YESS, THIS MOVIE AND ITS MAKER SHOULD AND MUST BE HELD IN HIGHEST REGARD, TO DO ALL THESE SCENES IN OL SCHOOL 'FASHION' DESERVES MOST RESPECT.....THEY DONT MAKE QUALITY LIKE THIS ANYLONGER, THIS MOVIE HAD LOTS OF SOUL...UNDOUBTEDLY A FORGOTTEN GEM IN THE MOVIES INDUSTRY...IN CONTRARY TO TODAYS FCK LOW-PIECE-OV-CRAPPP!!
For my money, Cross Of Iron is the finest and most realistic war film ever made. Peckinpah was a genius director, the editing and sound is fantastic. He certainly captured the brutality and intensity of close quarter combat. Superlative film.
@@panzerwaffel5281 I watched it. A good war movie but I remain of my opinion. Have you watched "Come and see" by Elem Klimov ? If you didn't I advise you to watch it. It's another impressive movie about WWII on eastern front.
KYxer. Two of the toughest, bravest armies ever assembled slaughtering each other to a man. They were both serving political masters, who were absolute monsters. Yet, on they fought.
@@kevinharrison5651 And that's why they were far from capable as units - mostly young men forced into the slaughterhouse. And at this time - 1943 - it was nothing but desperate war of attrition. Compared to British and Finns who practically never lost a major battle.
@@АлександрКацман the British have fought in major battles, no idea what you're talking about. For starters: their work at Africa, Dunkirk, then helping with D-Day. Though you gotta love the Finns defensive stance through out the war, lived the good life while fighting their war while the Soviets died in the thousands in the winter and continuation war.
Such a seemingly realistic account of the helpless German situation on the Eastern Front in World War Two! Can't imagine being in the helpless situation of the German soldier on that front! How surrendering to Stalin and the Red Army would probably be worse than certain death!
Guys, relax, cold war is a cold war... Westerners saying that russians weak, Easterners saying that westerners weak (germans too). Its just a propoganda.
Major Stranksy pretends he's heroic by going outside the bunker for all of ten seconds then ducking back inside while all around thousands of soldiers are being slaughtered. Only Sam Peckinpah could have dreamed up such a scene.
Stransky: Sir, I'm wounded sir Sir; how did you get wounded major? Stransky ; the table sir. Sir; The table? Stransky; yes sir the table, it collapsed on me while I was hiding under it.
That wide shot with the MG42 at the end is one of the best shots I've seen in a war movie. The sound of how fast it's shooting (slower than the real thing, BTW) combines with seeing what it does to whole Russian units is far better than the usual close-ups in war films.Directors, more wide shots, please! Spread the action out and it'll be no less intense.
Michael McCabe You know your MGs. I've been fortunate to have fired both an MG34 and MG42. The 34 has a high cyclic rate, but you can still discern the individual rounds being fired. The MG42 makes a roaring sound. Terrifying.
An MG 34 firing is terrifyingly beautiful. An MG 42 was an ammunition hog that makes my penis tickle. Everyone talks the MG 42 as the best World War II machine gun. I would place it #2 behind the MG 34,. The MG 42 was more robust but burnt up too much ammunition. The MG 34 still had an amazing rate of fire but it wasn't overkill like its successor. The MG 34 wasn't quite as durable, but with proper care was still a very durable piece of equipment. Probably the best two machine guns ever manufactured and way ahead of their time.
So true, the Mg42 sounded like a loud 'Zip". At 1:22 Right gun, wrong sound, not to detract from the overall battle, love how James Mason steals every scene. Who could have done it better?
My father-in-law was of half German and half Czech heritage and have been drafted into the German army in 1944. He talked to me many times about his experience in combat and would never wish anybody to meet Russian infantryman' in combat.
@@ПавелН-ж8я No, it's not any less cruel, look at Katyn forest massacre when Stalin ordered the execution of 20.000 polish prisioners, (some civilians). But soviet soldiers raped and murdered civilians just as any SS did in the eastern front.
@@Eire_Aontaithe before that polish army killed soviet military prisoners. So it is preventive against possible rebel of skilled officers. While nazis killed children and civilians
Sam Peckinpah's editing of this entire movie was outstanding. I remember seeing this scene in the theater and being awed by the cuts and the way the sound was layered. This was before MTV editing was a thing.
@@battaglino77 Not very familiar with Peckinpah but I plan to rectify this is in the near future. I just want to ask, is this style of fast editing and layering, intercut with short slo-mo shots a trademark of his?
One of Peckinpah's finest films. Doesn't follow the book very well, but an excellent job of showing the German side of the Russo-German War. The story takes place in roughly April - October 1943 in the Crimea.
Вопщето не русско германская а великая отечественная война и военных действий в Крыму тогда не велось. И как бы красная армия победила , если немцы в этом фильме советских солдат тысячами убивали.
Whoever they got for their military advisers for the movie were spot on, for once. Your crew served weapons are always your most important and most deadly so it's important that they would be quickly remand if the crews are taken out. The Corporal jumps on the MG 42 and tells the other guy to start feeding him. Great job of how things really work in combat.
Schnurrbart deserved a medal and/or a promotion - it looks to me like he cut down most of a second wave forming up, and definitely defeated the attack, even if it was probably only a probe.
Thank the Yugoslavians. They provided filming location for many & for this film they provided Russian-speaking actors from the Yugoslavian Army (JNA) plus lot of Soviet-pattern equipment.
Yet the German soldiers are blown back into their ditches, dead and dropping from their firing positions like sacks of potatoes. 1:15 , 4:22 . And then some places where the Russians are plausibly in a firing stance, but since the movie doesn't use the cheap "muzzle flash" overlays, it hard to tell.
Definetly. The Japaneses know very well that if earthquake begins then the first thing to do being inside is to get under some desk or table. So that German officer did very smart. I see the movie creators did not save money for military advisors.
