"Cross of Iron" question

[Kim Sung]

Right at the end when the Prussian Captian and Steiner go out to fight and the Captain is like "HOW DO I RELOAD?!?!" Weird ending, you know.

IMHO, Sam Peckinpah intended to show that war is meaningless in the point that soldiers are fighting the war for noble persons whom they have never met and most likely never will.

Stransky is symbolizing such noble persons which, actually, are not noble. He demands courage and sacrifice from his men, which he himself doesn't have. He even doesn't know how to reload his MP-40.

Soldiers of every country are asked to be brave and sacrifice themselves in brutal battles. But, who remembers them? Nobody. Steiner's courage and Stransky's cowardice are all meaningless in the end because they probably met certain death fighting for nothing.

Steiner might have known he couldn't survive the battle. That's why he didn't shoot Stransky. Maybe he wanted to show Stransky how meaningless the war is. As meaningless as his obsession with the Iron Cross...

Stransky: I'll show you how a Prussian officer can fight!

Steiner: I'll show you the Iron Crosses grow. (This actually mean the crosses in soldiers' graves, maybe)

[Kim Sung]

Opening Scene

http://blog.naver.com/ltaekii?Redirect= ... 1000168180

[Kim Sung]

Does any of you know where the mountain is that Hitler Jugend boys were climbing on? I guess it is one of the Alps mountains.

[Kurt_Steiner]

I think they are the Alps, too...

BTW, which is the title of the song the boys are singing at the beginning of the film?

[Kim Sung]

which is the title of the song the boys are singing at the beginning of the film?

It's 'Kinderlied'.

Kinderlied :

Hänschen klein ging allein in die weite Welt hinein
Stock und Hut steht ihm gut,ist gar wohlgemuet.
Aber Mutter weinet sehr, hat ja nun kein Haenschen mehr:
"Wünsch' dir Glück !",sagt ihr Blick "kehr nun bald zurück !"

Sieben jahr'trüb und klar Hänschen in der Fremde war,
da besinnt sich das Kind eilet heim geschwind.
Doch nun ist's kein Hänschen mehr, nein, ein glosser Hans ist er,
braungebrannt Stirn und Hand.
Wirt er wohl erkannt

Eins,zwei,drei,geh'n vorbei wissen nicht wer das wohl sei,
Schwester spricht: "Welch Gesicht",kennt den Bruder nicht !
Doch da kommt sein Mütterlein, schaut ihm kaum in's Aug'hinein,
spricht sie schon:"Hans,mein Sohn, Grüss dich Gott, mein Sohn !"

[Kurt_Steiner]

That is!

Thanks, Kim!

This memory of me...

[Christian W.]

How could a man who did not learn to reload a weapon during his training reach the rank of Captain?

[Kurt_Steiner]

Just by going to the officer's school?

[Ingsoc75]

I just watched my crappy first edition US DVD release of COI again and noticed something peculiar. The scene where Stransky is asking Treibig about preferring a life without women, there is a private who is shining his boots (Treibig's lover I think). He has the winter 1941-42 ribbon on his tunic. I wonder if he would of been in Russia then? Wasn't he with Treibig in Birriatz as well before being transferred?

Another question and Kim Sung might be able to help me out on this one. The S. Korean DVD release

Is it worth getting over the 2nd edition US DVD release?

[Kim Sung]

I've found the whole lyrics of 'Es zittern die morschen Knochen' composed by Hans Baumann in 1932 which wounded German soldiers and nurses sang at the Cross of Iron when a high-ranking German officer visited the field hospital at the tip of Taman peninsula.

1. Es zittern die morschen Knochen
Der Welt vor dem roten Krieg,
Wir haben den Schrecken gebrochen,
Für uns war's ein großer Sieg.
Refrain:

Refrain:
Wir werden weiter marschieren
Wenn alles in Scherben fällt,
Denn heute gehört uns Deutschland
Und morgen die ganze Welt.

2. Und liegt vom Kampfe in Trümmern
Die ganze Welt zuhauf,
Das soll uns den Teufel kümmern,
Wir bauen sie wieder auf.
Refrain:

3. Und mögen die Alten auch schelten,
So laßt sie nur toben und schrei'n,
Und stemmen sich gegen uns Welten,
Wir werden doch Sieger sein.
Refrain:

4. Sie wollen das Lied nicht begreifen,
Sie denken an Knechtschaft und Krieg
Derweil unsre Äcker reifen,
Du Fahne der Freiheit, flieg!
Refrain:

5. Wir werden weiter marschieren,
Wenn alles in Scherben fällt;
Die Freiheit stand auf in Deutschland
Und morgen gehört ihr die Welt.
Refrain:

[blueboyukb]

hi all, not wishing to pour petrol on the flames here, but i recently watched this movie for the first time since about the time it was released.i have to say i couldn`t believe how bad it was!!.james coburn has never, as far as i can recall, been in a decent movie, i don`t know who picks what he does/did, the effects are overdone, with the slow motion !?, james mason is hopelessly miscast, the script is full of cliches,and the over-acting is comical at times. i have to say that it`s not the film i remember, funny how the memory plays tricks over time.don`t want to start a flame war, but had to give my two penneth` .enjoy!.

[Kim Sung]

Another question and Kim Sung might be able to help me out on this one. The S. Korean DVD release

That is a new DVD version released in July 2003.

http://kr.blog.yahoo.com/thddydtjq/4.html

[Brian C]

Nice Troll post Blue : )

I have to agree, I think movies like Battle of the Bulge are far better representations of the war. When I see a T34 in a movie I want to see a M48 or instead of actually seeing a MG42 being used and handled as it was I want to see a .50 cal. This movie gave a very false representation of the way war was fought on the eastern front. The battlefields were too dirty and there was too much smoke and the battle scenes were too cluttered and confused.

(Very tongue in cheek)

Brian

[blueboyukb]

brian it wasn`t meant as a troll. i just find it amazing that many people who visit these boards consider that to be a good war film!. it just looks so dated now, and ... well read the post. it was just my opinion, nothing more. regards, steve.

[Brian C]

Hey Steve,

Ok sorry for the assumption on my part. More often posts like that on boards are meant to just stir up arguments : ). I think you have to look at when the movie was made and compare it with other films of the time. Honestly Hollywood in my mind was putting out crap. The only other good movie in my mind was A Bridge To Far. Hollywood was putting out mainly US propoganda films. When I saw Cross of Iron for the first time, I could not believe it. Real T34's the battle scenes were incredible and watching the MG42's being picked up and moved floored me. Even still I think the battle scenes are one of the best done to date. I really got a sense of confusion and almost deperation watching them. I just wish the movie was based more on the battle rather than the inner battles. You have to keep in mind that the movie was made over 30 years ago and in that light I still think its a great movie. At that time most of the Hollywood war movies were like Battle of the Bulge. Each time I see that movie being advertised my stomach turns.

And personally I like James Cobourn and think James Mason is an amazing actor. But we all can't agree which is cool. We all like different things. That is what choice is all about, besides it causes discussion too : )

Brian