While dodging Russian bullets and Nazi spies he also has to deal with his new commander Captain Stransky (Maximillian Schell), a mad Prussian obsessed with winning the Iron Cross no matter the cost (though preferably without having to do any actual fighting).
It is a tough film, uncompromising and filled with brutality and violence with some very good and realistic battle scenes. The film is all about the darker side of humanity, there is lightness though at times but usually showing the absurdity of life such as when Stransky is trying to show he can earn his Iron Cross but cannot even load his machine pistol. A great supporting cast including James Mason and David Warner make this a pretty special film.