Sam Peckenpagh's editing and directing are superb. He is the undisputed master of the gunfight scene. Other films with outstanding gun ballets by Him are The Wild Bunch, and The Getaway
4:30 is probably the most amazing face I've seen on an actor in the moment expressing sheer fear and horror in the middle of such close fighting, that brief second always stuck with me the entire battle scene.
If anybody is interested in Eastern Front combat from the German side, I strongly recommend reading The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer. He spent years fighting on the Eastern Front. Amazing that he survived!
A Bridge Too Far of the same era also featured practical effects & grand battle scene. A Bridge Too Far was indeed different in storytelling, featured more gore.. limbs blown off etc.
Sam Peckinpah was a great director. This and the Wild Bunch were one of the first to have slow mo in the battle scenes. He had to film it in Europe because nobody in the US would back a film that didn't have the Germans as the "bad guys". I wish that it would have had the ending like in the book and if I remember correctly, Steiner and his buddies were real young in the book. I believe the Yugoslav army loaned him the T34's, this was one of my favorite war movies.
Best Eastern Front battle scenes shoot by gemans in such movies as "Stalingrad" ," Our mothers,our fathers" and "The Bunker". "Cross of iron'' probably was good for late 70 th,but after "Saving privat Rayan" realistic of batle scenes approached new level.
Peckinpah had it right, massed attacks, and the nice T-34 action. Saving Private Ryan doesn't count as I am comparing Eastern Front movies . Stalingrad was a damn good flick, but I still think the actual battle sequences in Cof I were better.
@@stolzzmann I don't know that Saving Private Ryan is really better than this. Cross of Iron gives a better sense of the chaos of warfare , whereas the opening scene in SPR is much easier to follow, but loses much of the chaotic element.
The final of this masterpiece movie is just epic with Steiner's laughter and the children choir singing while you can see images of WWII, Vietnam and other wars. It gives chills and tears.
If you would educate yourself, this quite legendary film was made with very small budget and you can see that in sound editing department. Still among my top 5 ww2 films. Cause hollywood wouldnt ever finance movie where germans are also shown to be human even winning some fights.
it's really difficult for me to re-watch this film, for a number of reasons. I know Peckinpah was a raving drunk at the time of the filming and editing, but the graphic depiction of the Russian Front is simply superb. It was Soviet doctrine to get to grips with the enemy as soon as possible to negate the opponents' artillery (think, fire for effect on my POZ). therefore, close combat was the order of the day, and "Cross Of Iron" does not disappoint in this category historically.
The part where German soldiers broke and ran until Lt. Myer corralled them back to their positions is the exact same thing that happened in a non fiction memoir of a German soldier on the eastern front. In the book he describes a battle where their thinly held line was attacked by a mass of t-34s. Infantry in parts of the line were so terrified by this wave of tanks coming right at them, they started to make a run for it until a officer grabbed them and forced them to remain. The Germans ended up holding the line that day.
The MG42 scene was awesom; I had read the stories about how fast it could fire, but this was the first time I had seen it 'graphically'; the funny thing is: the gun is firing much slower than a real MG42
Hitler's Buzzsaw! I was flicking through a book* about the psychology of soldiers, it stated that the British Army used to overdub the sound the MG42 in training films as they did want to demoralise their recruits... *can't remember the exact name of the book offhand but it was by an English publisher called Biteback.
@@Skullsinthecrowd oh that's interesting, no idea that they would go that far to make their soldiers believe that it would be fine to be at the opposite end of an MG42.
@@SortenRavn a lot of modern-day WW2 Movies tend to force a romantic subplot, which is very annoying. For example, Ben Affleck Pearl Harbor, Enemy at the gates, and the new Midway movie.
wow...some films manage to portray the brutality of war with stark, immersive realism or with tension that threats to burst each scene at the seams...though,this feat of filmmaking ,ive got to admit - captures the chaos of war in a manner that is gorgeous in its choreography yet absolutely terrifying in the increased desperation displayed by the Germans as they fend off the attack to buy just one more second of time in this world with nothing but the skin on their teeth. And its all portrayed with the fastidiousness of a grand concerto. This is something only a true maestro of filmmaking could achieve...real shame people tend to focus on Peckinpah's vices more than his illustrious creations.
People been slaughtering each other since the beginning of time. Before they did it with guns, they used swords, spears, and arrows, before that, they used clubs, and before that, they used rocks. Murder, mayhem, robbery, covetousness, and hate have all been part of history since Cain murdered his brother Abel.
@@shauntaylor6040 And there is a pattern here which shows that we enjoy our slaughter of each other even though we may deny it. It shows our fallen state. In other words, there is evil in this world and we are part of it. Paul wrote in Romans 3:10 that there is none righteous, no not one. We can all do good things but when left to our own natural selves we become selfish and destructive. Its called sin. And the only remedy for it is Jesus Christ and Him crucified through whose sacrifice on the cross for our sins we can have redemption to the source of all things; the everlasting God.
+Anthony J - The German infantry tactics were based upon machine guns, a pair of MG-34s or MG-42s per squad. The guys with Mauser rifles were to protect or back up the machine guns, and to carry ammo. See Military History Visualized UA-cam videos, he explains very well.
David Smith yes,and the Stg44 was a response to the Russian propensity for arming their people with SMGs = high volume of fire with underpowered cartridge.
1977 original voices of actors . Give them a break it’s a 40 year old film!!! Im betting in 1977 you probably weren’t even a little sperm in your old mans johnson.
I really like this movie and for being a good war film for its time. The other thing I like about it is that it shows German soldiers not as cold heartless monsters, but as human beings same as any person.
If one understands the theme or message of this film it is one of the great war films of the 20th century. "And I will show you where the Iron Crosses grow" Futility of war.
