The story follows a group of German soldiers, from their Italian R&R in the summer of 1942 to the frozen steppes of Soviet Russia and ending with the battle for Stalingrad.The story follows a group of German soldiers, from their Italian R&R in the summer of 1942 to the frozen steppes of Soviet Russia and ending with the battle for Stalingrad.The story follows a group of German soldiers, from their Italian R&R in the summer of 1942 to the frozen steppes of Soviet Russia and ending with the battle for Stalingrad.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 1 nomination
- Pfarrer Renner
- (as Eckhardt A. Wachholz)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe original screenplay was written by Christoph Fromm but the producers disagreed with his more realistic direction and had it rewritten. Consequently, Fromm took his name off the film.
- GoofsTowards the end of film a Ju52 drops a single supply parachute. When dropped out of the plane and falling towards ground, it is green, when they recover it on the ground it is white. (In reality the Luftwaffe was first using white parachutes until they realized it is too difficult to spot white parachutes on the snowy ground.)
- Quotes
Lt. Hans von Witzland: The best thing about the cold is...
[Witzland dies]
Fritz Reiser: [holding the body, he laughs] You don't have to worry about sunburn. Ever been to the desert? You'd hate it. It's so hot, you're always sweating. You think you're melting, like butter. The desert is shit. Except for the stars. They're so close, you know?
[dies]
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005)
The combat scenes themselves are even more horrific. In one scene a German soldier hits a Russian over the head with a shovel as the Russian is trying to kill Ltn. von Witzland. In another scene a German soldier is cut in half by a Russian tank shell. There are many other gruesome scenes in the film, but they are necessary. The world has to see what happened in the Battle of Stalingrad. To see its brutality. To have its heart broken at the horrendous waste of the soldiers' lives. Over 2 million people lost there lives. Only 6000 of Field Marshal Paulus' 250,000-man 6th Army survived the battle. As with the battle, the film itself does not have a happy ending. And that's the way it should be. And as you watch this film, remember one thing, not every German soldier who fought in the war was a criminal. They were mostly decent people caught up in events well beyond their control.
- ItemCo16527
- Mar 26, 2003
- Permalink
Details
Box office
- Budget
- DEM 20,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $152,972
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,882
- May 29, 1995
- Gross worldwide
- $152,972
- Runtime2 hours 14 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1