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Breakthrough

Name: Breakthrough
Genre: Drama, History, War
Released: 1979-03-01
Cast: Richard Burton, Rod Steiger, Robert Mitchum, Véronique Vendell, Werner Pochath

1979 | 93 min | Drama, History, War

Monday Morning Maybeearly rating

Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe

With a panning from critics, soft box office and little lasting buzz, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for history buffs. If you loved Saving Private Ryan or Fury, start here.
The mood: Intense.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 33 min.
What might put you off: It's in German, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Made in 1979: an older pace and style.

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 by coming up against a Russian tank. Steiner then takes a furlough to Paris just as the Allies launch their invasion of Normandy.

How it earned its rating

CriticsWeak
Panned by critics
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 24K people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen

Richard BurtonSergeant Steiner
Rod SteigerGeneral Webster
Robert MitchumColonel Rogers
Véronique VendellYvette
Werner PochathKeppel
Klaus LöwitschKrüger
Michael ParksSergeant Anderson
Helmut GriemMajor Stransky
Curd JürgensGeneral Hofmann
Horst JansonCaptain Berger