About This Film
The movie opens with a German children's song, "Hänschen klein", mixed with black-and-white footage of prewar and war scenes. It then segues to colour and a German platoon raid on a Russian forward outpost led by Sergeant Rolf Steiner, during which his men capture a Russian boy soldier.
An aristocratic Prussian officer, Captain Stransky, arrives as the new commander of Steiner's infantry battalion, which is stationed in the Kuban bridgehead on the Taman Peninsula. Stransky proudly tells the regimental commander, Colonel Brandt, and his adjutant, Captain Kiesel, that he applied for transfer from occupied France to front-line duty in Russia so that he can win the Iron Cross.
When Stransky meets Steiner for the first time, he orders Steiner to shoot the boy prisoner in strict observance of a standing order. When Steiner refuses, Stransky prepares to shoot the boy himself, but at the last moment, Corporal Schnurrbart saves the boy by volunteering to do it and taking him out of Stransky's sight. Later, Stransky informs Steiner that he has been promoted to senior sergeant, and is puzzled by Steiner's nonchalant response. Stransky also discerns that his adjutant, Lieutenant Triebig, is a closet homosexual.
While waiting for an anticipated attack, Steiner releases the young Russian, only to see the boy killed by advancing Soviet troops. As Stransky cowers in his bunker, Lieutenant Meyer, the respected leader of Steiner's platoon, is killed leading a successful counterattack. Steiner is wounded in the same battle trying to rescue a German soldier and is sent to a military hospital to recover. There, he is haunted by the faces of the dead men and the boy (in a dream sequence prior to waking from a coma), and has a romantic liaison with his nurse Eva.
After he has recovered, Steiner is offered a home leave, but decides instead to return to his men. When he arrives, Steiner is informed that Stransky has claimed credit for the counterattack and has been nominated for the Iron Cross. Stransky named as witnesses Triebig (blackmailing him with his homosexuality), and Steiner. Stransky tries to persuade Steiner to corroborate his claim by promising to look after him after the war. Brandt questions Steiner in the hope that he will expose Stransky's lies, but Steiner only states that he hates all officers, even those as "enlightened" as Brandt and Kiesel, and requests a few days to ponder his answer.
When his battalion is ordered to retreat, Stransky does not notify Steiner's platoon. Making their way back through now-enemy territory, the men capture an all-female Russian detachment. While Steiner is busy, Zoll, a despised Nazi Party member, takes one of the women into the barn to rape her. She bites his genitals and he kills her. Meanwhile, young Dietz, left to guard the rest of the women alone, is distracted and killed as well. Disgusted, Steiner locks Zoll up with the vengeful Russian women, taking their uniforms to use as a disguise.
As the men near the German lines, they radio ahead to avoid friendly fire. Stransky suggests to Triebig that Steiner and his men be "mistaken" for Russians. Triebig orders his men to shoot the incoming Germans; only Steiner, Krüger and Anselm survive. Triebig denies responsibility, but Steiner kills him and makes Krüger the platoon leader, telling him to look after Anselm. Steiner then goes hunting for Stransky.
The Soviets launch a major assault. Brandt orders Kiesel to evacuate, telling him that men like him will be needed to rebuild Germany after the war. Brandt then rallies the fleeing troops for a counterattack.
Steiner locates Stransky. But instead of killing him, he hands him a weapon, and offers to show him "where the Iron Crosses grow". Stransky accepts Steiner's "challenge", and they head off together for the battle. The film closes with Stransky trying to figure out how to reload his MP40, while being shot at by an adolescent Russian soldier who resembles the boy soldier released by Steiner. When Stransky asks Steiner for help, Steiner begins to laugh. His laughter continues through the credits, which features "Hänschen klein" again and segues to black-and-white images of civilian victims from World War II and later conflicts.
An aristocratic Prussian officer, Captain Stransky, arrives as the new commander of Steiner's infantry battalion, which is stationed in the Kuban bridgehead on the Taman Peninsula. Stransky proudly tells the regimental commander, Colonel Brandt, and his adjutant, Captain Kiesel, that he applied for transfer from occupied France to front-line duty in Russia so that he can win the Iron Cross.
When Stransky meets Steiner for the first time, he orders Steiner to shoot the boy prisoner in strict observance of a standing order. When Steiner refuses, Stransky prepares to shoot the boy himself, but at the last moment, Corporal Schnurrbart saves the boy by volunteering to do it and taking him out of Stransky's sight. Later, Stransky informs Steiner that he has been promoted to senior sergeant, and is puzzled by Steiner's nonchalant response. Stransky also discerns that his adjutant, Lieutenant Triebig, is a closet homosexual.
