


Cold War adversaries Col. Jack Knowles and his Russian counterpart, Col. Valachev, are stationed on opposite sides of the German-Czech border. Both men are responsible for a group of troops in their remote settings, and both have been shaped by their combat experiences and a shared aversion to their superiors' ways of doing things. After a defector is killed, things escalate into a full-fledged battle with serious geopolitical ramifications.

Roy Scheider
Col. Jack Knowles

Jürgen Prochnow
Col. Valachev

Tim Reid
Lt. Col. Clark

Lara Harris
Elena

Harry Dean Stanton
Gen. Hackworth

Dale Dye
Sergeant Major

William MacDonald
MP Corporal

David Palffy
Gawky Soldier
Neil Grahn
Needle-Nose Soldier

Ernie Jackson
Knowles Driver
Ron Campbell
Young US Soldier
John Dodds
Defector
Richard Durven
Young Soldier
Harold Hecht Jr.
Dwayne
Alice Pesta
Hannelore
Gregory A. Gale
Communications Corporal
Henry Kope
Mayor

Guy Buller
Czech Guard
George Scholl
Innkeeper
Garry Galinsky
Red Private #1
John Frankenheimer
Stephen Peters, Kenneth Ross
Released