| Director | Andrew V. McLaglen, Roxann Dawson |
|---|---|
| Genre | drama film, war film |
| Runtime | 111 min |
| Country | Germany, United Kingdom |
| Budget | $7.2 million |
Starting in late May 1944, during the German retreat on the Eastern Front, Captain Stransky (Helmut Griem) orders Sergeant Steiner (Richard Burton) to blow up a railway tunnel to prevent Russian forces from using it. Steiner's platoon fails in its mission after coming up against a Russian tank. He then takes a furlough to Paris just as the Allies launch their invasion of Normandy.
Steiner's unit is transferred to France, occupying the village of St Bologne. General Hoffman (Curd Jürgens) orders Steiner to cross into nearby enemy territory and confer with American Colonel Rogers (Robert Mitchum) and General Webster (Rod Steiger), informing him that the High Command of the German Army (Wehrmacht) is plotting to assassinate Hitler and would like to surrender. The plan fails and American forces launch an attack on German forces in St Bologne where Stransky has planned an explosion to destroy both the Americans and the civilian inhabitants.
Colonel Rogers and Sgt. Anderson take a jeep with a white flag and approach St Bologne. The Germans fire on them per Stransky’s orders. Rogers and Anderson return to the tanks. The Americans start toward St. Bologne, unaware of the explosives planted in the town.
Steiner tells Stransky not to go ahead with the explosions. Stransky shoots him and leaves.
The German look-outs are killed. As the Americans enter the square the Germans prepare to set off the dynamite. Steiner, still alive, disconnects the main switch connecting the explosions. He then goes up the stairs and shoots the German soldiers and Stransky, saving Rogers’ life. The Germans start firing on the tanks. Steiner moves civilians out of the line of fire. The remaining Germans surrender.
Steiner walks through the burning town. One of the Germans shoots Anderson. Steiner shoots the German soldier, saving Rogers again.
Steiner clearly sympathises more with the Americans, even to the extent of killing his fellow soldiers.