I read a German Soldiers account of a Russian infantry onslaught onto their MG42 nest where the machine gunner was cutting down the Ruskies in droves and was yelling towards the end 'I can't kill anymore!'
one of the best war movies I've seen! the end always makes me cry where they are shot even though they shout their password! (Democation) I think it is the blu ray version that is shown and that is why the picture quality is so good!
"zis ist not a probe! it's an attack in force. an avalanche! vere are my reinforcements? my swagger stik! greatcoat! nacht! the one with lil furry stip. and all za metals? ach der himmel!"
Battle scene captures the chaos of battle. Captain was a thorough incompetent who tied up and a communications line and the time and attention of a superior officer rather than lead in combat. But even if he were a competent and good leader, he could do only so much he could do because he was newly arrived and thus had no clue on how to work with his men, whose confidence he had yet to earn. He never took the trouble to know his men, busying himself instead with exposing homosexuals in his unit.
I only watch german filmed movies because they are the only truthful once, Russian filmed: Russian win, American filmed: American win, German filmed: admitted they lost.
Great movie, but they ballsed up the sequel (Breakthrough). Keeping James Coburn was key. Richard Burton is a good actor, but didn't do Steiner (the character) credit. Short, fat and uncomfortable looking in a German uniform, it just didn't wash. Robert Mitchum was a bad choice too. Big name, but not right for that film.
It's a myth bullshit and western film, do you really expect western film showing truth about Red army tactics? My great grandfather fought against Nazi scums and Red army never attacked so talentless and stupid. There were some cases like that only in the first period of war. But for example, if you look at the casualty proportions in the operations led by Red army in Europe, for example Yassy-Kishinev operation, so there are 7-8 killed germans for russian 1 That is the real truth man Stories about "flash attacking of Red army" were taken from some episodes from the beginning of war, and intentionally widespread by anti-soviet propaganda
Больше того) не знал что немецкие нордический войны двигаются как примы балета ))а каждый немецкий солдат по умолчанию физически сильнее советского) что гранат у советских солдат не существовало тоже новости) и что вместо того чтобы уже наконец уничтожить горстку балерин советские солдаты сидят на пригорке и ждут когда немец доберётся до пулемета и откроет по ним огонь) а то без косящегося пулемета ощущения не те)
то что с советских, а тем более современных говнороссийских, фильмах этим страдают немецкие солдаты тебя, конечно, не беспокоило никогда. Странно, не уж-то предвзятое мнение?
Согласен, полная муйня. Наших бойцов обучали рукопашке, пусть не везде, в отличие от немцев. И вот ещё : немцы пи.. ят по-английски . Смех! Бриты, ♥️♥️♥️
@@maximnietokramskoi5728 Рассуждать о человеке что его беспокоило, не зная его - признак завышенного самомнения и глупости. Максим, не сверкай своей глупостью на весь Ютуб.
У немцев есть командиры, а советы показаны, как стадо без организации. Западные создатели фильмов пытаются взять реванш , так, глядишь, в фильмах немцы и Москву захватят.((
In the movie it was seen that the Captain did not order and lead a counter attack therefore did not deserve the Iron Cross but I believe he absolutely deserved it for remaining strong and putting himself in the middle of the action to turn the tide of the battle. If it weren't for his leadership his men would have continued to retreat and the battle would have been lost. Under his direct leadership the men were forced back to their fighting positions and held the line. All this while being wounded not to mention this being the captains FIRST BATTLE.
It makes more sense in the novel. He doesn't leave his bunker for the duration of the attack and afterward he and Triebig put themselves forward for gongs, when it was Meyer who had actually led the counterattack.
The movie on your site IMBD won't play. What's up with that? It doesn't ask for money that I can see. Well it don't matter I downloaded it for free at project tv.
I noticed that most of the soviet soldiers Armed with mosin nagant rifles do not have bayonets. The mosin was the primary small arm used by the red army during world war 2 and they always went into combat with their bayonets fixed.
Alex tepe With CAS, artillery and usually tank support. But what do I know. I am just a man who thinks that soviets werent mindless zombies dying in hundreds of millions.
Саперной лопатой в атаку)))Не обижайтесь право,но смешно очень выглядит.Слушал ветеранов,но там они оборонялись и в ход лопаты шли,и каски и что под руку попало.
@ 02:22-02:23 you can see the German 81mm mortar's firing almost vertically for close in fire support. At 05:10-05:22 is best scene when Steiner chases down fleeing Russian's and kills them all. The MG-42 scenes are great too and that same MG is still in action as the MG-3 with Ukrainian Forces and still killing Russian's :) Some of the best WW2 action on the Eastern Front ever recorded by Hollywood.
Sam Peckinpah. All of this without one second of computer generated effects. An old school master in film making. RIP.
YESS, THIS MOVIE AND ITS MAKER SHOULD AND MUST BE HELD IN HIGHEST REGARD, TO DO ALL THESE SCENES IN OL SCHOOL 'FASHION' DESERVES MOST RESPECT.....THEY DONT MAKE QUALITY LIKE THIS ANYLONGER, THIS MOVIE HAD LOTS OF SOUL...UNDOUBTEDLY A FORGOTTEN GEM IN THE MOVIES INDUSTRY...IN CONTRARY TO TODAYS FCK LOW-PIECE-OV-CRAPPP!!
,w,ad-l
@@2011persolsir this is a Wendy’s
😅😅😅😢😢😢9
',aooo,aaao',,'.o.k.5b7333557.6.7...yegyf7.,8.7.6.8f8pf8u98pp8.p8uucuyg9uu8pc7gy8ppycuuuirbciigd9upp8p7pp474846358p8p8ythhcthicxgummttgccfcdy8p8pp88py358468p7i9idcc
For my money, Cross Of Iron is the finest and most realistic war film ever made. Peckinpah was a genius director, the editing and sound is fantastic. He certainly captured the brutality and intensity of close quarter combat. Superlative film.
