Cruise: Good Nazi, Better Welcome Wagon
Finally, the drama for Tom Cruise's new movie is taking place on screen rather than off.
Production began Thursday evening on the Berlin set of Valkyrie, Cruise's already immensely controversial film about a so-called "good Nazi" colonel who botched a WWII-era assassination attempt of Adolf Hitler and was subsequently ordered to death.
The first production stills of Valkyrie, named after the operation codename of the ill-fated plot, have already made the internet rounds, one of a sinister-looking Cruise in an eye patch and full military regalia and another uncannily split screened with that of Count Claus Shenck Graf von Stauffenberg, the real life German officer and enduring war hero he is portraying.
Cruise kicked off the production Thursday evening, which in an appropriately Hollywood twist marked the eve of the thwarted plot's 63rd anniversary, by filming an airport sequence preceding the film's briefcase bomb-planting climax.
In real life, as in the movie, Stauffenberg travels to Hitler's then-East Prussian headquarters and on July 20, 1944, planted the briefcase bomb under a conference table. The device detonated but succeeded only in wounding the Fuhrer. Stauffenberg was arrested and ultimately shot by firing squad while declaring, "Long live Germany!"
Cruise's portrayal of the German resistance hero has been under a great deal of scrutiny and debate in the native country, with some Germans fearing that the actor's belief in Scientology would hijack or otherwise infuse their way into the film. In Germany, the religion is looked at as a cult and has been placed under surveillance by the government because of what officials have deemed anti-democratic activities.
At the forefront of the Cruise resistance movement was no less than Stauffenberg's son, Bertrand, who told the world's press that Cruise "should keep his fingers off my father."
The German government, too, initially seemed to be in on the anti-Cruise movement, banning the Bryan Singer-directed production from filming on several historical military sites. While at first officials blamed Cruise's affiliate with Scientology on establishing the no-film zones, they later rescinded the comments, saying bad experiences with previous productions which comprised the historical sites was the actual culprit.
"We granted all permissions but the one, for the Bendler Block, because the dignity of this place should not be violated," government spokesperson Torsten Albig said this month. "These circumstances show that the religious beliefs of the actor are without relevance."
To further buffet their open-minded claims, the German Federal Film Fund also allocated $6.5 million in subsidies to the movie.
Cruise's costars in the film will also hopefully go a long way in defusing any would-be German criticism upon the film's release, as he's due to be joined on screen by Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp and Eddie Izzard.
The role of Hitler, however, reportedly has yet to be cast, despite the film already having begun production. Producers were reportedly looking to fill the role with a German actor.
In the meantime, Cruise is going from playing a high-profile foreigner to partying with one.
Despite having just kicked off production on the film, Cruise is due to fly back to Los Angeles this weekend for a Sunday night party honoring new neighbors and erstwhile BFFs David and Victoria Beckham.
Cruise and wife Katie Holmes, along with fellow A-list pals Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, will cohost the swanky soiree at downtown Los Angeles' Museum of Contemporary Art.
The bash will come on the heels of Beckham's would-be debut with the L.A. Galaxy. While the soccer player was originally expected to make his Major League debut in a friendly game against his fellow Chelsea countrymen, he announced Thursday that he would likely hold off on hitting the turf due to a bum left ankle.
Valkyrie is due out in August 2008.
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