Cross of Iron
“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!”
Synopsis
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.
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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Cross Of Iron ≣ 1977 ≣ Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2020-06-20
Top Cast
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James Coburn
Unteroffizier / Feldwebel Rolf Steiner
Maximilian Schell
Hauptmann Stransky
James Mason
Oberst Brandt
David Warner
Hauptmann Kiesel
Klaus Löwitsch
Unteroffizier Krüger
Vadim Glowna
Gefreiter Kern
Roger Fritz
Leutnant Treibig
Dieter Schidor
Anselm
Burkhard Driest
Schütze Maag
Fred Stillkrauth
Unteroffizier Schnurrbart
Michael Nowka
Dietz
Véronique Vendell
Marga
Arthur Brauss
Zoll
Senta Berger
Eva
Demeter Bitenc
Hauptmann Pucher (uncredited)
Igor Galo
Leutnant Meyer (uncredited)
Katherine Haber
Nurse Sadie Finkelstein (uncredited)
Wolf C. Hartwig
Hartwig (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York City, New York
Festival / Special Debut
May 20, 1977
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 15, 2017
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$6M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$1.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.25x
-$4.5M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Sam Peckinpah
- Screenplay & Story
- Julius J. Epstein, James Hamilton, Walter Kelley
- Original Score
- Ernest Gold, John Richards
- Original Title
- Cross of Iron
- Country of Origin
- Germany, United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- German, English, French, Russian
- Runtime
- 2h 13m
- Production Budget
- $6M
- Worldwide Gross
- $1.5M
- Production Studios
- Rapid Film, EMI Films, Terra-Filmkunst, Alex Winitsky / Arlene Sellers Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Sam Peckinpah
Julius J. Epstein, James Hamilton, Walter Kelley, Willi Heinrich, Herbert Asmodi
Ernest Gold, John Richards
John Coquillon
Michael Ellis, Murray Jordan, Tony Lawson
Wolf C. Hartwig, Arlene Sellers, Alex Winitsky
Department Leadership Roster
Sam Peckinpah
Director
Wolf C. Hartwig
Producer
Arlene Sellers
Producer
Alex Winitsky
Producer
Ernest Gold
Original Music Composer
John Coquillon
Director of Photography
Michael Ellis
Editor
Murray Jordan
Editor
Tony Lawson
Editor
Julius J. Epstein
Screenplay
James Hamilton
Screenplay
Walter Kelley
Screenplay
Brian Ackland-Snow
Production Design
Ted Haworth
Production Design
Peter Brayham
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Cross of Iron.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Cross of Iron.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cross of Iron
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Cross of Iron about?
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.
Who directed Cross of Iron?
Cross of Iron was directed by Sam Peckinpah.
Who stars in Cross of Iron?
The principal cast of Cross of Iron includes James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason, David Warner, Klaus Löwitsch.
When was Cross of Iron released and how long is it?
Cross of Iron was released in 1977 with a total runtime of 2h 13m.
What was the box office and production budget of Cross of Iron?
Cross of Iron had a reported production budget of $6M and grossed $1.5M at the worldwide box office (0.25 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Cross of Iron?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Cross of Iron was composed by Ernest Gold, John Richards.
Is Cross of Iron based on a book or true story?
Cross of Iron is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Willi Heinrich".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Cross of Iron?
Cross of Iron holds official age classifications: AU: MA 15+; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).