While waiting for an anticipated attack, Steiner releases the young Russian, only to see the boy killed by advancing Soviet troops. As Stransky cowers in his bunker, Lieutenant Meyer, the respected leader of Steiner's platoon, is killed leading a successful counterattack. Steiner is wounded in the same battle trying to rescue a German soldier and is sent to a military hospital to recover. There, he is haunted by the faces of the dead men and the boy (in a dream sequence prior to waking from a coma), and has a romantic liaison with his nurse Eva.
After he has recovered, Steiner is offered a home leave, but decides instead to return to his men. When he arrives, Steiner is informed that Stransky has claimed credit for the counterattack and has been nominated for the Iron Cross. Stransky named as witnesses Triebig (blackmailing him with his homosexuality), and Steiner. Stransky tries to persuade Steiner to corroborate his claim by promising to look after him after the war. Brandt questions Steiner in the hope that he will expose Stransky's lies, but Steiner only states that he hates all officers, even those as "enlightened" as Brandt and Kiesel, and requests a few days to ponder his answer.
When his battalion is ordered to retreat, Stransky does not notify Steiner's platoon. Making their way back through now-enemy territory, the men capture an all-female Russian detachment. While Steiner is busy, Zoll, a despised Nazi Party member, takes one of the women into the barn to rape her. She bites his genitals and he kills her. Meanwhile, young Dietz, left to guard the rest of the women alone, is distracted and killed as well. Disgusted, Steiner locks Zoll up with the vengeful Russian women, taking their uniforms to use as a disguise.
As the men near the German lines, they radio ahead to avoid friendly fire. Stransky suggests to Triebig that Steiner and his men be "mistaken" for Russians. Triebig orders his men to shoot the incoming Germans; only Steiner, Krüger and Anselm survive. Triebig denies responsibility, but Steiner kills him and makes Krüger the platoon leader, telling him to look after Anselm. Steiner then goes hunting for Stransky.
The Soviets launch a major assault. Brandt orders Kiesel to evacuate, telling him that men like him will be needed to rebuild Germany after the war. Brandt then rallies the fleeing troops for a counterattack.
Steiner locates Stransky. But instead of killing him, he hands him a weapon, and offers to show him "where the Iron Crosses grow". Stransky accepts Steiner's "challenge", and they head off together for the battle. The film closes with Stransky trying to figure out how to reload his MP40, while being shot at by an adolescent Russian soldier who resembles the boy soldier released by Steiner. When Stransky asks Steiner for help, Steiner begins to laugh. His laughter continues through the credits, which features "Hänschen klein" again and segues to black-and-white images of civilian victims from World War II and later conflicts.
Film Details
Director
Sam Peckinpah
Keywords
Female Nudity
Independent Film
Murder
Female Rear Nudity
Female Topless Nudity
Violence
Blood
Death
Cult Film
Gore
Bare Chested Male
Sadism
Explosion
Flashback
Corpse
Shot To Death
Telephone Call
Fight
Knife
Blood Splatter
Gun
Investigation
Brutality
Based On Novel
Fire
Cruelty
Nightmare
Strangulation
Undressing
Pistol
Slapped In The Face
Machine Gun
Hospital
Forest
Dancing
Party
Beating
Attempted Rape
Sadist
Drunkenness
Nurse
Rifle
Slow Motion Scene
Massacre
Gunfight
Rear Nudity
Betrayal
Corruption
Mirror
Bathtub
Hallucination
Horse
Teenage Boy
Ritual
Mercilessness
Lie
Train
Soldier
Freeze Frame
Fellatio
20th Century
Disguise
Urination
Action Hero
Mass Murder
