Comments on: Valkyrie – Movie Review http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm All things military history! Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:45:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: missing the point http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-8377 missing the point Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:09:31 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-8377 i think a lot of movie goers nowadays are missing the point. people are getting too critical of the mundane details of a movie such as the actors, actresses, sets, etc, that they are totally out of it. as with any creative product, whether it be a movie, a song or wht have you, its main objective is to move the audiences emotions according to the flow of the story. my watching valkyrie, for instance, put so much emotion in me that i cannot even imagine the real feelings each character felt at that particular point in history from the conception of the plan, the complexities of it, the doubt and distrust with each co-conspirator, the sudden rush of adrenaline when the plan was put to action, the wait and inaction and ultimately, the resulting failure and death by different means of each one of them. now try adapting in the present what they did at that time to what i percieve as numerous attempts in different countries today to seize power. and remain as courageous as you think you can in the face of the opposition. in the end, i was totally terrified. i think a lot of movie goers nowadays are missing the point. people are getting too critical of the mundane details of a movie such as the actors, actresses, sets, etc, that they are totally out of it. as with any creative product, whether it be a movie, a song or wht have you, its main objective is to move the audiences emotions according to the flow of the story. my watching valkyrie, for instance, put so much emotion in me that i cannot even imagine the real feelings each character felt at that particular point in history from the conception of the plan, the complexities of it, the doubt and distrust with each co-conspirator, the sudden rush of adrenaline when the plan was put to action, the wait and inaction and ultimately, the resulting failure and death by different means of each one of them. now try adapting in the present what they did at that time to what i percieve as numerous attempts in different countries today to seize power. and remain as courageous as you think you can in the face of the opposition. in the end, i was totally terrified.

]]> By: Schwerepunkt http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-8241 Schwerepunkt Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:02:34 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-8241 Anyone but Tom Cruise, please! Movies today (such as Pearl Harbor) are trash and do not accurately portray historical events. If Stauffenberg's background was "a little vague", what then are we to make of his attempt to kill the killer? What made him so disenchanted with the man he had taken an oath to obey no mattery what? I am sure those who enjoyed this movie have their reasons but because Cruise is in it alone convinces me this flick is the pits. Anyone but Tom Cruise, please! Movies today (such as Pearl Harbor) are trash and do not accurately portray historical events. If Stauffenberg’s background was “a little vague”, what then are we to make of his attempt to kill the killer? What made him so disenchanted with the man he had taken an oath to obey no mattery what? I am sure those who enjoyed this movie have their reasons but because Cruise is in it alone convinces me this flick is the pits.

]]> By: russ http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-8170 russ Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:10:25 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-8170 film close to truth. read "rise and fall of the third riech" by Sherie, i think. the plot was discussed in some detail there. Film was a simplified version but probably caught the core. russ film close to truth. read “rise and fall of the third riech” by Sherie, i think. the plot was discussed in some detail there. Film was a simplified version but probably caught the core.

russ

]]> By: Kevin http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7497 Kevin Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:40:47 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-7497 The comment by Alex seems closer to the truth. Perhaps by 1944 Von Staffenberg was acting from a sense of duty born of aristocratic sensibilities, dismay and a real pragmatism. Also, many of the Officer Corps were deeply suspicious of Hitler, but tacitly supported him because as gentlemen in the formal sense, their code of conduct was to support their leader, and practically speaking, he was responsible for the revival of the Armed Forces and subsequently, their careers. Plots against Hitler started before he became Chanceller in 1933 and continued throughout his rule. The aristocrats and their allies were just one group, albeit a very important one(i.e. able to change governmental rule if successful, rather than a lone assassin). However, it is interesting to speculate that if Hitler had won in Russia, and Von Staffenberg knew what was going on in the camps, would he still have made the attempt? The comment by Alex seems closer to the truth. Perhaps by 1944 Von Staffenberg was acting from a sense of duty born of aristocratic sensibilities, dismay and a real pragmatism. Also, many of the Officer Corps were deeply suspicious of Hitler, but tacitly supported him because as gentlemen in the formal sense, their code of conduct was to support their leader, and practically speaking, he was responsible for the revival of the Armed Forces and subsequently, their careers. Plots against Hitler started before he became Chanceller in 1933 and continued throughout his rule. The aristocrats and their allies were just one group, albeit a very important one(i.e. able to change governmental rule if successful, rather than a lone assassin). However, it is interesting to speculate that if Hitler had won in Russia, and Von Staffenberg knew what was going on in the camps, would he still have made the attempt?

]]> By: Peter http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7313 Peter Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:54:19 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-7313 Unfortunately for Tom it will take more than CGI to sort out one 'inaccuracy': the real Von Staufenberg was about 6'6" tall! Unfortunately for Tom it will take more than CGI to sort out one ‘inaccuracy’: the real Von Staufenberg was about 6′6″ tall!

