Valkyrie

Valkyrie was a movie I was anxious to see and I found it fascinating and did justice to the little known story of Count Claus von Stauffenberg, a proud, aristocratic and loyal soldier in the Third Reich caught up in the plot to kill Hitler. The film opens in North Africa, and by this time, Colonel Stauffenberg, (Tom Cruise), has been decorated with many awards including the Iron Cross, but disillusionment has set in. Although he has served Germany well, he feels he can serve Hitler no longer. From the beginning he has always been a "reluctant Nazi" never fully embracing such things as Kristallnacht or the disasterous invasion into the Soviet Union. The mass executions of Jews, Poles, Russians, he finds completely abhorrant and repugnant. The film is set on course, when Stauffenberg, bitterly resentful, returns to Berlin to recuperate from wounds. The leading Generals urge him to join in the Resistance Movement. Stauffenberg's acceptance solidifies Operation Valkyrie into an audacious plot that if successful, will end World War II and remove Hitler from power. The film is as intense as any thriller I have seen, although the outcome is well known. The ensemble cast of the Generals is played by such notable actors as Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Terence Stamp. The acting is superb by all including Carice van Houten as Stauffenberg's wife, Nina. Tom Cruise's performance should restore most of the star's former luster. In this film he is clearly the lead, but plays the Colonel with thoughtful certitude and a reserve that proves he can still deliver a powerful intelligent performance. Disenchanted fans will certainly welcome him back. Four out of five stars.