Watch Stalingrad 1993, Cross of Iron is good movie, but not the best. Stalingrad 1993 is turbo realistic, more than this film.
I totally agree with you. The best movie ever about WWII ! And it was filmed in 1976-77 !
@@RDeckardN6 again, watch Stalingrad 1993
@@panzerwaffel5281 I watched it. A good war movie but I remain of my opinion. Have you watched "Come and see" by Elem Klimov ? If you didn't I advise you to watch it. It's another impressive movie about WWII on eastern front.
@@panzerwaffel5281 ppppppppppppppppp
"We are winning, we are winning!"
*literally being overrun*
KYxer. Two of the toughest, bravest armies ever assembled slaughtering each other to a man. They were both serving political masters, who were absolute monsters. Yet, on they fought.
@@kevinharrison5651 And that's why they were far from capable as units - mostly young men forced into the slaughterhouse. And at this time - 1943 - it was nothing but desperate war of attrition. Compared to British and Finns who practically never lost a major battle.
@@tylsimys67 What a stupid thing. What do you know about big battles?
@@tylsimys67 British and Finns who practically never fought a major battle
@@АлександрКацман the British have fought in major battles, no idea what you're talking about.
For starters: their work at Africa, Dunkirk, then helping with D-Day.
Though you gotta love the Finns defensive stance through out the war, lived the good life while fighting their war while the Soviets died in the thousands in the winter and continuation war.
Even to this day, Cross of Iron is one of the best looking films I've seen. The picture quality is outstanding. Remarkable for 1977.
Such a seemingly realistic account of the helpless German situation on the Eastern Front in World War Two! Can't imagine being in the helpless situation of the German soldier on that front! How surrendering to Stalin and the Red Army would probably be worse than certain death!
This is from 1977? Holy shit dude, it looks great.
@BlackDeadWatch Hold your horses, mate. Don't get carried away by games and movies and look into Eastern front documents.
@BlackDeadWatch Yeah, come back after proper research till then don't expect a reply.
Guys, relax, cold war is a cold war... Westerners saying that russians weak, Easterners saying that westerners weak (germans too). Its just a propoganda.
Major Stranksy pretends he's heroic by going outside the bunker for all of ten seconds then ducking back inside while all around thousands of soldiers are being slaughtered. Only Sam Peckinpah could have dreamed up such a scene.
Spartaculus Jones not sure about thousands but definitely dozens
Or how about him having a tiny scratch on his forehead and saying “I’m wounded”
Where iss my air cover?
@@parteibonza It was probably only a company-strength probe although in the heat of the fighting it might well have seemed bigger.
Stransky is a captain actually.... 😉 without any merits... eager to get some.
Those cuts are brilliant. Just showing how confusing a battle is.
Typical director trademark editing
Peckinpah at his best
"We are attacking....we are defending....we are COUNTER ATTACKING!"
4:38
He protec
He attac
But most importantly, he counter attac!
@@nettlecarrier8259 NO THEY ACTUALLY WERE DEFENDING
Outstanding film!!!!
😂😂😂😂
Vo dai
"You see how things have changed, Dimitri? Now it is _their_ land, _their_ people, _their_ blood."
A classic
Urraaa
Which do you think will get us home? Writing about this war or fighting it?
Don't wanna get a r/whoosh but, the Russians also gave a lot of blood advancing through Berlin..
@@rafiqulislamfaruk1892 sorry. I didn't realize I was typing a reply and looked up "Pumped up kicks" lol.
Stransky: Sir, I'm wounded sir
Sir; how did you get wounded major?
Stransky ; the table sir.
Sir; The table?
Stransky; yes sir the table, it collapsed on me while I was hiding under it.
Gold
That wide shot with the MG42 at the end is one of the best shots I've seen in a war movie. The sound of how fast it's shooting (slower than the real thing, BTW) combines with seeing what it does to whole Russian units is far better than the usual close-ups in war films.Directors, more wide shots, please! Spread the action out and it'll be no less intense.
Michael McCabe You know your MGs. I've been fortunate to have fired both an MG34 and MG42. The 34 has a high cyclic rate, but you can still discern the individual rounds being fired. The MG42 makes a roaring sound. Terrifying.
They are using Yugoslav M53 clones. I would love to audio engineer the real MG42 rate of fire sound into this. Buzzsaw.
An MG 34 firing is terrifyingly beautiful. An MG 42 was an ammunition hog that makes my penis tickle. Everyone talks the MG 42 as the best World War II machine gun. I would place it #2 behind the MG 34,. The MG 42 was more robust but burnt up too much ammunition. The MG 34 still had an amazing rate of fire but it wasn't overkill like its successor. The MG 34 wasn't quite as durable, but with proper care was still a very durable piece of equipment. Probably the best two machine guns ever manufactured and way ahead of their time.
So true, the Mg42 sounded like a loud 'Zip". At 1:22 Right gun, wrong sound, not to detract from the overall battle, love how James Mason steals every scene. Who could have done it better?
The main losses are from mortars.
My father-in-law was of half German and half Czech heritage and have been drafted into the German army in 1944. He talked to me many times about his experience in combat and would never wish anybody to meet Russian infantryman' in combat.
@@ЭлджейРаст2 For what ? He still saw drunken soviet soldiers raping girls and old women...
@@Eire_Aontaithe it's peanuts in compare with maniacal murders made by nazis
@@ПавелН-ж8я No, it's not any less cruel, look at Katyn forest massacre when Stalin ordered the execution of 20.000 polish prisioners, (some civilians). But soviet soldiers raped and murdered civilians just as any SS did in the eastern front.
