I got the Valkyrie movie on DVD and on the one hand it wasn’t so bad, and on the other hand it was disappointing. Let me just set up the movie without giving away the ending; although since it’s based on historical reality, you may already know what happens. The backdrop is set around the 1940s, in Nazi Germany. Tom Cruise plays the lead role of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.
This is why the movie is a bummer (at least for me): I was hoping to hear the movie in German. You know, authenticity… Why not have the actors speak German and have the English subtitles on the bottom? Another reason why the movie was so-so is that Tom Cruise is playing the lead. I was hoping for a German actor who could speak German play the role. Maybe I’m expecting too much from a Hollywood produced movie…
To be fair, there were moments where I was on the edge of my seat thinking, don’t get caught, don’t get caught! In terms of character similarity, Cruise looks like the Colonel. However, a little makeup and an eye patch could probably do the same for other actors as well. Maybe I’m being harsh, the title of the movie is Valkyrie, not Colonel von Stauffen, so of course there isn’t going to be an in depth analysis of the guy’s character. I guess I’m one of those documentary type people.
Anyway, I’m curious to know what some of you thought about the movie. Leave a comment in the comment section. Did you love it, hate it, don’t care?
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17 Comments
Very nice article! But the movie has to go to the category needless film ever. So many rumors about this. There are more interesting films. And Stauffenberg was very important but also part of the system, we dont have do forget this fact.
I recommend you “Sophie Scholl” or Napola.
Liebe Grüsse
Daniel
I saw the movie when it was in the theater and loved it. Found it a little loud in some parts though.
Natasha suggested I e-mail my grammatical questions, vielleicht, on this site. Ich bin teil deutsch, aber Ich habe wirlicklich nie deutsch studiert (oder gelernt). Ich find die deutsche Grammatik sehr schwerich.
Die schwerigkiet passiert wenn ich schreibe Kompliert saetze mie phrases oder clauses innen einen Satz. Zu Beispeil, Kant hat viele wichtige Bucher geschrieben. Sein wichitigste Buch war Die Kritik der Reinen Vernunft wo er beanworte Hume mit sein aprioi Kategorie von der Geist. Hume sah keine Logik swichen cause and effect und Kant sagte Idee von cause existiert in dem Geist. I habe nicht mein Punkt gemacht. Ich bin muede, weil I habe so vielen Sache (Dingen) tun (oder machen)
Vielen Dank.
mit Freundlich Gruessen,
Bob Von Heydendathl Rhodes
The problem with tom cruise is that he’s always tom cruise in a movie. He doesn’t really change and become the character like many of the old actors could. Russell Crowe is good at being absorbed into his roles–with him you see the character, not Crowe.
Help Yohann,
Could we have some, at least, German words, even better, complete sentences incorporated in your articles. This seems more like an English lesson than help with the German language.
Your predecessor had it spot on.
Best wishes, M
M. Monteiro D’Silva,
I think you have to be considerate of the way you say things. I took ofense to your comment, “This seems more like an English lesson than help with the German language” and “Your predecessor had it spot on”. If you’re that interested in German try the German Byki series.
I’m so sorry that you took offence. This was really not my intention but only a comment, which I thought was quite in order.
Apologies, sorry and sorry again……
I have to say I couldn’t bring myself to see this film with Tom Cruise in the lead. I see von Stauffenberg as one of the great heroes - a man who stepped up to the plate when he had everything to lose-his name, position,life.I agree absolutely with you - it should have been played by a German -although at a stretch, I could see Ralph Fiennes or Viggo Mortenson in the role -but never Tom Cruise. Looking very stern and trying to square off his jaw just isn’t enough!
I enjoyed the historical aspect of the movie. Tom Cruise (in my opinion) was unbelievable (unglaublich)
as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and I thought he (Tom Crusie) was a poor choice for portrayal of the Colonel.
Robert
When watching any German movie, I want to hear it in German (English subtitles are okay).
As for Tom Cruise, I think his role as Colonel von Stauffen left a lot to be desired. He did not become the character he portrayed. It was Tom Cruise pretending to be the Colonel.
M.Monteiro D’Silva,
Ok, apology accepted. In the next few days I’m going to try to add some passages in German and have the translation in English. Just one thing, this is only my first week, and I’m just trying to get the hang of things, so please be patient with me
I found the movie quite good from a historical and military perspective. I was stationed in Berlin in the 1970s, so this movie brought back memories of the city especially places like Templehof. I take Hollywood with a large grain of salt and expect movies to provide not only entertainmnet but the motives and bias of the producers.
Yohann: I enjoyed the movie because of the fact that is was and is a documentary film about the German history. The german language that you missed would have maybe been a headache (kophschmetzen) for the film maker, but would have added more realizem to the movie. The german language has alway excited me, but never, till now had daily time to devote to it. I will purchase the DVD, as well as anything that will help me learn the language.
Well Yohann,
if you’re offended by the comments of M. Monteiro D’Silva, it’s a sad day for constructive feedback. I thought the comments were fair and didn’t come over as offensive to this neutral observer. Your predecessor used a good mixture of English and German and I see you’ve adopted a similar style now in any case, so well done to you! I thought most folks getting your blog by email were BYKI users, so I suspect M. Monteiro D’Silva is already a convert, like me.
Keep up the good work,
Iain
Dear German blog readers, please remember that people with different levels of proficiency read the blog, so it is definitely a good idea to have a mix of both “beginner” and “advanced” posts.
Movie was an excellent reminder of a time that we all need to never forget. I think that it is also important to understand that the people of the world for the most part can get along but that it is the leader, politicians, warlords and monarchs that keep us in our current state.
Back to the movie, Tom did an excellent job, well written and good to rememeber those germans that sacrificed thier lives, even those that died fight allies and we privately against the atrosities since they were driven by leaders with limited choices.
I say this as an Amercian\Spanish decent, world peace can be a reality and either will be one day or we will all parish…..1000 years out but we know where we need to be headed.
Agreed. It should have been in German with english subtitles! For example, everyone speaking american english inside the wolf’s lair (Wolfsschanze) takes away from the authenticity.
Valkyrie should have been like DAS BOOT:
“Das Boot film features characters who speak German with a regional dialect. Director Wolfgang Petersen states in his DVD audio commentary that young men from throughout Germany and Austria were recruited for the film. He wanted faces and accents that would accurately reflect the diversity of the Third Reich circa 1941.”
Thanks.