Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus Stauffenberg

[quote='DukePilgrim','http://dukewayne.com/bb/index.php?thread/&postID=49655#post49655']Claus Philipp Maria Schenk Graf[1] von Stauffenberg (15 November 1907 – 21 July 1944) was a German army officer and one of the leading figures of the failed July 20 Plot of 1944 to kill Adolf Hitler and seize power in Germany.[/quote]

If the people in Berlin had carried out their assigned tasks in the plot, it might have succeeded. As it turned out, it was a comedy (though not funny to the plotters) of errors.

Quote from DukePilgrim

Will this be Cruise's first screen death?

Didn't he die in "The Last Samurai"?

If Stauffenberg had stayed in the conference room at Wolfschanze and ensured his briefcase was next to Hitler when it exploded, the coup would more than likely have succeeded. But it inadvertently got moved behind a heavy oak table leg which absorbed most of the blast.

Hitler was lucky almost from the time he assumed power in 1933.

Tom Cruise makes me want to hurl! Could be an interesting film but I won't be seeing it. For me he's just one of those people you want to punch in the face for no apparent reason.

Neither of them pisses me off, so to me it would be a step up. Plus I was an extra on "Bull Durham" so I kind of like Kevin. He was okay during filming.

I love that movie, E-P Hoffman. What did you do in the film? Crowd? Player on a team? I would love to hear about your time on the film..

And as far as Nicholas Cage and Kevin C******? I love them both as actors. Like anyone else, they made their share of clunkers but also made their share of very enjoyable movies. But, to each his own

Mark

Um...does the board hate Kevin C****** too? Why doesn't his name spell out? Strange

Mark

Quote from DukePilgrim

Part of me wants to laugh at Cruise's latest film project and part is curious to see what he makes of it. At least he is in the right ball park age wise as Stauffenberg was 37 when he died. Could this be another Oscar winning eye patch performance?

I cant wait to hear Ringo's view


Mike

Claus Philipp Maria Schenk Graf[1] von Stauffenberg (15 November 1907 – 21 July 1944) was a German army officer and one of the leading figures of the failed July 20 Plot of 1944 to kill Adolf Hitler and seize power in Germany.







The makers of Tom Cruise's latest film say they have the relevant permits needed to film in Germany, despite being banned from military sites.

German defence minister Franz Josef Jung this week said the filmmakers could not shoot at certain sites, because Cruise is a Scientologist.
Berlin sees it as a cult masquerading as a religion to make money - a view Scientology leaders strongly reject.
But the head of Berlin's Babelsberg Studios said permits were in place.
In Valkyrie, Cruise plays Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, leader of the 1944 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler using a bomb hidden in a briefcase, scheduled for release next year.

'Democratic order'
Cruise's producing partner Paula Wagner said Cruise's own convictions had no relation to the film's content.
"Personal beliefs have absolutely no bearing on the movie's plot or themes," she said.
Scientology has been monitored in Germany in the belief that its activities are "directed against the free democratic order" in the country.
Carl Woebken, head of Babelsberg studios, told the Reuters news agency: "They have given us permission like they have done for other Stauffenberg films before."
The location include the so-called Bendlerblock where Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators were shot after the attempt to kill Hitler failed.
The Bendlerblock is located in what is the now the Defence Ministry complex in Berlin.
However, part of it is run by the German Resistance Memorial Centre and not the ministry, and Babelsberg Studios says it will shoot there.
"From our point of view, everything is ready to go," added Mr Woebken. Valkyrie - named after Operation Valkyrie, the plot's codename - will be directed by Bryan Singer and co-star British actor Kenneth Branagh.

Display More

Hi Mike, im stunned. At the risk of sounding bad but, Tom Cruise is no Col Count Klaus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg - nor do I think he could even fill his shoes--unlike that of James Mason portraying General Rommel in two movies. They NEED a good German actor for that part. Tom Cruise will not be a good Stauffenberg in my eyes. Arrrrrrgggghh, this MUST be a nightmare that im having? Cruise as the Colonel. I tell you what, they BETTER give some good accounting as to the Colonels military service on the Eastern Front--showing actions which caused his serious wounds--missing fingers--eye-etc.

I guess IF tom cruise HAS to play an honorable German officer--at least he aint going to play: Major Erich "Bubi" Alfred Hartmann (352 air victories) after all. I would sure hate to see tom cruise fit in some of his scientology trying to portray this Gentleman. By the way, I actually met Colonel Hartmann, at an air show in 1993--got an autographed photo of him. I would sure hate to see someone less--such as Cruise--portray this air ace of aces.

Mike, im still stunned. What is the name of this movie?

Quote from dukefan1

I love that movie, E-P Hoffman. What did you do in the film? Crowd? Player on a team? I would love to hear about your time on the film..

And as far as Nicholas Cage and Kevin C******? I love them both as actors. Like anyone else, they made their share of clunkers but also made their share of very enjoyable movies. But, to each his own

Mark

It was mostly crowd work, I did have one scene I was looking forward to that didn't make the final print. 3 of us were heckling Tim Robbins as he somes out on to the field after boinking Millie in the locker room. I would have had 5 or 10 seconds of really good face time. Oh well! Ron Shelton must have shot that scene 10 or 12 different ways, with Tim Robbins running out in various stages of undress, my favorite was with Tim running out with the tail of his jersey sticking out of his fly, looking like his man hood.

There was no one one on the cast that wasn't very nice to us and alot of fun. Ron Shelton did get a bit frustrated at us at times, for laughing when we shouldn't, that kind of thing.

