Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh and others were on hand last night at Rose Hall for the NYC premiere of their new movie Valkyrie, which tells the story of the failed assassination attempt of a few German soldiers on Adolph Hitler. Despite a barrage of negative reviews in the past few weeks, I suppose the show must go on as the film is set for premiere in theaters on December 25. Here are a few pics from the red carpet arrivals last night:
Tom Cruise knows just what fans want for Christmas. “You want to see Hitler killed on Christmas,” the star said at the premiere of Valkyrie. In the film, opening Dec. 25, Cruise plays Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army officer who plots and attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. The film is directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men). “I just set out to make the best film I could possibly make,” Cruise said. “It’s a timeless thriller. It’s man against tremendous odds.” Is Cruise anywhere near as brave as von Stauffenberg? Would he also have spoken out? “All of us would like to think we would do that,” he said. “I would like to think I would.” Cruise’s wife, Katie Holmes, who is starring in All My Sons on Broadway, didn’t walk the red carpet with the actor: “She’s inside the theater. When her play opened, I was the host. It’s teamwork.” Carice van Houten, Cruise’s on-screen wife, reminisced fondly about shooting the film. “He’s very goofy. We had dancing lessons, and we couldn’t stop laughing.” The film also stars Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson.
I’d say it’s pretty risky to open a Nazi film on Xmas day — I’m not sure too many people are gonna be in the mood to watch a movie with this sort of subject matter on such a special holiday — but you gotta give it up to Cruise and Singer for giving it a try. Unfortch, the movie cannot even deliver on the desire for the audience to see Hilter assassinated because the attempt was not successful. So basically, the plan is to try and get folks into theaters on Xmas day to watch a movie about a group of Nazis who unsuccessfully try to kill the most evil man who ever lived … yeah, sounds like fine holiday family fare to me. Personally, I might have a hard time believing Tom Cruise in a role like this so I’m not sure I’m gonna take the risk to check out this film but … there has to be a market out there for it, right? Right?
[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]
I agree that it is risky to open this movie on Christmas day, but I think you’re being a bit harsh, Trent. Have you seen pictures of the original Col.? Tom looks a lot like him, and he’s a very talented actor– both in serious and more action oriented films. I think he’ll do a great job.
Trent, I agree completely. Maybe pre-couch jumping and overexposure I would buy him in a role like this. However, all I see is his public persona when I look at him and he comes off as a bit nuts. Also, agree that it is not a Christmas film. But it seems like an interesting story… so let’s hope it at least is told well!
I don’t know. It could be good. Stranger things have happened. I think people are just too quick to criticize these days. Despite all the stuff Tom has done, as a fellow human being, when are people going to cut him some slack?
There’s no problem with opening a Nazi movie on Christmas day because Jewish people, like myself, ALWAYS go to movies on December 25th. Jon Stewart refers to it as “National Jews Go To The Movies” day.
Just FYI.
I understand that Jewish people go to the movies on Xmas day but I’d think most folks would prefer a little more festive fare.
Knowing that cruise uses an american accent for the film kind of mars the movie for me before it even starts!
Padma looks AWESOME!!
I think Tom Cruise is very talented but it is a poor choice for him not to have a German accent in this film. A German that sounds like an American soldier?
i agree with the whole no accent thing. i saw a preview, and with out the accent, it just looks like tom cruise playing dress up. i dont’ think i would believe it. but i wasn’t interested in seeing it anyway
At the risk of being wildly unpopular, I really want to like Tom Cruise again. I’m rooting for him to do well in this film.
NOBODY rocks an eye patch like Pete Burns.
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I agree – don’t think Tom Cruise has the chops for this role!
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I’d watch it just for Carice. Love her to bits! <3
I actually saw a sneak peek of this movie and eventho i am not a cruise fan..it was really good! surprised me.
About the accent: I actually prefer that he doesn’t have the accent. Too often when actors use an accent they mangle it and just sound ridiculous, making it hard to enjoy the movie (see Keanau Reeves in Dracula or John Leguizamo in Love in the Time of Cholera).
Or I also hate it when actors don’t quite have an accent, but try to sound more “elegant” for lack of a better word (Brad Pitt in Troy).
Paz –
With all due respects re: convincing accents. There’s a difference between one that’s alive & a “dead” one. What I mean by this is I know a German accent when I hear it but I don’t know if Ancient Trojans sound like those who speak with Grecian accents or was it more Turkish? Since the archaeological site is located close to the seacoast in what is now Çanakkale province in northwest Turkey, southwest of the Dardanelles under Mount Ida. Did it even happen at all, or is it simply a myth?.
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How LONG ago was it when the “real thing” happened & the movie Troy bringing that era to life on screen – Easier to remove oneself from authentic accents. On the other hand, WWII DID HAPPEN 64 years ago.
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Every year people around the world “remember” what happened – Especially the holocaust; documentaries are shown on TV & survivors tell of their experiences. Depending on which docs you watch you heard many speaking: Brits, French, Germans, Poles, Japanese, Americans, Canadians, etc. – Soldiers, civilians, ex-POWs (captured soldiers/airmen) from German & Japanese War Camps… To me, I would have liked it if some authenticity was used re: Valkyrie.
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The REAL Col. Claus von Stauffenberg was a GERMAN army officer, NOT an AMERICAN. If Tom Cruise couldn’t master the accent, it might have been better if a German actor had been hired instead. Then again, if people aren’t going to care about the context of the movie at face value – That the failure of the real assassination attempt ALLOWED Hitler to keep ravaging Europe for several more months, then by all means enjoy yourself.
The History Channel had a very interesting show a couple weeks ago called The Plot to Kill Hitler. The show (whose sponsors included the movie, btw) talked about the Von Stauffenberg plot in depth. Apparently, Von Stauffenberg let half the explosives in his office, and if he had set off everything, he would have blown Hitler and everyone else in the room to smithereens.
If Robert Redford could play an Englishman in Out of Africa, then I guess Tom Cruise can play a German in Valkyrie. The rest of the cast is stellar (Bill Nighy is also in the film) so perhaps their performances will lift the movie. I’ll wait for reviews to decide.
Well, if horror movies can open on Christmas day, then why not a movie like this???
for example: Black Christmas
a disgusting movie, by the way.