Valkyrie, a 2008 film, directed by Bryan Singer, depicted the failed assassination attempt of Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944. The lead role of Colonel von Stauffenberg, played by Tom Cruise, was the leader of the conspiracy and was involved in much of the planning. The movie seemed historically accurate in regards to how the events took place and the individuals involved with the planning. However, the movie seemed misleading in the true motives of the plot, and I wish the movie show more emotional effects. I feel as if the movie was lacking in the emotions and internal dilemmas that actually occurred. The movie also lacked an important event leading up to the assassination attempt: Stauffenberg going home to visit his family on July 19, 1944 to celebrate his wife’s birthday early and say his final goodbyes.
The movie portrayed that the goal of the assassination attempt was to save Germany from further Nazi violence and to save the Jews from further persecution. However, in learning about the 20th of July assassination attempts in this course and through texts, saving the Jews did not seem like a high priority. I felt that the main goal of the plot was a way to save Germany from total defeat by the Allies. They thought the situation of the government and Nazis could be manageable, if not fixed, if they were able to knock out Adolf Hitler. The group did not want to risk what would happen to Germany if the Allies forced an absolute surrender because then Germany could become a mere satellite state to the Allies.
The movie depicted Stauffenberg going home and saying goodbye to his wife before his family left for refuge during the war. However, the movie would have been more effective in showing the sacrifices that the Resistance members were willing to make if the scene had been portrayed the way Nina von Stauffenberg had portrayed it in The Restless Conscience. She said that her husband had come home to celebrate her birthday early and be with the family on July 19, 1944 and then promptly left to return to his duties. This would have been more historically accurate, but would have also illustrated how Stauffenberg knew that he probably was not going to survive. He knew that it would be a miracle if he walked away from a successful attempt and be able to see his family after July 20, 1944. It showed that the Resistance members were not trying to assassinate Hitler for personal gain whether it is in politics, military promotions, or freedom. They worked for the future of Germany, and they were okay if they did not get to see that future.
Finally, Tom Cruise should have depicted Stauffenberg’s personality more effectively. He may have a physical resemblance, but he lacked the happiness, humor, and smile that texts and documentaries have described Stauffenberg to have. It may not have made a difference to the understanding and overall meaning of the film, but it would have been interesting to see that even though Stauffenberg showed discontent with the direction of Germany, he was still happy. He had found a purpose in his life, and I feel that he was happy to go through with the mission.
Overall, the movie was mostly accurate with the events that occurred on July 20, 1944. The movie conveyed the sacrifices that happened for what Resistance members believed to be morally right.