
Sam Peckinpah
Written by
Julius J. Epstein, Walter Kelley, Herbert Asmodi
Produced by
Wolf C. Hartwig, Alex Winitsky, Arlene Sellers
Music by
John Richards, Ernest Gold

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

January 28, 1977 · 2 h 13 min · R

Released
January 28, 1977
Runtime
2 h 13 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, Action, History, War
Original language
English
Also spoken
German, French, Russian
Made in
Germany, United Kingdom
Budget
$6 million
Box office
$2 million
Available in
110 countries

Tropes

Cruel Mercy, New Meat, Meaningful Name +9

  • Cruel Mercy
  • New Meat
  • Meaningful Name
  • The Enemy Weapons Are Better
  • Sole Survivor
  • Bookends
  • Aristocrats Are Evil
  • Shout-Out
  • Everybody Calls Him "Barkeep"
  • God Is Evil
  • Translation Convention
  • Gasshole

12 of 70 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Cross of Iron?"

Questions about Cross of Iron

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Cross of Iron?

PrimeCultpix

In the United States, Cross of Iron streams on Prime and Cultpix. It also streams in 108 other countries.

Is Cross of Iron worth watching?

72
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 72 (IMDb 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes 71%, and Metacritic 64). Audiences rate it higher (78 out of 100) than critics (68).

Is there a sequel to Cross of Iron?

  1. Cross of Iron (1977)
  2. Breakthrough (1979)

Yes: it's movie 1 of 2 in its series, followed by Breakthrough (1979).

Will I feel good after watching Cross of Iron?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 7 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

Was Cross of Iron a box office flop?

Budget$6 million
Box office$2 million

Yes: it cost about $6 million to make and earned $2 million worldwide, 25% of its budget.

What tropes does Cross of Iron use?

Cruel MercyNew MeatMeaningful NameThe Enemy Weapons Are BetterSole SurvivorBookendsAristocrats Are EvilShout-OutEverybody Calls Him "Barkeep"God Is EvilTranslation ConventionGassholeand 58 more

TV Tropes lists 70 tropes for it, including Cruel Mercy, New Meat, and Meaningful Name.