http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074695/
Just watched it recently. Best WWII movie I'ld never heard of. Probably because:
1. It's from a German perspective.
2. Takes place on the Eastern Front.

If you haven't seen it, put it in your Netflix cue.
Sam Peckinpah is an awesome director. I liked it better than "The Wild Bunch".

yes, definitely a classic film! I'm still haunted by the children's singing at the beginning and end of the film interposed with war footage.

Hänschen klein
Ging allein
In die weite Welt hinein
Stock und Hut
Stehn ihm gut,
Ist gar wohlgemut.
Aber Mutter weinet sehr
Hat ja nun kein Hänschen mehr
Da besinnt sich das Kind,
Läuft nach Haus geschwind.
Liebe Mutter, ich bin da
Dein Hänschen tra la la
Bin bei dir,
Bleib' bei dir
Freue dich mit mir!

Little Hans
Went alone
In the wide world,
Stick and hat
Suit him well
He's cheerful!
But Mother weeps much,
Now she has her little Johnny no more,
So, the child thinks it over,
He goes back home.
Dear Mother, I'm here,
Your Johnny tra la la,
I'm by you,
I stay by you,
Rejoice with me

I've had "Cross of Iron" on dvd now for several years and it's one of my all time favorite war films. You are exactly correct on the reasons you gave why this film has been mostly forgotten by mainstream movie audiences. The cast is outstanding and the opening credit sequence as well as the very end with the laughing Sgt. Steiner is both haunting and memorable.

Absolutely one of the best war movies. The depictions of the soldiers are outstanding.

Somehow I have overlooked this movie... and for all these years.

This is actually the first I've heard of it. Looks like a great cast too!

I will be purchasing soon.

Like PanzerMeyer I`ve had this title for years, great movie with some great actors to boot, do yourself a favor, and add this one to your collection. Puts

Definitely one to have in your collection.

Another.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108211/

"Stalingrad" is definitely another great one. It was made by the same studio which made "Das Boot".

Frankly, it is better to read the novel !!

The movie has a particular "70's" style that doesn't fit to the actual time it depicts (some haircuts, russians soldiers with long hair and barbs, like strelitzs, slow motions of bodies)
I think it was very good when it came out because it showed the war in a german perspective, far from the Hollywood standards, but today...

God is a sadist, but probably doesn't even know it

Hehe, that's a great line!

I also like when Steiner says to Schell's character: "Come and I'll show you where the iron crosses grow".

Have you guys seen some of the new ones?

Saint + Soldiers

I thought was very good.

Never seen it. Was that the unofficial sequel to "Cross of Iron"? I heard it wasn't very good.

no saints and soldier is a relativly new film, by new i mean post band of brothers.

I was surprised at how many recent war films there is. Sants + Soldiers is a good one too.

Here is some info,

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373283/


It seems like it was an Independent film and the budget was less than 1 million! It's widest release in the US was on 26 screens so that's why I never heard of it. LOL

Yes thats the one, a wonderful film.

I'll have to see if Netflix has it and if so, I'll rent it. Thanks for the recommendation.

It is a good movie, with very realistic uniforms (reenactors involved I believe)...The Germans have a tendancy to be killed very easily though...

I think I remember catching bits and pieces of this flick on one of the cable channels one afternoon.

As far TV is concerned, I didn't think this one was too bad:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287535/

I will definitely check this one out. It's hard enough trying to find a good WWI war movie. They are so scarce.

Seems that movie producers in the 60's and early 70's had a fascination for WW2. Here are some others I can remember seeing on 'Tuesday Night at the Movies' or something of that ilk back in the early 70's when I was a kid:

Play Dirty:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063443/

The Devil's Brigade:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062886/

Murphy's War:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067458/

Where Eagle's Dare:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065207/

The Bridge at Remagen:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064110/

I'm not necessarily making critical acclaim on these (some of them may border on war action) however, they made an early impression on me with regards to ww2.

"Where Eagles Dare" is definitely considered to be a WWII war movie classic.

-Von Ryans Express
-Longest Day
-Ice cold in Alex >> one of my favourites
-Desert Rats
-Rommel
-The Desert Fox
-A Bridge to far
-Dambusters
-633 Squadron
-Mosquito Squadron
-Hell in the Pacific
-Above us the Waves
-Sink the Bismark
-Cockelshell heroes
-In which we Serve
-Run Silent run deep
-Battle of the Buldge
-The big red one
-The creul sea
-Battle of Britain
-Colditz
-Dirty Dozen

You've listed quite a few classics there Lewis.

I remember watching "Sink the Bismarck" a few years ago and I was impressed with how good the ship models looked. I was assuming it was going to look really cheesy and fake but I was pleasantly surprised.

Yesterday " The Eagle has landed " was on TV here.

Michael Cain, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duval, Donald Pleasance.........and Larry Hagman.

You know, I experienced a similar surprise watching "Flying Tigers" w/John Wayne. They actually made reference to the KI-27 rather than the usual "Zeke".

I'ld forgotten about that one. I remember seeing it on TV when I was about 6 yrs old. I think that might have been the moment I fell in love with planes. I'm going to rent that one this week.

Holy Crap! I saw this movie once... When I was like 11. I have never seen the whole thing, but it was brilliant! I did not know the name of it, and for about 25 years or so, I have been trying to find this mocvie. You just solved my riddle!!!

I am buying this movie right now!

Just to be sure...

Coburn is carrying a PPsh and there is a scene with a barn, a water troth, and a Blonde Ukranian girl with big'uns that gets raped or almost raped and all bullet hits result in blood squirting from the wounds (a la Peckinpaw) right?

If so, this is the movie I have searched for for at least 2 decades!

THANK YOU!!!

-Skater

Uh yeah, that barn scene is rather infamous too.

Lesson to be learned: Never let the enemy give you fellatio.