The secret of Cruise Claus.

A bad image eats an actor gradually - but Tom Cruise may just be grateful. His reputation as an obsessed sectarians in "Operation Valkyrie" to the present: The star does, from the role of Hitler assassin Stauffenberg's Last herauszukitzeln.

 

As he crouches in a tent in North Africa, takes a few lines on paper, she writes in a secret diary. Historically, the scene is guaranteed not. The words lamenting the crimes of the Nazis and that it no longer should be allowed to continue with this guide, that Germany, this war. Shortly afterwards, the author of this action in the desert sand is niedergestreckt from a low flying attack. After his faith in Hitler, he is also yet to lose his left eye and his right hand.

So just lead director Bryan Singer, the great symbol of German resistance. Only in this early scene of his "Operation Valkyrie", may be Tom Cruise Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg räsonieren to detail as opponents of the regime committed. That he then loses the eye and the hand is a trick to make it clear: The cripple celebrates the assassination not revenge.

That's it then, but also subject to research. In the following two hours the screenplay turns the bombers in a man with no inner life, a rebel with a cause, but without a personal history, because it is entirely on the 20th July 1944 focused; the day when Stauffenberg and his failed assassination attempt - and the resistance with him.

The great attraction of the dramatic substance lies in the complex mechanics of power, not in a biographical study. Nevertheless, the film more of the person of the resistance fighters guess, than about Jo Baier German filming "Stauffenberg" (2004), if all the silly details hinzuerfand (such as the betrothal Stauffenberg in Bayreuth Wagner Gedonner).

And that makes "Operation Valkyrie", paradoxically, only because the bad image of the incredible media figure everything overlaid Cruise - and thereby the nuances of the biography Stauffenberg herausgekitzelt are never to be seen.

Because Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was initially not a shining hero, but an anti-democrat, the Hitler enthusiastically followed. Above all, he was a disciple.

Photo: DPA
Video: JKR

Together with his two brothers Stauffenberg belonged to the circle around the German poet Stefan George, whose initial, elitist belief in a l'art pour l'art in 1928 in "The New Empire" resulted. This writing was a plea for a new social order, for a strictly hierarchical aristocracy of the mind, later misunderstood as heraufdämmernde apology for the Nazi regime.

In his small George circle of poets had already achieved his goals, he was a strict "soul leader in the ritual sense", as George Deuter Manfred Riedel wrote. He established a (Ver-) cult leader, who also revolved around men love (to Päderastie), swore his pupils with the gesture of the Prophet a spheric sounding his vision of a new era.

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George was apolitical yet: He disdained Bismarck, the cool real politician par excellence - and admired the bold conqueror Napoleon for his zest for action. The spiritual fatherhood for Co-Nazism George never denied, even if it is agreed by the regime were not allowed.

The disciples Stauffenberg, in the spirit matured in a sectarian Tatmensch and animated Weltverbesserer: From this character of the resistance fighters to "Operation Valkyrie" really nothing to tell. And yet we see them in the best scenes flash - thanks to Tom Cruise.

If, for example, Cruise's Stauffenberg, whom he otherwise rather undercooled plays with verve on the palavernden gentlemen politicians in herzieht conspirators circle, suddenly he stands before us, Stauffenberg, the man indeed.

Unwilling to waste precious time to waste with gossip, he has only one goal: death to the tyrant. The attack on officers involved in the film to pieces (historically completely covered) almost exclusively to Zauderern, alone in front of decisiveness bursting Tatmensch Stauffenberg before hertreibt. Lack of courage, he throws them, literally and repeatedly calls for the "fact" that calls repeatedly: Action!

VIDEOS ON FILM

Photo: Twentieth Century Fox
Video: Twentieth Century Fox

Operation Walküre - Das Stauffenberg assassination
Trailers and movie clips

Film clip: "The leader has arrived"
Film clip: "Find a Way"
Film clip: "I've said worse"

And if otherwise Cruises wortkarger Stauffenberg organized the uprising, in view vigorously and visibly laboriously checked in his motion, he gives him an aura of absolute determination, then he radiates a holy seriousness, then he is liable to a little driven.

Sure, we have an American Hero action before us, which is the fate - and the simmering lame Policy, a figure as the classical logic of Hollywood follows.

But it is also a performance by the media figure Cruise.
The man, in 2006, when Oprah Winfrey Talkmasterin in frischerblühter love for Katie Holmes so obsessively on the couch gehopst was that in a teen comedy mentioned. The once wutfunkelndem views with his colleague Brooke Shields for her commitment to attacking anti-depressants, which are among Scientologists as vicious stuff apply.

The so, a Manik same, always inhuman tension seems to stand, even if he is beaming smiles. And so controversial in Germany, as perhaps nowhere else in the world: we can not in Germany to Cruise as Stauffenberg think - and Scientology forgotten.

Dipped in early 2008 an internal something betagtes video, which Cruise is by far the worst headlines in Germany have long been brought (ZDF historian Guido Knopp compared Cruise is why even with Goebbels). The bizarre image of the actor, as he - it has to say so - before Scientology followers preach. Fanatic and inspired by a mission, it presents itself, he stands next to Scientology head David Miscavige.

Cruise raves for his performance of how fulfilling it was, "to be there," and schwadroniert full of fervor about how important it was "something to do." It is about nothing less than to save the world. As he stands in front of us suddenly: Tom Cruise, Weltverbesserer, man of action.

YOUR OPINION IS ASKED

Discuss this article

At the absurd way they fall into this point, the image of the actor and the life of the bomber. Tom Cruise, trailer obscure organization with questionable business practices and improve world standards. And Hitler assassin Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, a Questionable Jünger, esoteric cult artists.

And so far the intellectual roots of the two naturally apart, so their personal motives, the era in which she lives, so much so that everything does not seem to be compared, but is suddenly plausible: a question can be calculated so verfemte Cruise the figure Stauffenberg give biographical wealth.

Often it is a misfortune when an actor of his image will be eaten. Cruise may be in this case, thanks.