@@Eire_Aontaithe before that polish army killed soviet military prisoners. So it is preventive against possible rebel of skilled officers. While nazis killed children and civilians
@@Eire_Aontaithe tell us how you explain poisoning of vietnam jungles with agent Orange? Act of humanity?
A well done war film. Really captures the brutality of combat on the eastern front
Film killerg415 y killernazis massive
1:05 is that the same guy who played General Bittrich in A Bridge Too Far?
Yes
Sam Peckinpah's editing of this entire movie was outstanding. I remember seeing this scene in the theater and being awed by the cuts and the way the sound was layered. This was before MTV editing was a thing.
It was the same cool tricks he used on The Wild Bunch too.
@@battaglino77 Not very familiar with Peckinpah but I plan to rectify this is in the near future. I just want to ask, is this style of fast editing and layering, intercut with short slo-mo shots a trademark of his?
@@kuribayashi84 sort of yes. It's like a cacophony on sounds and sights to overwhelm you like you're actually there.
yes , watch the "Wild Bunch "
One of my favorite war films. Gritty, grim, no bullshit.
"War is hell boy, that's a fact." Clint Eastwood - Heartbreak Ridge
Fanfares.aus.dem.lechtzl
Major könig is the best
Ghost of the Stalingrad
One of Peckinpah's finest films. Doesn't follow the book very well, but an excellent job of showing the German side of the Russo-German War. The story takes place in roughly April - October 1943 in the Crimea.
Easily Peckinpah's best.
Там не было в это время боевых действий. И фильм ложь.
Вопщето не русско германская а великая отечественная война и военных действий в Крыму тогда не велось. И как бы красная армия победила , если немцы в этом фильме советских солдат тысячами убивали.
Whoever they got for their military advisers for the movie were spot on, for once. Your crew served weapons are always your most important and most deadly so it's important that they would be quickly remand if the crews are taken out. The Corporal jumps on the MG 42 and tells the other guy to start feeding him. Great job of how things really work in combat.
Schnurrbart deserved a medal and/or a promotion - it looks to me like he cut down most of a second wave forming up, and definitely defeated the attack, even if it was probably only a probe.
Thank the Yugoslavians. They provided filming location for many & for this film they provided Russian-speaking actors from the Yugoslavian Army (JNA) plus lot of Soviet-pattern equipment.
@@Cyan_Nightingale True. Filmed in Savudrija, Istria, in 1976. The best WW II movie ever in my opinion.
interesting that none of the Russians are firing their rifles, just running at the Germans..
Yet the German soldiers are blown back into their ditches, dead and dropping from their firing positions like sacks of potatoes.
1:15 , 4:22 . And then some places where the Russians are plausibly in a firing stance, but since the movie doesn't use the cheap "muzzle flash" overlays, it hard to tell.
its because soviet soldiers are so badass that just running at the enemy destroys them
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH MOTHERLAANDDD!!!!
If you stop to shoot, you get hit...'Speed is the key'.
The ones that were KIA were felled by Russian mortar teams, however, your right about the Ruskies not firing their rifles.
This is probably the best combat scene ever filmed for the big screen.
I like how it's implied ducking under the table was a cowardly move, but then beams come down in the bunker.
Seems smart to get some cover
Definetly. The Japaneses know very well that if earthquake begins then the first thing to do being inside is to get under some desk or table. So that German officer did very smart. I see the movie creators did not save money for military advisors.
Staying alive is always the best course of action
Sam Peckenpagh's editing and directing are superb. He is the undisputed master of the gunfight scene. Other films with outstanding gun ballets by Him are The Wild Bunch, and The Getaway
This Battle Scene is nothing short of Incredible,,And so is the film!!!!
Peckinpah has always been good in gory subjects
“Incredible” is actually a rather apt adjective for this scene, 321.
"We are attacking, we are defending, we are counter attacking!" Sounds like every company of heroes two match
4:30 is probably the most amazing face I've seen on an actor in the moment expressing sheer fear and horror in the middle of such close fighting, that brief second always stuck with me the entire battle scene.
If anybody is interested in Eastern Front combat from the German side, I strongly recommend reading The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer. He spent years fighting on the Eastern Front. Amazing that he survived!
i agree. The thing I remember most was the time the Germans spent foraging for food. .
It's historical fiction, not a real memoir. Still valid for capturing the feeling of the Eastern Front.
@APerson-dq4hl He was actually on the Eastern Front as a german solider
This scene is one of the most realistic battle scenes ever. I don't think they had scenes with this intensity and gore until Saving Private Ryan.
I agree.
Watch Stalingrad 1993
Sam Peckinpah = gore
It's not just the gore, this scene perfectly captures the chaos, confusion, and utter terror of close quarters battle.
A Bridge Too Far of the same era also featured practical effects & grand battle scene. A Bridge Too Far was indeed different in storytelling, featured more gore.. limbs blown off etc.
Sam Peckinpah was a great director. This and the Wild Bunch were one of the first to have slow mo in the battle scenes. He had to film it in Europe because nobody in the US would back a film that didn't have the Germans as the "bad guys". I wish that it would have had the ending like in the book and if I remember correctly, Steiner and his buddies were real young in the book. I believe the Yugoslav army loaned him the T34's, this was one of my favorite war movies.
Yes the movie was filmed in Savudrija, Istria, and actually you can hear the soviet soldiers singing an old Yugoslav partisans' song.
Those T-34 85s are bad ass.
Agreed. When I saw those T-34 tanks I was so pleased at the effort to make the movie authentic.
It's so refreshing seeing a film from the German perspective.
1977. I was in Munich in 1984 and it was still showing at theaters.
@@Harry-nn4px Very nice 🙂
Steiner, where are you when you're most needed!
Soldiers: Let's fight!
Commanders: We have few calls to make
Guys watch Stalingrad 1993 ok? To people saying this is the most realistic battle scene ever made or something like that.