Punishment
Man Hits A Woman
Letter
Wound
Nazi
Castration
Execution
Hand To Hand Combat
France
Destruction
Female Prisoner
Singing
Combat
Radio
Battle
Weapon
Military
1940s
Loneliness
Taking A Bath
Song
Survivor
Gunshot Wound
Gunfire
Swastika
World War Two
Hand Grenade
Archive Footage
Tunnel
Laughter
Tank
Birthday Cake
Satire Comedy
Battlefield
Ambition
Class Differences
Abuse
Rabbit
Evacuation
Nazi Officer
Gun Battle
Nazi Soldier
Injury
Straight Razor
Sexual Sadism
Bazooka
Death Of A Child
Barbed Wire
Submachine Gun
Trial
Capture
Hiding
Despair
Commander
Close Up Of Eye
Dying
Hatred
Mud
Female Soldier
Cynicism
Arm Injury
Bullet
Bloody Body Of A Child
Genital Mutilation
Chaos
Crawling
Blond Boy
Enemy
Intimidation
Bitterness
Unconsciousness
Rocket Launcher
Military Officer
Nazi Flag
War Violence
Vodka
Bayonet
Bunk Bed
Reference To Adolf Hitler
Revenge Murder
Forced Fellatio
Child With A Gun
Automatic Weapon
Bunker
Irony
Military Uniform
Russia
Harmonica
Luger
Garrote
Barricade
German Soldier
War Crime
War Hero
Behind Enemy Lines
German Army
Army General
Reconnaissance
Facial Wound
Wehrmacht
Bombardment
Military Hospital
Mutilated Child
Train Track
War Criminal
Reference To Bertolt Brecht
Pet Rat
Epic War
Epilogue
Army Sergeant
Contraband
Eastern Front
Honor
Strafing
Aerial Bombardment
Sense Of Smell
Gestapo
Year 1943
Friendly Fire
Battle Fatigue
Air Raid Shelter
Lgbt Plus
Iron Cross
Retreat
War Atrocity
Child Soldier
Dirty Face
Drunk Soldier
Mortar
Father Figure
Polishing A Shoe
Shot Repeatedly
Woman Wears A Man's Shirt
Nazi Symbol
World War Two Soldier
Soldier Killed
Unwashed Person
Pow Prisoner Of War
Russian Army
Derelict Building
Male Male Kiss
Army Lieutenant
Blood Lust
Stolen Valor
Reference To Siberia
Coward
Platoon
Artillery Fire
Filth
Homosexual Kiss
Child Shot In The Chest
Foxhole
Mass Destruction
Cattle Car
Concussion
Commandant
Mascot
Falling Into A River
Stuck In Mud
Salute
No Man's Land
Military Headquarters
Dead Soldier
Combat Casualty
Killed In Action
Military Decoration
Wartime Rape
Carl Von Clausewitz Quotation
Mosel Wine
Amputated Hand
Reference To Immanuel Kant
Shell Shock
Kuban Russia
Army Nurse
Trench Warfare
Killing One's Troops
Motorcycle With A Sidecar
Medal Of Honor
Family Honor
Nazi Colonel
Nco Non Commissioned Officer
Coburn And Mason
Mason And Schell
Sexual Extortion
Anti War Sentiment
Aristocratic Officer
Arrogant Officer
War Drama
Platoon Leader
Russian Tank
Crossing A Bridge
Transfer Order
Army Captain
Military Checkpoint
Futility Of War
Army Colonel
Army Corporal
Brave Soldier
Class Conflict
Russian Front
Closeted Gay Man
Homosexual Blackmail
Army Infantry Division
Sex With A Nurse
Army Private
Prussian Soldier
Reference To Syphilis
Army Volunteer
Gay Male Character
T 34 Tank
Cannon Fodder
Group Murder
Crimea
Hand Crank Telephone
First Lieutenant
Mustard Gas
Lilli Marlene
Stronghold
Demarcation
Shell Splinter
Ruling Class
Assault Party
Disciplinary Hearing
Shelling
Orders To Kill
Military Promotion
Battalion
Army Outpost
Ammunition
Fatal Injury
Fighter Bomber
Anti Tank Mine
Steel Helmet
Counter Attack
Exploding Tank
American Military As Enemy
American Actor Plays A Foreigner
American Actor Plays A German Character
British Actor Plays A Foreigner
British Actor Plays A German Character
Foreigner Plays A German Character
Yugoslav Actor Plays A German Character
Also Known As
La cruz de hierro, Vaskereszt, Железен кръст, Croix de fer, Jernkorset - og sergent Steiner, O sidirous stavros, Zeljezni kriz, A Grande Batalha, Järnkorset, Seref madalyasi, 英雄血, Železný kríž, Železný kříž, A Cruz de Ferro, Das geduldige Fleisch, La cruz de hierro, Gelezinis kryzius, Żelazny krzyż, Crucea de fier, Gvozdeni krst, Железный крест, Sargeant Steiner