Cross of Iron

You don't need another "best action shows" list — Cross of Iron in Australia on Cultpix and Rialto Amazon Channel, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Cultpix belongs on it anyway. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 490 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. No filler scenes, no spinning wheels between the action. Available now on Cultpix — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Cross of Iron earns its spot. Cross of Iron moves fast and earns its action sequences rather than just delivering them. It is 1943, and the German army—ravaged and demoralised—is hastily retreating from the Russian front. In the midst of the madness, conflict brews between the aristocratic yet ultimately pusillanimous Captain Stransky and the courageous Corporal Steiner. Stransky is the only man who believes that the Third Reich is still vastly superior to the Russian army. James Coburn and Maximilian Schell lead a cast that earns every set piece rather than just filling it. It hit screens in 1977. Cross of Iron earns its bigger moments by making you care about the outcome before it happens. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Action fans who want craft and story alongside the spectacle will find exactly that in Cross of Iron. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. James Coburn anchors the chaos with real screen presence. Every set piece here is doing more than one job at once.

Cross of Iron was released in 1977, directed by Sam Peckinpah. The full 133-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.