Valkyrie (German: Walküre, as featured in the opening sequence) is a 2008 historical thriller film directed by Bryan Singer, written by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander, starring Tom Cruise. The film is set in Nazi Germany during World War II and depicts the 20 July plot in 1944 by German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and to use the Operation Valkyrie national emergency plan to take control of the country. The film was released by American studio United Artists and stars Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, one of the key plotters. The supporting cast includes Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Eddie Izzard, Terence Stamp, and Tom Wilkinson.
Cruise's casting caused controversy among German politicians and members of the von Stauffenberg family due to the actor's practice of Scientology, which is viewed with suspicion in Germany. Because of this, the filmmakers initially had difficulty setting up filming locations in Germany, but they were later given access to locations such as Berlin's historic Bendlerblock. German newspapers and filmmakers supported the film and its intention to spread global awareness of von Stauffenberg's plot.
The film changed release dates several times, from as early as June 27, 2008, to as late as February 13, 2009. The changing calendar and poor response to United Artists's initial marketing campaign drew criticism about the film's viability; following a positive test screening, Valkyries release in North America was ultimately changed to December 25, 2008, and it opened in Germany on January 22, 2009. United Artists renewed its marketing campaign to reduce its focus on Cruise and to highlight Singer's credentials. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $201 million worldwide.
Plot During World War II, Wehrmacht Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg is serving in Tunisia on the staff of the 10th Panzer Division, where he becomes increasingly disillusioned with the future of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. Stauffenberg loses his left eye, his right hand, and two fingers on his left hand in an air raid and is repatriated to Munich to recover.
Major-General Henning von Tresckow unsuccessfully attempts to assassinate Hitler with a time bomb during a visit to the Werwolf headquarters on the Eastern Front. Resistance member General Hans Oster is arrested by the Gestapo. Stauffenberg is recruited by General Friedrich Olbricht to take Oster's place in the German Resistance, which includes Tresckow, General Ludwig Beck, Dr. Carl Friedrich Goerdeler, and Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben.
Stauffenberg rewrites the plans for Operation Valkyrie, the deployment of the Reserve Army in a state of emergency, as a means to dismantle the Nazi regime after assassinating Hitler. Stauffenberg's position in the Reserve Army grants him direct access to Hitler, who approves the redrafted plan. General Friedrich Fromm, the head of the Reserve Army, is offered a position as head of the Wehrmacht after the coup and although he agrees to remain silent on the offer, he declines to participate. General Erich Fellgiebel, head of communications at Hitler's headquarters, is convinced to participate in the plot.
On 15 July 1944, Stauffenberg attends a strategy meeting at the Wolf's Lair with a bomb, but does not receive permission to proceed as Heinrich Himmler is absent. Stauffenberg leaves and the Reserve Army, mobilised by Olbricht, is ordered to stand down. Fromm threatens Olbricht and Stauffenberg with arrest if they try to control the Reserve Army again. Stauffenberg berates the plotters for their indecisiveness. Goerdeler demands that Stauffenberg be relieved, but Beck informs him that the SS has issued a warrant for his arrest, and that he must leave the country immediately.
Stauffenberg returns to the Wolf's Lair on 20 July. Due to the warm weather, the conference is moved to an open-windowed summer barrack. Stauffenberg places a briefcase containing the bomb close to Hitler before leaving. Colonel Heinz Brandt moves the case behind a table leg. When the bomb explodes, Stauffenberg flees to Berlin, certain that Hitler is dead, not realizing the table leg shielded Hitler and the open conference room dispersed the blast.
Olbricht refuses to mobilise the Reserve Army without confirmation of Hitler's death but Colonel Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim forges his authorization and initiates Valkyrie. The plotters order the arrest of Nazi Party leaders and SS officers, convincing lower officers that the Party and the SS are staging a coup, and soldiers begin to take control of the ministries. Rumors that Hitler survived the blast are dismissed by Stauffenberg as SS propaganda. Knowing Hitler is still alive, Fromm and General Joachim von Kortzfleisch refuse to join the plotters and are arrested.
Major Otto Ernst Remer of the Berlin Guard Battalion attempts to arrest Joseph Goebbels, who connects him by telephone to Hitler. Remer is convinced the Reserve Army has been duped and arrests the plotters inside the Bendlerblock.
To save himself, Fromm convenes an impromptu court-martial, permits Beck to commit suicide and condemns von Quirnheim, Olbricht, Werner von Haeften, and Stauffenberg to immediately face firing squad. Tresckow kills himself in a forest with a grenade; Witzleben, Goerdeler and eventually Fromm are hanged after show trials. This was the last of the 15 known attempts on Hitler's life before his own suicide. The film ends with a quotation from the German Resistance Memorial Center commemorating Stauffenberg and the other conspirators.
