Who's Who?

Tom Cruise Kenneth Branagh Bill Nighy Tom Wilkinson Carice van Houten Thomas Kretschmann Terence Stamp Eddie Izzard Kevin McNally Christian Berkel Andy Gatjen Jamie Parker David Bamber Tom Hollander David Schofield Kenneth Cranham Halina Reijn Werner Daehn Harvey Friedman Matthias Schweighöfer Anton Algrang

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Col Claus von Stauffenberg Maj-Gen Henning von Tresckow Gen Friedrich Olbricht Gen Friedrich Fromm Nina von Stauffenberg Major Otto Ernst Remer Ludwig Beck Gen Erich Fellgiebel Dr Carl Goerdeler Col Mertz von Quirnheim Angry SS Officer Lieutenant Werner von Haeften Adolf Hitler Col Heinz Brandt Erwin von Witzleben Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel Margarethe von Oven Major Ernst John von Freyend Dr Joseph Goebbels Lieutenant Herber Albert Speer

The Inside Story Bryan Singer's direction is known for its edge of your seat tension and gripping storytelling. But with Valkyrie, Singer brings those cinematic skills to a completely different kind of story: a true tale of extreme daring from inside the Nazi regime. Although the events and heroes depicted in "Valkyrie" are real, they share much in common with the kinds of stories and characters that have always drawn Singer’s attention. Executive producer and long-time collaborator Chris Lee ("S.W.A.T.") notes: "What always sets Bryan’s movies apart are the complexity of their characters, the emotions, and the absence of complete black and white, all married with a sense of pacing and action. Bryan's ability to balance lots of intriguing characters started with The Usual Suspects and continued with the X-Men movies. Now it contributes something very powerful to the mosaic of remarkable individuals who make up Valkyrie." The story of "Valkyrie" was brought to Singer’s attention by Oscar ® winning screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie ("The Usual Suspects"). In the winter of 2002, McQuarrie was in Berlin doing research for another project when, during a tour of the city, he came across Stauffenbergstrasse, the street named after German Resistance fighter Claus von Stauffenberg. There he found the Bendlerblock, the site of a monument to the German Resistance that McQuarrie found profoundly moving. "Berlin is a city of monuments," McQuarrie’s guide told him, "but this is the only monument to any German who served in World War II." "Of course, I wanted to know more," says McQuarrie. "Here was a very complex, remarkable story that most people outside of Germany had never heard before. It was a story that revealed not all Germans supported Hitler, that there were all kinds of resistors, including those in the military, and some who were willing to stand up and say no. The more I learned, the more I knew it would make a fantastic movie." And so it began. Continuing his research, McQuarrie was drawn in by Stauffenberg and his key role in planning the July 20th 1944 assassination plot against Hitler: including his ultimately carrying the bomb intended to change the world. He began to see the story not just as a tale of mounting suspense, but one about the wages of courage and the way courage operates under extreme fire. "A theme I am always attracted to is that of someone who is forced to step outside their reality and, by doing so, becoming a far bigger person," McQuarrie said. McQuarrie tapped writing partner Nathan Alexander to begin the intensive task of researching Stauffenberg’s complicated life and, most important, the precise machinations of the plot to assassinate Hitler. As Alexander began poring through books, articles, court transcripts, and archival footage, he became increasingly excited about the potential to tell the story in a fresh and compelling way. "Stauffenberg is a fascinating character from the outset, this charismatic German officer with one eye and one hand," says Alexander. "The more I learned about him, the more fascinated I became by who he was and how he ultimately came to do what he did." As they wrote, the duo developed a unique process: Alexander would write an extremely detailed draft focusing strictly on the historical timeline, then McQuarrie would in turn write a draft zeroing in on maximizing the dramatic effect. "We’d go back and forth between these two poles until the pendulum rested in balance between the two," says McQuarrie. Ultimately, they found that the drama and tension of the story were inherent in the truth of what happened during this mission. The only significant changes McQuarrie and Alexander made to the facts of the story were compressing the timeline to fit a sleek, two hour screenplay structure and compressing the number of characters involved; although some two hundred people were hanged for their involvement and around seven hundred were arrested in direct connection with the July 20th Plot, a tightly woven film narrative could only follow a handful of key players. McQuarrie and Alexander also discovered that the bombing was only half the story. The aftermath and the execution of Operation Valkyrie was filled with so many surprises: from fatal hesitation to soaring bravery, that it would keep the anxiety accelerating. They screenwriters came to realize that many of those in the military did not know how inhumane things would become under Hitler until it was too late. "This was a culture where people truly believed that when you gave your word it was for life, and these men had all sworn an oath of loyalty to Hitler," McQuarrie noted. "Yet they ultimately reasoned that Hitler broke his oath to the country with the atrocities he and his ministers were perpetrating. It was an agonizing moral dilemma." Many might view Valkyrie as a departure for Singer, but those who know his work best see thematic similarities running through the film. Producer Gilbert Adler ("Superman Returns"), notes: "Stauffenberg is, in a way, a real-life counterpart to what we look for in cinematic heroes: an ordinary man moved to extraordinary actions." "Bryan is not only a filmmaker but a real history buff," Lee revealed, "and I think those two great passions come through in the level of detail in each frame as well as in the detail in character and emotion." "I’ve always had an interest in exploring the Third Reich," Singer says. "Valkyrie was a chance to segue into a realistic portrayal of that world through an extraordinary true story about a leader who was destroying a country: and much of the world, and the