Best Eastern Front battle scene I have ever seen, including Russian films. Realistic uniforms weapons, tanks, etc
Best Eastern Front battle scenes shoot by gemans in such movies as "Stalingrad" ," Our mothers,our fathers" and "The Bunker". "Cross of iron'' probably was good for late 70 th,but after "Saving privat Rayan" realistic of batle scenes approached new level.
Typical american BS! Primitive and stupid!
Peckinpah had it right, massed attacks, and the nice T-34 action. Saving Private Ryan doesn't count as I am comparing Eastern Front movies . Stalingrad was a damn good flick, but I still think the actual battle sequences in Cof I were better.
@@stolzzmann I don't know that Saving Private Ryan is really better than this. Cross of Iron gives a better sense of the chaos of warfare , whereas the opening scene in SPR is much easier to follow, but loses much of the chaotic element.
The final of this masterpiece movie is just epic with Steiner's laughter and the children choir singing while you can see images of WWII, Vietnam and other wars. It gives chills and tears.
Cause they run out of money and couldnt do even 2 days more of filming. They made that scene fast in just 1 days of thinking
It's funny when you hold a cigarette in your hand during busy times.
Gotta love the sound effects that make it seem like a sci-fi film was being shot nearby.
Star wars was released the same year!
If you would educate yourself, this quite legendary film was made with very small budget and you can see that in sound editing department. Still among my top 5 ww2 films. Cause hollywood wouldnt ever finance movie where germans are also shown to be human even winning some fights.
@@AndyP998 I'm not hating, just making an observation. I actually like it.
Cross of Iron .. one of the best films that shows the madness of war and the horror it inflicts on people.
4:39 when youre micromanaging your troops in hoi4 and keep on activating and deactivating a push
it's really difficult for me to re-watch this film, for a number of reasons. I know Peckinpah was a raving drunk at the time of the filming and editing, but the graphic depiction of the Russian Front is simply superb. It was Soviet doctrine to get to grips with the enemy as soon as possible to negate the opponents' artillery (think, fire for effect on my POZ). therefore, close combat was the order of the day, and "Cross Of Iron" does not disappoint in this category historically.
Peckinpahs intake of alcohol and drugs was extremely high but what films...
Francis Ford Coppola: Nobody can make a decent battle scene.
Sam Peckinpah: Hold my cocaine
"We are attacking! We are defending! We are counterattacking!" LOLOL
The part where German soldiers broke and ran until Lt. Myer corralled them back to their positions is the exact same thing that happened in a non fiction memoir of a German soldier on the eastern front.
In the book he describes a battle where their thinly held line was attacked by a mass of t-34s. Infantry in parts of the line were so terrified by this wave of tanks coming right at them, they started to make a run for it until a officer grabbed them and forced them to remain. The Germans ended up holding the line that day.
LT. Meyer fought it out until the end. His death really bothered me.
Read forgotten soldier and there was some real tank scare involved.
The MG42 scene was awesom; I had read the stories about how fast it could fire, but this was the first time I had seen it 'graphically'; the funny thing is: the gun is firing much slower than a real MG42
And in real life the sound was totally different.
Hitler's Buzzsaw! I was flicking through a book* about the psychology of soldiers, it stated that the British Army used to overdub the sound the MG42 in training films as they did want to demoralise their recruits...
*can't remember the exact name of the book offhand but it was by an English publisher called Biteback.
@@Skullsinthecrowd oh that's interesting, no idea that they would go that far to make their soldiers believe that it would be fine to be at the opposite end of an MG42.
MG 34 fired around 700 Rpm around half as many rounds per minute likely thats what was used both made in roughly equal numbers
It's an MG42 in the film, the sound is over-dubbed for a more "believable" noise for most audiences
Old movies: wow fantastic looks so good
Modern movies: unrealistic cgi crap
Meh...
Old movies tend to have "Mary Sues'' as the protagonist(s)
A Lot of moderne movies actually have a decent (or better) plot..
Also...
Most old . Movies tend to have the wehrmacht troops have an aim along the lines of a Star Wars storm tropper..
Dunkirk was a breath of fresh air.
@@SortenRavn a lot of modern-day WW2 Movies tend to force a romantic subplot, which is very annoying. For example, Ben Affleck Pearl Harbor, Enemy at the gates, and the new Midway movie.
Hans Michielsen ii by by YB RF
wow...some films manage to portray the brutality of war with stark, immersive realism or with tension that threats to burst each scene at the seams...though,this feat of filmmaking ,ive got to admit - captures the chaos of war in a manner that is gorgeous in its choreography yet absolutely terrifying in the increased desperation displayed by the Germans as they fend off the attack to buy just one more second of time in this world with nothing but the skin on their teeth. And its all portrayed with the fastidiousness of a grand concerto. This is something only a true maestro of filmmaking could achieve...real shame people tend to focus on Peckinpah's vices more than his illustrious creations.
My favourite WW2 movies are before 2000, mostly 70s and 80s
"Is it a probe!?!" "A probe sir? No it's an end table sir, I got it tangled around my neck when they attacked us!"
this was ´77?
wow it looks better than many late ´90s movies
It's got some great actors as well. I'm about to see this for the first time as my son will be getting this for me on farther day .
People been slaughtering each other since the beginning of time. Before they did it with guns, they used swords, spears, and arrows, before that, they used clubs, and before that, they used rocks. Murder, mayhem, robbery, covetousness, and hate have all been part of history since Cain murdered his brother Abel.
Четко описал. Красава👍
And?
@@shauntaylor6040 And there is a pattern here which shows that we enjoy our slaughter of each other even though we may deny it. It shows our fallen state. In other words, there is evil in this world and we are part of it. Paul wrote in Romans 3:10 that there is none righteous, no not one. We can all do good things but when left to our own natural selves we become selfish and destructive. Its called sin. And the only remedy for it is Jesus Christ and Him crucified through whose sacrifice on the cross for our sins we can have redemption to the source of all things; the everlasting God.