Cast
Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the German army Colonel who was instrumental in the conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler: Bryan Singer saw von Stauffenberg as "very much a humanist", saying, "He understood his role as a colonel, but he also understood that the Nazis were doing terrible, terrible, terrible things." Having directed Superman Returns, Singer compared von Stauffenberg's dual identity as loyal colonel and conspirator to Superman and his civilian identity Clark Kent. Cruise had wanted to work with Singer since they met at the premiere for Mission: Impossible, and the actor was enticed by the script's background, the truth of which struck him as a surprise. The actor described von Stauffenberg's heroism: "I thought of it in terms of what [von] Stauffenberg represents. He was someone who realized that he had to take the steps that ultimately cost him his life. ... He recognized what was at stake." Cruise felt von Stauffenberg did not think of himself as a hero. The actor prepared for the role for eight months by hiring a researcher, studying history books, and speaking with some of von Stauffenberg's family. Since von Stauffenberg lost his left eye, right hand and two fingers on his left hand in an Allied attack in Tunisia, Cruise affected the same disabilities to practice dressing, moving items and writing. Cruise initially found the eyepatch difficult to work with but acknowledged that von Stauffenberg had to live with this discomfort. Kenneth Branagh as Major General Henning von Tresckow: Branagh differed physically from the real von Tresckow, who was balding, but Singer said, "if you look at [von] Tresckow's energy, he had an honesty that Branagh has." Bill Nighy as General of Infantry Friedrich Olbricht: Nighy was cast to give a sympathetic quality, so Olbricht would not be the "fall guy". Nighy wanted to convey Olbricht as conflicted between complaining about Hitler's regime and actually doing something about it. The actor described his portrayal, "One of the most disconcerting things imaginable is to put on a Nazi uniform. It's so associated with evil that it took me several days to get used to being in costume." Terence Stamp as Colonel General Ludwig Beck: Singer met Stamp to discuss playing a part in X-Men, having admired him for portraying General Zod in Superman II. Stamp endured the Blitz as a child and aided Singer in staging a scene where the von Stauffenbergs hide from Allied bombings. The actor described his approach to acting: he was not the sort of actor who puts on a mask; rather, he tries to find the place within himself that resonates with the characters he portrays saying that "There has to be a kind of non-judgmental discernment, so when I'm playing villains, they don't think they're particularly villains." Singer said of his direction of Stamp as the heroic and selfless Beck that he sought to find "the part of Terence that would be prepared to fall on his sword for certain ideals" just as Beck had in fact done after being arrested with his co-conspirators for treason. Tom Wilkinson as General Friedrich Fromm, the head of Germany's Reserve Army: Wilkinson was cast to make the treacherous Fromm sympathetic. Carice van Houten as Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, von Stauffenberg's wife: The filmmakers were impressed by her performance in Black Book, and argued she could give a strong performance with minimal dialogue. Screenwriter Nathan Alexander spoke to von Stauffenberg's relatives and noted that, although Nina and Claus never directly spoke about the plot, "in a sense it was all they talked about". Kevin McNally as Dr. Carl Friedrich Goerdeler, a German politician who intended to become chancellor of Germany after a successful coup David Schofield as Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben, a retired general and one of the plotters: Singer and producer Christopher McQuarrie were impressed by Schofield's professionalism and dedication to show up on set for scenes without his character, and the filmmakers expanded his role as a result.Valkyrie DVD commentary featuring Bryan Singer and Christopher McQuarrie, , United Artists. Christian Berkel as Colonel Albrecht Ritter Mertz von Quirnheim, a plotter with knowledge of explosives Jamie Parker as Lieutenant Werner von Haeften, an adjutant to von Stauffenberg who helps the colonel carry out the plot Eddie Izzard as General of Signal Corps Erich Fellgiebel, a German signals officer and plotter, responsible for communications at Hitler's bunker Wolf's Lair David Bamber as Adolf Hitler, the Führer of Germany: During Bamber's audition for the role, Singer was struck by Bamber's eyes and stated that Bamber had a quality that resonated with Hitler. Thomas Kretschmann as Major Otto Ernst Remer, commanding officer of Großdeutschland guard battalion: Kretschmann was the original choice to play von Stauffenberg before Singer joined the production, when McQuarrie was intending to direct. Harvey Friedman as Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda and a member of Hitler's inner circle Kenneth Cranham as Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, the head of the OKW and a member of Hitler's inner circle Matthias Freihof as Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS and a member of Hitler's inner circle Waldemar Kobus as Wolf-Heinrich Graf von Helldorf, chief of the Berlin police who pledges his and men's assistance in carrying out the plot Halina Reijn as Margarethe von Oven, secretary in the Bendlerblock: Reijn co-starred with fellow Dutchwoman Carice van Houten in Black Book. Werner Daehn as Major Ernst John von Freyend Tom Hollander as Colonel Heinz Brandt Matthias Schweighöfer as Lieutenant Bernard Hill as a general working with von Stauffenberg during the Tunisian campaign: While he is not named in the film, the 10th Panzer Division's commander while von Stauffenberg was serving with it was Lieutenant General Wolfgang Fischer. Ian McNeice as the composite "Pompous General" who attempts to disrupt the coup headquarters: Though the general is not named in the film, McQuarrie and Alexander said the character was based on General Joachim von Kortzfleisch, who tried to disrupt the coup in the same fashion. as Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, chief of the Luftwaffe and a member of Hitler's inner circle. as Albert Speer, Minister of Armaments and a member of Hitler's inner circle.