If you remember, there is one wild pitch that Nuke throws that breaks a window in the press box, that really did happen and it wasn't supposed to. Tim was out on the mound throwing wild, you know hit the Bull, just spray the ball all over. Well I think it was like 2 or 3 in the morning and he turns one lose and and we're all prepare to oh and ah and we watch this pitch just keep rising toward the press box and sure enough it went right through the glass shattering it. It was late, we were tired and cold (this was late October, early November) and the crowd was overcome by an attack of the sillys. We just couldn't stop laughing. Ron Shelton was getting pissed because, he had lost control of his extras.

During the night games most of the time you can see me in the front row right behind the plate on the third base side, I wearing a white Chicago Cubs jersey. Sometimes I'm in the third row behind first.

It was a great experience and a lot of fun. I also developed a lot more respect for actors and what they do.It was fall and at night sometimes the temps were in the low 40s or upper 30s and we had to be dressed like it was summer. Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!

During breaks we would all run around the back of the stadium where they had fires in 50 gallon drums to warm ourselves.

Just imagine being 30 and single and warming your hands over an oil drum standing next to Susan Sarandon I could have died happy right then.

Well I better get some work done.More later if you are interested.

E-P

Thanks for sharing that story. I think it would have been cool to work on a baseball movie. I love baseball and a good baseball movie is always welcome in my home .

If you got more to the story? Sure, go ahead and share. I'm listening:teeth_smile:

Mark

Quote from DukePilgrim

Hi Ringo

I think it is called Valkyrie at the moment.

Have to admit it is jaw dropping. I just cant see Cruise in this role either. There was talk awhile back of him remaking Escape from Colditz but that seems to have disappeared.

This one seems to be filming so it must be real. Hold on I will just pinch myself.

Yep Its Real. Scary or what.

Mike

Display More

Hi Mike, thanks. Valkyrie eh? I'll be keeping my eyes and ears from stuff about this movie. I sure hope they do do a remake of Escape from Colditz--i'd be interested in seeing that as well. A few years ago--it was rumored that Cruise was going to play Erich Hartmann in some WWII flick. I am HOPING that Cruise will not do that role, if that movie ever gets off the ground.

Also, I would find it strange that hollywoodland would want to make a movie about the worlds top most scoring Air Ace in history--who happened to be a German flying in Gorings Luftwaffe--and made all except 4, of his kills on the Eastern Front.

Argh, I was hoping you were only having a nightmare--ugg, it is scary. I wonder what Stauffenbergs family thinks about this? While were on a similar subject: at least Cruise will not be portraying Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron) in a movie. I actually met one of his great grandsons on a train in Germany in 2000. I'd hate to see such a role--go to a whacked out Ami.

Come on not the Kevin C O S T N E R thing again. You guys all know that my wife and I enjoy "most" of his movies so I will not elaborate on that again.

But Cruise playing that role just doesn't make sense to me. Not because its him, I just don't see the movie being any good.

Oh and he didn't die at the end of "The Last Samurai". He was seriously wounded in the last fight but went to see the emporer with the last samurai's sword. I actually liked that movie alot. I am not a huge Cruise fan either.

Hi Todd, I know you enjoy watching Kevin C,o,s,t,n,e,r, so I quit poking fun at him sometime ago--not that your saying I have done otherwise ;-)) I'd hate to see someone poke fun at Richard Basehart--with everyone knowing how much I like this actor. By the way, I will be watching him in "Fixed Bayonets" tonight. My last order came in today

Quote from The Ringo Kid

Hi Todd, I know you enjoy watching Kevin C,o,s,t,n,e,r, so I quit poking fun at him sometime ago--not that your saying I have done otherwise ;-)) I'd hate to see someone poke fun at Richard Basehart--with everyone knowing how much I like this actor. By the way, I will be watching him in "Fixed Bayonets" tonight. My last order came in today

Its kind of a running joke for me now on the C O S T N E R thing. I mean, I like to say come on and just see what happens, but if people don't like him, to each his own. I would say he atleast has done some good for the western genre, more then anybody else in Hollywood lately that is. I can take it if you guys don't like him. I just find it funny to comment when everybody gets after him. Heck, even Kevin made his last name a dirty word, that takes alot of dislike to go that far!! :teeth_smile: :teeth_smile:

Quote from SXViper

Its kind of a running joke for me now on the C O S T N E R thing. I mean, I like to say come on and just see what happens, but if people don't like him, to each his own. I would say he atleast has done some good for the western genre, more then anybody else in Hollywood lately that is. I can take it if you guys don't like him. I just find it funny to comment when everybody gets after him. Heck, even Kevin made his last name a dirty word, that takes alot of dislike to go that far!! :teeth_smile: :teeth_smile:

Hi Todd, heh heh, im still not a fan of his but, I did like him in The Untouchables. But yeah, I too thought it was funny that Kevin (jokingly) made C******s last name a "dirty word." When I saw that while trying to post, almost made me fall out of my chair laughing.

BTW, Kevin, please do NOT make Basehart's name a bleeped out word ;-)) he hee.

Quote from The Ringo Kid

Hi Todd, heh heh, im still not a fan of his but, I did like him in The Untouchables. But yeah, I too thought it was funny that Kevin (jokingly) made C******s last name a "dirty word." When I saw that while trying to post, almost made me fall out of my chair laughing.

BTW, Kevin, please do NOT make Basehart's name a bleeped out word ;-)) he hee.

Don't worry, Ringo, unlike Crap-ner, Rich Basehart actually had some acting talent!!!!!