Just cause your an important character in a movie doesn't mean you can't die
This is one of the best scenes in the movie
this is a war film without rhetoric as Saving Private Ryan
Oy vey.
@@nicholasramsey5331 In what way is SPR "politically correct"?
Colonel Klink very much feared the Eastern Front, not USA
@@shivrajkp Yeah poor Germany. Not like they started the damn war or anything...
@@user-ok8yq6nc6x n what did british do in india for almost 200 years n others countries..isnt that war on poor nations back then..???
Incredible how can a scene be this good and be ruined by super bad voice actors.
Also, the Germans really suffered from the Kar98's slow rate of fire.
+Anthony J - The German infantry tactics were based upon machine guns, a pair of MG-34s or MG-42s per squad. The guys with Mauser rifles were to protect or back up the machine guns, and to carry ammo. See Military History Visualized UA-cam videos, he explains very well.
Anthony J. only time that i has always come up for us we will be happy 😆 day is your birthday notanku
Right. I really wanted to like this movie, but the bad acting ruins it.
David Smith yes,and the Stg44 was a response to the Russian propensity for arming their people with SMGs = high volume of fire with underpowered cartridge.
1977 original voices of actors . Give them a break it’s a 40 year old film!!! Im betting in 1977 you probably weren’t even a little sperm in your old mans johnson.
this movie was well ahead of its time, real gritty war movie with amazing action, fantastic film
А в Красной армии не было гранат ?
57 protazan в Красной армии не было даже патронов .
Гоша Арматов
А я и забыл.И самолетов не было ,ни танков,ни автоматов .На испуг брали.
57 protazan а танк Т-34 инопланетяне с Луны подогнали . Так что танки и лопаты у нас были . Мы ж не изверги , немца лопатой грохнули и закопали ,
Да и офицеров не было, толпа клонов
И все автоматы ппш были у немцев.
I really like this movie and for being a good war film for its time. The other thing I like about it is that it shows German soldiers not as cold heartless monsters, but as human beings same as any person.
If one understands the theme or message of this film it is one of the great war films of the 20th century.
"And I will show you where the Iron Crosses grow"
Futility of war.
More or less realistic German film "Stalingrad".
how did this clip get such good quality, I bought the 2006 DVD release, it comes in pretty good but not this good, every thing looks sharper.
I think this the recent blu Ray restoration.
Yeah, it might be blue ray, it looks really good
I remember having a hell of a time trying to find this movie on VHS back in the 90s. Had to special order it. Now it's in Blue Ray you say? Cool.
@@parteibonzayeah I did end up picking it up on blu Ray. I am very satisfied with the quality of it.
I read a German Soldiers account of a Russian infantry onslaught onto their MG42 nest where the machine gunner was cutting down the Ruskies in droves and was yelling towards the end 'I can't kill anymore!'
Omg.
+nikolas aylta You have a source or just pulling these number out of your ass?
+nikolas aylta So much for the Slavonic brotherhood, lol.
it's called "fists after a fight" - that's what losers do.
Deja Voodoo How come they lost to soviets then? You understand the fact that Axis forces outnumbered the red army right?
Underrated movie. James Mason, Maximillian Schell, James Coburn? Awesome acting right there alone.
one of the best war movies I've seen!
the end always makes me cry where they are shot even though they shout their password! (Democation)
I think it is the blu ray version that is shown and that is why the picture quality is so good!
Demarcation
"zis ist not a probe! it's an attack in force. an avalanche! vere are my reinforcements? my swagger stik! greatcoat! nacht! the one with lil furry stip. and all za metals? ach der himmel!"
Battle scene captures the chaos of battle. Captain was a thorough incompetent who tied up and a communications line and the time and attention of a superior officer rather than lead in combat. But even if he were a competent and good leader, he could do only so much he could do because he was newly arrived and thus had no clue on how to work with his men, whose confidence he had yet to earn. He never took the trouble to know his men, busying himself instead with exposing homosexuals in his unit.
blacklight4 OMG,did you watch all,or just this scene?
I only watch german filmed movies because they are the only truthful once, Russian filmed: Russian win, American filmed: American win, German filmed: admitted they lost.
Just like the serie "Generation war". Great great serie if you like german soldiers.
If you have not already seen them, I would recommend the German movies "Stalingrad" and "Das Boot." Both movies are Quite authentic and Tragic!
This particular film was directed by Sam Peckinpah, an American.
Salty Henry
...
You're right, the Russians and Americans didn't win either.
Dummy.
this movie timeline is most likely past 1942, and after 1942 the Germans never again won a battle against the Soviets
The only thing that I dislike about these old war movies is the sound effects all sound like they came from a stock library.
Great movie, but they ballsed up the sequel (Breakthrough). Keeping James Coburn was key. Richard Burton is a good actor, but didn't do Steiner (the character) credit. Short, fat and uncomfortable looking in a German uniform, it just didn't wash. Robert Mitchum was a bad choice too. Big name, but not right for that film.
Just think if the Germans had unfolded their SMG stocks and used their sights.
they would have still been beaten.
Me: How many soliders do you need to attack?
Soviets: Yes
They just copied that from Napoleons tactic just sending bulk of men instead of lines of infantry who are effectively shooting.
It's a myth bullshit and western film, do you really expect western film showing truth about Red army tactics? My great grandfather fought against Nazi scums and Red army never attacked so talentless and stupid. There were some cases like that only in the first period of war. But for example, if you look at the casualty proportions in the operations led by Red army in Europe, for example Yassy-Kishinev operation, so there are 7-8 killed germans for russian 1
That is the real truth man
Stories about "flash attacking of Red army" were taken from some episodes from the beginning of war, and intentionally widespread by anti-soviet propaganda
@@Nfsbelka Go to hell with your criminal grandpa and your failed Soviet Union
@@Eire_Aontaithe you go to hell with your genocidal nazis and pathetic excuse for a superpower “nazi germany”
@@maximilianodelrio I am not a nazi
Be calm Stranski you are not alone. lol One of the best lines in war movie history. Welcome to the Russian front.