men who decided to try to stop it. At a very young age, I learned there were Germans who had tried to kill Hitler." Singer also met with a number of people who could give him an inside perspective. "We had private meetings with members of the Stauffenberg family. On the other side, we met with Hitler’s former bodyguard, who, I believe, was the last person to leave the bunker where Hitler committed suicide. These meetings were done specifically to bring new perspectives and ideas to the material." But just who was Stauffenberg? Descended from seven hundred years of German nobility, Stauffenberg grew up in Bavaria as part of an elite family. He became an officer cadet at nineteen. He attended the War Academy in Berlin and joined the General Staff in 1938 as a quartermaster officer in General Erich Hoepner's 1st Light Division, which was renamed 6th Panzer Division in November 1939. From the end of May 1940 to the end of January 1943, Stauffenberg served in the Army High Command/General Staff Headquarters. In early 1943, Stauffenberg served with the 10th Panzer Division in Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps. On April 7, 1943, he was seriously wounded at Sebkhet en Noual, south of Mezzouna in the North African desert, when Allied fighters strafed his vehicle. He lost his left eye, right hand, and last two fingers of his left hand after surgery. Stauffenberg is a real-life hero, but in the context of a movie he’s also an incredible character to portray. The filmmakers felt 2005 David di Donatello Award winner Tom Cruise was the perfect actor to take on the daunting role. "Stauffenberg was an intense, charismatic individual, so we needed an actor who could really portray that. I was really excited when Tom came on board. Very few actors are able to pull off those hero roles, but Tom completely does," 2001 Empire Award winning director Singer ("X-Men") explained. "When I first read the script, it was incredibly compelling on many different levels, from a historical perspective but also as a great thriller. I was fascinated by the conspiracy. It was dynamic and suspenseful from the opening to the end. Then finding out it was based on a true story: it’s even more mind-blowing", three time Golden Globe winning actor Cruise ("Born on the Fourth of July", "Jerry Maguire" & "Magnolia") says. "That combination made it very interesting for me." One of the challenges Cruise faced was Stauffenberg’s physical scarring from his injuries in North Africa, including wearing an eye patch. "The eye patch was very difficult," he recalls. "At first it threw my balance off, and I would imagine the kind of physical discomfort he had to live with." Wearing Stauffenberg’s uniform also proved difficult. "Putting on that uniform and looking at the world from that perspective was disturbing. I didn’t like it at all. It definitely changes your viewpoint." "What Tom also brings is his experience as a filmmaker and storyteller," says McQuarrie. "The script only got better, the character only became clearer, our understanding of the history and our understanding of where we were in this universe, it all only became clearer as a result of Tom being involved." When she married handsome, aristocratic Claus von Stauffenberg in 1933, Nina von Stauffenberg, a baroness, could not have known the sacrifices she would ultimately make for her beloved husband and country. Ultimately, Nina would be one of the few to survive the events of July 20. She was imprisoned in the Ravensbrück concentration camp where she gave birth to her fifth child, Konstanze. After the war she and her family built new lives in West Germany where she lived until her death on April 2nd 2006 at the age of ninety two. Dutch actress Carice van Houten, a three time Nederlands Film Festival Golden Calf winner for Best Actress (1999, 2005 & '06) was cast as Nina. "Nina might not have a lot of words in this story, but she brings a lot of feelings. Nina understood what they were doing was not only about trying to save their family but also the country and the world," the 2007 & '08 Rembrandt Award winning Best Dutch Actress ("Zwartboek" & "Alles is liefde") explained. A member of a noble Prussian family with a long military history, Major-Gen Henning von Tresckow was considered a brilliant strategist with a long record of distinguished service in Germany. 1990 & '98 Evening Standard British Film Award winning actor Kenneth Branagh ("Henry V" & "Hamlet") was cast as von Tresckow. "The strength and depth of this cast made it a real privilege to be a part of it," he says. "But it’s no surprise. The story is so strong and Bryan Singer is such a terrific director, it’s no wonder so many very talented people joined up." Friedrich Olbricht was a military hero who had been awarded the Iron Cross and served as leader of the General Army Office in the Army Leadership High Command. Golden Globe winner Bill Nighy ("Gideon's Daughter") notes: "People like Olbricht were deeply ashamed to be associated with this buffoon and they also deeply grieved the loss of men caused by these reckless military campaigns. It was important to me to show a great amount of respect to him and to give his situation dignity and humanity" The Verdict "For those out there who may dismiss "Valkyrie" as just another film starring Tom Cruise: forget it, because Cruise does give a strong performance as Col Claus von Stauffenberg. Many are quick to point out that "Cruise is always Cruise". Of course he is! Just like John Wayne was John Wayne; Jerry Lewis was Jerry Lewis; Rock Hudson was Rock Hudson; Robin Williams in comedic mode is Robin Williams; Will Ferrel is usually Will Ferrel; Adam Sandler is Adam Sandler and, heaven forbid: even Meryl Streep can be Meryl Streep. Problem with that arguement is, the record shows they have all been successful and all were or still are, very popular with audiences. What takes a little of the shine off three time Academy ® Award nominee Cruises performance as von Stauffenberg is that he is surrounded by so many interesting characters played so well by the supporting cast members. And, thanks to Bryan Singer's direction (and despite many of us in the audience already knowing the outcome), a dreaded sense of foreboding pervades the film right from the opening scenes in North Africa. Those cinemagoers who appreciate an absorbing, historically based recreation of a true story will find "Valkyrie" very entertaining. Highly recommended. 4 STARS." Synopsis

