Steiner - Cross of Iron II

Following the immensely successful and profitable School Girl Report movies producer Wolf C. Hartwig could afford a much bigger international production: Steiner – Cross of Iron, based on a World War II novel, should be directed by none other than Sam Peckinpah. The music was supposed to come from the pen of Peter Thomas. Unfortunately, the two did not get along (interview with Peter Thomas in “Der Filmkomponist Peter Thomas” by Gerd Naumann, 2009 ibidem Verlag). In the end, the American composer Ernest Gold wrote the music. Despite several financial squabbles the film became a great  international success in 1977.

A sequel followed quickly. It was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and the score was now written by Peter Thomas. The new director and the composer hit it off right away. The title melody by Peter Thomas was released as a single by Ariola shortly after the film premiere in 1979. The film Steiner – Cross of Iron II, however, was unable to match the success of the previous part, despite the top-class cast. An already considered LP release of the soundtrack was therefore no longer pursued.