]]> By: Nathan http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7300 Nathan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:47:36 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-7300 I just watched this movie tonight and I have to say I am disappointed. They got the general idea right but did not focus on the moral question these men faced about killing Hitler. Von Stauffenberg was Catholic and it was not until after the failure at Stalingrad he decided it was necessary. It also was not until reports from the concectration camps started leaking out that the rest decided it was necessary. In the movie he just decided to kill Hitler, no question or second guess. Lots of little things also bothered me, like when they actually put Valkyrie into effect. I dont think it was quite as wide scale as they made it in the movie. I think it was figured out pretty quickly and delt with decisevely. The main thing is, I also didnt think VonStauffenberg came up with the plot, I thought it was someone else. And where did the rewriting of the actual plan of Valkyrie come from?? I dont recall reading that anywhere. Anyways I will stop now, if you dont know anything about the movie you will enjoy it, but if you know something about the actual plot I think you will be disappointed. I just watched this movie tonight and I have to say I am disappointed. They got the general idea right but did not focus on the moral question these men faced about killing Hitler. Von Stauffenberg was Catholic and it was not until after the failure at Stalingrad he decided it was necessary. It also was not until reports from the concectration camps started leaking out that the rest decided it was necessary. In the movie he just decided to kill Hitler, no question or second guess. Lots of little things also bothered me, like when they actually put Valkyrie into effect. I dont think it was quite as wide scale as they made it in the movie. I think it was figured out pretty quickly and delt with decisevely. The main thing is, I also didnt think VonStauffenberg came up with the plot, I thought it was someone else. And where did the rewriting of the actual plan of Valkyrie come from?? I dont recall reading that anywhere. Anyways I will stop now, if you dont know anything about the movie you will enjoy it, but if you know something about the actual plot I think you will be disappointed.

]]> By: Malcolm http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7265 Malcolm Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:33:56 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-7265 A plot to overthrow a Nazi leader by a group of other Nazis because the master plan of German domination was going awry is problematic if the plotters are seen and portrayed as unconditional heroes - I am afraid we have some misguided sentiments here, like when Tom Cruise just could not be shot as he rode directly into fire as the horribly historically inaccurate Last Samurai. A group of competent anti-Semitic German generals are harly more reassuring than a derranged dictator with the same beliefs. There are plenty of real heroes out there, the people both in and behind this film do not exactly qualify. A plot to overthrow a Nazi leader by a group of other Nazis because the master plan of German domination was going awry is problematic if the plotters are seen and portrayed as unconditional heroes – I am afraid we have some misguided sentiments here, like when Tom Cruise just could not be shot as he rode directly into fire as the horribly historically inaccurate Last Samurai. A group of competent anti-Semitic German generals are harly more reassuring than a derranged dictator with the same beliefs. There are plenty of real heroes out there, the people both in and behind this film do not exactly qualify.

]]> By: Harry Pool http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7260 Harry Pool Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:30:18 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-7260 My memory of "The Desert Fox" failed me slightly in my previous comment. There actually were a couple of American actors playing Germans in that movie. Richard Boone (Palladin in the TV show "Have Gun, Will Travel) played one of Rommel's aides and Everett Sloan (an Orson Welles associate on stage and in the movies of the late 30s, 40s, and 50s) played the German general who persuaded Rommel to take poison rather than endanger his family by facing trial for his participation in the attempt to assassinate Hitler. Still, krauts didn't play significant Germans in either "The Desert Fox" or "Valkyrie." My memory of “The Desert Fox” failed me slightly in my previous comment. There actually were a couple of American actors playing Germans in that movie. Richard Boone (Palladin in the TV show “Have Gun, Will Travel) played one of Rommel’s aides and Everett Sloan (an Orson Welles associate on stage and in the movies of the late 30s, 40s, and 50s) played the German general who persuaded Rommel to take poison rather than endanger his family by facing trial for his participation in the attempt to assassinate Hitler.

Still, krauts didn’t play significant Germans in either “The Desert Fox” or “Valkyrie.”

]]> By: Harry Pool http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7255 Harry Pool Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:34:59 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-7255 Movies set in WWII seem to cast British actors as Germans for some reason. This may have been started by having James Mason play Rommel in "The Desert Fox" in the early 50s. I don't recall a single German actor in that film. Limeys played every German role of consequence in that movie. (They also played all the British parts.) That movie covered some of the same ground as Valkyrie does, given Rommel's participation in the plot to kill Hitler, with many of the same Germans appearing both pictures. I think Stauffenberg's activities in the movie Valkyrie were exaggerated to build up Cruise's part. I doubt a German light colonel would be ordering German generals around for hours in various military headquarters in 1944 Berlin. Movies set in WWII seem to cast British actors as Germans for some reason. This may have been started by having James Mason play Rommel in “The Desert Fox” in the early 50s. I don’t recall a single German actor in that film. Limeys played every German role of consequence in that movie. (They also played all the British parts.) That movie covered some of the same ground as Valkyrie does, given Rommel’s participation in the plot to kill Hitler, with many of the same Germans appearing both pictures.

I think Stauffenberg’s activities in the movie Valkyrie were exaggerated to build up Cruise’s part. I doubt a German light colonel would be ordering German generals around for hours in various military headquarters in 1944 Berlin.

]]> By: Allan http://www.armchairgeneral.com/valkyrie-movie-review.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7223 Allan Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:35:04 +0000 http://www.armchairgeneral.com/?p=5437#comment-7223 I saw the movie and thought it was very good. I thought Tom Cruise, as well as all the actors in this film, did good jobs of acting. I saw the movie and thought it was very good. I thought Tom Cruise, as well as all the actors in this film, did good jobs of acting.

]]>