A proud military man, Colonel Stauffenberg is a loyal officer who loves his country but has been forced to watch with horror as the rise of Hitler has led to the events of World War II. He has continued his military service, all the while hoping someone will find a way to stop Hitler before Europe and Germany are destroyed. Realizing time is running out, Stauffenberg decides he must take action himself, and in 1942, on his own initiative, attempts to persuade senior commanders in the East to confront and overthrow Hitler. In 1943, while recovering from combat injuries, Stauffenberg joins forces with the long-existing civilian anti-Hitler conspiracy, a group of men hidden inside the highest reaches of power. Armed with a cunning strategy to use Hitler's own emergency plan Operation Valkyrie and remove those in power and cripple his regime, they plot to assassinate the dictator and overthrow his government. With everything in place, and with the future of the world, the fate of millions, and the lives of his wife and children hanging in the balance, Stauffenberg is thrust from being one who opposes Hitler to being the one who must kill Hitler himself.

What Do The Critics Say?

"The top priority of Bryan Singer's film is not to be a history lesson or character study but to simply be an absorbing adult suspense film." Michael Dequina MR BROWN'S MOVIES "For a thriller with a thoroughly foreordained outcome, Valkyrie does a pretty good job at making the viewer's palms sweat." Dana Stevens SLATE "Valkyrie is a highly intelligent and deeply engrossing historical drama and, frame for frame, the year's most suspenseful nail-biter." William Arnold SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER "This is chew-your-fingernails country. Anyone who misses it simply because it stars a couch-jumping Scientologist is missing a great film." Gina Carbone SEACOAST NEWSPAPERS "A slick, starry thriller that entertains for the full two-hour running time without threatening to do much more than that." Robbie Collin NEWS OF THE WORLD "A well-paced thriller that sheds light on a little-known piece of World War II history." Vicky Roach DAILY TELEGRAPH "Put away the knives aimed at Cruise and just enjoy the solid work he keeps putting out." Michael Dance THE CINEMA SOURCE "The performances truly stand out, led by Tom Cruise and several members of the supporting cast." Gary Brown HOUSTON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS "As old-fashioned historical escapism goes, this is solid, compelling stuff." Tom Huddlestone TIME OUT "Valkyrie is a brutally efficient bit of storytelling, and it makes no unforced errors." Philip Kennicott WASHINGTON POST "A taut, suspenseful WWII thriller. Bryan Singer's exhaustive research pays off by lending this film a stylistic 'period' feel." Frank Wilkins REEL TALK MOVIE REVIEWS "Cruise, who already delivered a great performance this summer in "Tropic Thunder," is at the top of his game here." Michael A Smith NOLAN'S POP CULTURE REVIEW

Crew Bytes "VALKYRIE" was .......
directed by Two time Saturn Award winner Bryan Singer ["Lion's Den", "Public Access" and "Superman Returns"]; casting by Roger Mussenden ["Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo", ""Superman Returns" & "Get Smart"]; costume design by Joanna Johnston ["War Of The Worlds", "Munich" and "The Spiderwick Chronicles"]; production design by Lilly Kilvert ["To Live Ans Die In L.A.", "In the Line of Fire", "Hart's War" and "The Last Samurai"]; edited by 1996 BAFTA Film Best Editing Award winner John Ottman ["Lion's Den", "Public Access", "The Usual Suspects" and "Superman Returns"]; cinematography by 2005 USA Film Festival Grand Prize winner Newton Thomas Sigel ["Confessions of a Dangerous Mind", "The Big Empty" and "Superman Returns"]; original music by 2007 Saturn Award winning composer John Ottman ["Eight Legged Freaks", "Trapped", "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "Superman Returns"]. Run Time 121 minutes Rated M [AUST] ©2009 - Twentieth Century Fox Films - All Rights Reserved ©2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark laws applied.