Cruise as Stauffenberg: 'Valkyrie' under fire

Tom Cruise and Colonel Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg

Roger Friedman of Fox News is critical of Tom Cruise's upcoming film Valkyrie. Cruise plays Stauffenberg, a German colonel who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb planted in a briefcase.

"Valkyrie," the movie about the failed 1944 assassination plot to kill Adolf Hitler, has already cost United Artists between $90 million and $100 million, sources tell me.

That’s why UA was so eager to cut a deal with the Writers Guild over the weekend and get back to work. Still pending on this film — which no one in their right mind actually wants to see — are a number of big reshoots as well as a huge battle scene that hasn’t been shot yet.

It makes you wonder what they spent the $90 million on so far? Tom Cruise’s eye patch?

I don't know why he believes "no one in their right mind" would want to see the film. A search for "Hitler" at any news site reveals a world still fascinated by Hitler. Does Friedman believe an interest in Valkyrie amounts to supporting the Nazis? This is doubtful, seeing as the film centers on an historical figure who came close to assassinating Hitler. Is the film projected to be bad? Perhaps he doesn't like Cruise, or Scientology, or both?

July 20 Plot

The assassination attempt is referred to as the July 20 plot, having taken place July 20, 1944 at Hitler's East Prussian war headquarters (known as Wolf's Lair). Colonel Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg planted a bomb in the headquarters, killing four of the 20 people in the room. Hitler was wounded, but not seriously.

German authorities eventually made thousands of arrests in connection with the plot, and conducted many executions. The numbers vary from 5,000 arrested and 200 executed, to nearly 5,000 executed.

From the BBC's story in 1944:

A senior officer, Colonel Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg, has been blamed for planting the bomb at a meeting at which Hitler and other senior members of the General Staff were present.

Hitler has sustained minor burns and concussion but, according to the news agency, managed to keep his appointment with Italian leader Benito Mussolini.

From the Jewish Virtual Library:

Over the next few months most of the (plotters), including Wilhelm Canaris, Carl Goerdeler, Julius Leber, Ulrich Hassell, Hans Oster, Peter von Wartenburg, Henning von Tresckow, Ludwig Beck, Erwin von Witzleben and Friedrich Fromm, were either executed or committed suicide.

It is etimated [sic] that 4,980 Germans were executed after the July Plot. Hitler decided that the leaders should have a slow death. They were hung with piano wire from meat-hooks. Their executions were filmed and later shown to senior members of both the NSDAP and the armed forces.

It is in connection with the July 20 plot that Field Marshal Erwin Rommel committed suicide. Rommel is one of few top Nazis who earned Allied respect -- even before his involvement with the assassination attempt became known.

Rommel in Tobruk

Related photos from my collection:

Stauffenberg

Wolf's Lair after the attempt

The pants Hitler wore at the time of the explosion;
David Irving says they still exist

Hermann Goring surveys the site

This photo was taken July 20, after the bombing; Hitler
wanted to show the German people and the world that
he was unhurt and still in charge; walking beside Goring,
Hitler clutches his wounded arm

Moments later

Links
Fox News "Valkyrie" story
Valkyrie at UA, with trailer
Valkyrie at IMDB
Jewish Virtual Library's July 20 plot page
BBC's July 20, 1944 story about assassination attempt