Books, Movies, Music & Entertainment - Valkyrie

I've been waiting for this movie for a while and thought the project may have been scrapped but, alas, I saw it advertised on TV last night. But Tom Cruise as Oberst von Stauffenberg? Hardly. I just know he's going to have a really dumb German accent and continue his bad habit of overacting...he's always yelling like Billy Mays.

It's to be released sometime in December.

I saw one set of trailers on this. I fear they will make it look like Stauffenberg is the starting force. I also wonder if they will treat it as if this is the first and only attempt. (It was not, the attempts go back to 1938).

Kieth99 - nice avatar. We'll have to be sure and revisit this thread after we see the movie.

I just finished Albert Speer's memoirs and am moving on to Shirer's The Rise and Fall Of The Third Riech - that's going to be a job. Toland's The Last 100 days is also very good if you haven't read that one.

Do not be intimidated by the size of Shirer's book. It is a magnificent work. You will love it if you have any interest whatsoever in the topic.

It's been 25 years or better since I read R&Fot3R. It's got a thorough treatment of Stauffenberg. Has scholarship changed on the role of Rommel? The last article I read suggested that Rommel was not part of the plot at all...

I would imagine that like many Hollywood pics, actual historical facts will only play a supporting role ;)

I thought you were talking about this:



I watched "Das Rheingold" on DVD yesterday, and I'm going to watch "Die Walküre" tomorrow. Beats a Tom Cruise movie, I'm sure :p

It's been 25 years or better since I read R&Fot3R. It's got a thorough treatment of Stauffenberg. Has scholarship changed on the role of Rommel? The last article I read suggested that Rommel was not part of the plot at all...

Last I read it seems Rommel was sort of mixed. He was involved in at least one fizzle I think. His non-involvement may have been enough to leqad to his death.

One of the shocking things with Hitler was the plots that misfired. One was a factory tour, cancelled because we destroyed the factory the day before. Another was where a match pistol marksman was going to give it a try. He as an aide de camp for a high ranking officer. The very day of the planned attemt the rules changed. No aide de camps in Fuhrer meetings. But never any fallout, no arrrests 2 months later. Nothing to indicate they suspected, just one possibility closed at the very last minute.

Kieth99 - nice avatar. We'll have to be sure and revisit this thread after we see the movie.

I just finished Albert Speer's memoirs and am moving on to Shirer's The Rise and Fall Of The Third Riech - that's going to be a job. Toland's The Last 100 days is also very good if you haven't read that one.

My knowledge in htis area was gathered in a rather strange way. First became interested in Bonhoeffer and from there to Cannaris and Oster in the Abwer and a few others.

At one time I found a great internet site, but it is gone now. One thing on that site was a list of many who died. It was rahter long. Also was the army battalion with the distinction of having the most officers executed. The numbers 7, 9 and 20 come to mind. But I can't remember if it was 7th battalion of the 20th division or some different arangement. I do remember it was based out of Pottsdam (which becomes all but useless for computer searches because of the pottsdam conference). Also remember a big point in hte commander's decisions was Kristalnacht. The whole time he was waiting for orders to do something, just as someone in our national guard would wait for orders during a riot. They never came and he realized that it was NOT a spontanious riot.

Oh and ther is one thing that will really impress me if the film mentions it at all. FDR had forced things to be unconditional surrender or nothing. This all but killed German resistance. Any mention at all will both surprise and please me. It relates to the things I found strangeest of all. Many officers declined to become involved, but after the point where it was quite clear what others planned. Many but none went running to the NAZIs with that information. Of course only those thought to be sympathetic were approached, but still amazing.

EDIT:
Thanks about the avatar. It was either this one of one from July 14th that includes Hitler or one og Hans Oster. But the size we get determined it had to be this one, the others were more distant shots. I admire Oster in a way different from anyone else. He hatched a plot within a plot. In 1938 others plotted to arrest and try or find Insane Hitler. Even then Oster realized Hitler must die and arranged for a tragic crossfire. Unfortunatly when the allies let Germany have Chechoslovika both plots fizzled.

I just saw it called a suspenseful thriller.

How, exaxtly, can a movie about (mostly) historical facts be called "suspenseful"? It's been written in the history books since WWII ended.

I just saw it called a suspenseful thriller.

How, exaxtly, can a movie about (mostly) historical facts be called "suspenseful"? It's been written in the history books since WWII ended.

Especially since at teh macro level one would think anyone (Except perhaps some Japaneese soldiers stranded on a Pacific Island) would know Hitler was not assassinated.