"The number you have reached is no longer in service. Please check the number or try your call at a later time."
Awesome war film with an Oscar deserved performance by James coburn✌️✌️
When a single base changes hands more than 10 times during a single round. 4:39
One of the best war films ever made!
Судя по причёскам и бакенбардам снимали в конце семидесятых.
1977
these battle scenes are more realistic than the actual battle itself
Damn that quality... looks like it could have been filmed today.
Вот уж не знал, что советские солдаты в рукопашной не стреляют, не работают штыком, а лезут обниматься с противником)))))))
Больше того) не знал что немецкие нордический войны двигаются как примы балета ))а каждый немецкий солдат по умолчанию физически сильнее советского) что гранат у советских солдат не существовало тоже новости) и что вместо того чтобы уже наконец уничтожить горстку балерин советские солдаты сидят на пригорке и ждут когда немец доберётся до пулемета и откроет по ним огонь) а то без косящегося пулемета ощущения не те)
то что с советских, а тем более современных говнороссийских, фильмах этим страдают немецкие солдаты тебя, конечно, не беспокоило никогда. Странно, не уж-то предвзятое мнение?
Согласен, полная муйня. Наших бойцов обучали рукопашке, пусть не везде, в отличие от немцев. И вот ещё : немцы пи.. ят по-английски . Смех! Бриты, ♥️♥️♥️
@@maximnietokramskoi5728 Рассуждать о человеке что его беспокоило, не зная его - признак завышенного самомнения и глупости.
Максим, не сверкай своей глупостью на весь Ютуб.
a masterpiece of war film, for ever
У немцев есть командиры, а советы показаны, как стадо без организации. Западные создатели фильмов пытаются взять реванш , так, глядишь, в фильмах немцы и Москву захватят.((
Just to clarify history, this front is where WWII Europe was won. 4/5 Germans who died in WWII died on the eastern front.
@John Beige exactly, thats why he didn't let Paulus to retreat from Stalingrad
In the movie it was seen that the Captain did not order and lead a counter attack therefore did not deserve the Iron Cross but I believe he absolutely deserved it for remaining strong and putting himself in the middle of the action to turn the tide of the battle. If it weren't for his leadership his men would have continued to retreat and the battle would have been lost. Under his direct leadership the men were forced back to their fighting positions and held the line. All this while being wounded not to mention this being the captains FIRST BATTLE.
It makes more sense in the novel. He doesn't leave his bunker for the duration of the attack and afterward he and Triebig put themselves forward for gongs, when it was Meyer who had actually led the counterattack.
0:39 I guess his cigarette is way more important to him than his head
sam peckinpah best war movie
There will never be war like this again. Worst battles ever. Millions of casualties
Another great film director of Sam Peckinpah 👍🍿
Just to think Peckinpah was out of his mind on plum brandy...and still made a great film
80 percent of Germany's army suffered at the Eastern front.
Nope
@@vojnanaoruzanja9901 Yes
@@fasiapulekaufusi6632 nope
@@vojnanaoruzanja9901 yes
@@fasiapulekaufusi6632 nope
GREAT FILM, AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHERE THE IRON CROSS GROWS
I've seen where the Iron Cross grows in Zaparohzia.
One of the best war movies ever made but little seen.
The movie on your site IMBD won't play. What's up with that? It doesn't ask for money that I can see. Well it don't matter I downloaded it for free at project tv.
Hell Let Loose seriously needs to have a Kuban Bridgehead map now
Intense! War movies before everyone thinks they need to jiggle the camera!
Better than saving private ryan.
Индийский фильм. Хонгильдона только нехватает.
So much cocaine and alcohol in the scene, but still one of the greatest scenes ever created.
I saw this movie " Cross of Iron " many more time.
I noticed that most of the soviet soldiers Armed with mosin nagant rifles do not have bayonets. The mosin was the primary small arm used by the red army during world war 2 and they always went into combat with their bayonets fixed.
Alex tepe With CAS, artillery and usually tank support. But what do I know. I am just a man who thinks that soviets werent mindless zombies dying in hundreds of millions.
Some of them had a version with a folding bayonet and it was folded back, although this type came in in 1944, and this is set in the previous year.
Странная атака : ни одной саперной лопатки. И конечно кто снимает тот и побеждает. Фронтовиков в фильме не было
Сапёрные лопатки фантазия режисёров! В атаку с сапёрными лопатками! Ты мозги включи патриот!
@@Гасанмахачкала а ты воспоминания ветеранов послушай чем в рукопашной дрались и лопатками в том числе
Саперной лопатой в атаку)))Не обижайтесь право,но смешно очень выглядит.Слушал ветеранов,но там они оборонялись и в ход лопаты шли,и каски и что под руку попало.
И в этом фильме немцы не побеждают.
Саперные лопаты наши внутренние войска лихо применили против митингующих гражданских,своего народа в Тбилиси 9 апреля 1989г.А вы про немцев тут....
Nobody:
Families that hear the phone ring
3:54
@ 02:22-02:23 you can see the German 81mm mortar's firing almost vertically for close in fire support. At 05:10-05:22 is best scene when Steiner chases down fleeing Russian's and kills them all. The MG-42 scenes are great too and that same MG is still in action as the MG-3 with Ukrainian Forces and still killing Russian's :) Some of the best WW2 action on the Eastern Front ever recorded by Hollywood.
Steiner: NOW! I will show you the Iron Cross’s role.... Capt Stransky (panics) How Do I Reload?