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Valkyrie – An Interview with Christopher McQuarrieGerald D. Swick November 21, 2008 | 11 comments | Print | E-mail  Tom Cruise and Kenneth Branagh in United Artists' film Valkyrie. Photo by United Artists. I guess I’m drawn to history because the main thing in writing a movie is to have a good ending, and with history I know how it ends. On July 20, 1944, German army conspirators tried to end Europe’s nightmare by assassinating Adolf Hitler, an action they called Operation Valkyrie. Exposure or failure would bring terrible and far-reaching consequences. That assassination attempt is the story behind Valkyrie, a new film from United Artists. Directed by Brian Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men) and starring Tom Cruise (the Mission Impossible series, Born on the Fourth of July), it has been described as "a thriller set during the war." The project began when Oscar-winning screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, The Way of the Gun) was taking a tour of Berlin while scouting locations for another movie. The tour concluded at the Bendlerblock where the conspirators were executed. The location was closed, but the tour guide told him about the events there and noted that the courtyard has within it the only memorial in Berlin to any German soldier of World War II. McQuarrie turned to his companion and said, "That would make a great movie." On December 26, 2008, that movie—Valkyrie—makes its nationwide debut. Recently McQuarrie, who also served as producer on the film, talked with ArmchairGeneral.com about bringing it to the screen. ArmchairGeneral.com: I’ve read that you originally developed this screenplay along with Nathan Alexander, and that your long-time friend, director Brian Singer, got involved later. Is that correct? Christopher McQuarrie: Yes. Nathan had done some playwriting in Seattle, but this was his first attempt at a screenplay. I told him to start with the research and not to worry about length or commercial considerations. We decided very early on that we wanted to make a movie about the events of July 20, 1944, not a biography, but as we wrote it, it became clear that (Count Claus von) Stauffenberg was the central character. ACG: This subject doesn’t lend itself to the sort of happy ending that is almost requisite in Hollywood. Did that create any problems in getting the film made? CMQ: Once we finished the screenplay we put it in a drawer. We didn’t show it around to studios and producers as you would normally do. On the occasions when I would try to describe it to film financiers, I would only get as far as "It’s about German officers in World War II." They didn’t want to hear the rest. Once Brian Singer got involved, no one needed to read the screenplay. I suggested to Brian that he take it to United Artists, where I had done some work. ACG: There was a 1990 TV movie called the Plot to Kill Hitler, and the assassination attempt was also depicted in the 1951 movie The Desert Fox. How does Valkyrie compare or contrast with those? CMQ: There’s also Night of the Generals, Winds of War, and two German films from the Fifties. Also, the 2004 TV movie Stauffenberg. All those films focused on different aspects of the story. The assassination attempt was a subplot in The Desert Fox, for example. We were able to focus on the event of July 20, and that meant we were able to include more details than the others. When you look at all these other movies, you see each one getting more detailed, you get a better understanding of the event with each one. In some of them, they don’t even get his eyepatch on the correct side of his face. One showed him with an entire arm missing. (Stauffenberg lost an eye, his right hand and part of his left hand during a Spitifire attack in North Africa. – ACG). By now, we’re at the level of getting the exact lighting fixtures, the exact fuses that Stauffenberg used. We’re at that level of detail in the movie. Pages: 1 2 3Help Armchair General by bookmarking to
            Tags: Historical Figures, interview, movies, World War II
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11 Comments to “Valkyrie – An Interview with Christopher McQuarrie”
Thank You very much for this site. I cannot remember when I singed up for this site, It has been awhile, but I come back here often. Thank You for the emails and the fsatenating articles that are on this site. Thank You for this site and this interview.
By Len Hawkins on Nov 24, 2008 at 5:53 pm
This is the first time I had the chance to read articles in this forum long after I have registered. In fact, I think this is the first time that I’ve open the forum again. I find the interview very fascinating specially for someone like me who is a history buff and an avid student of historical figures. I wonder if there are other features on Asian war generals like North Vietnamese General Giap. Cheers to Armchair General
By E. Mercado on Nov 24, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Thank you so much for this interview! I can’t wait to see Valkyrie once it comes out in theatres. Stauffenberg was a real hero who was not afraid to do an unpopular and extremely dangerous thing; he was also a German war hero who fought with distinction in North Africa, as well as a Catholic—a combination that is rare to say the least, and not found often in WWII.
It is articles and interviews like this that make the Armchair General website such a great place. Thank you to all of the ACG magazine and website staff for all of the great work you do! I am very thankful to you today more than ever, on Thanksgiving. God bless!
Sincerely,
Alexander Wilson
By Alexander Wilson on Nov 27, 2008 at 9:41 am
Thank you very much to send me this message. I am a English learner. So I am very happy that I can join in this forum. It will do a lot to my English study. Thank you very much.
By sophie on Nov 28, 2008 at 7:31 am
The web site Axis History Forum has a site on “German Genenerl Casualties” in which they discuss von Staufennbergs career, education (1936 Genral Staff Course) and backgroud.
By bigun6605 on Dec 3, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I can’t wait for this movie to come out. They need to make more movies about WWII – least our future generations don’t forget this horrible war and repeat it!
Hilter was a mad man and should have never been in power but for every bad thing there is good that comes from it and I’m sure there was a reason for all of it.
Christopher McQuarrie – if your listening here are some future ideas for moves based on history.
The story of Saul or Paul from the Bible and his entire life – it would be a amazing and rare account for a movie. Trust me.
Maybe a movie about the “Winter War” in 1940 when the Soviets invaded Finland and how they defeated them beginning highly out-gunned and out-numbered.
A movie about the Nazi seige of Leningrad and how the Russian people survived almost four years of starvation in that city.
Just some ideas…………………..
By Blitzkrieg the 2nd on Dec 8, 2008 at 11:01 pm
It’s very telling of these people to discuss their motivations for making motion pictures, its almost the story within the story. Thanks for the interview. Love reading World War II
By odanny on Dec 10, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Personally, I thought the movie was amazing.
I’m not one for Tom Cruise (usually), but I liked this.
It was well written, well directed, and well cast (for the most part).
I cannot wait for this movie to come out on DVD.
This interview just added to my excitement. Great interview!
By jcms_academic.superbowl on Jan 16, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Sources. What were McQuarrie’s actual sources? Which ones out of many did he use? Why isn’t a history magazine asking him about his approach to and use of historical materials?
This interview reads like a puff piece from any dumb entertainment publication, not something that is appearing in a serious magazine for history buffs, who want to see serious topics dealt with with the care and attention that they deserve.
Right?
Ask the man real questions the next time.
By Mike on Oct 29, 2009 at 12:32 am
For example, “the exact fuses that Stauffenberg used”. Who cares. Hollywood is famous for its overemphasis on trivial details of this sort, while getting the characterizations of the historical figures wrong.
Whose books did you use, fellah? Which records state the manufacturer of Stauffenberg’s fuses?
By Mike on Oct 29, 2009 at 12:41 am