Has anyone seen the film Valkyrie, with Tom Cruise?
I just watched it as a rental this week. I thought the film was very interesting. I wasn't familiar with the history surrounding those events, but upon further reading, it looks like the movie stuck to the history pretty well. Simplified in a few places, but pretty good.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_20_PlotFor those not familiar with it, the film is about a historical event, in which a rebellion was being formulated by several German officers to remove Hitler from power. They were torn, in many ways, about how to proceed, including whether or not to assassinate Hitler or just arrest him, not wanting to lower themselves to the level of what they saw around them. Eventually they decided assassination was the way to go, not just because it had a better chance of success, but because they learned of what had been happening at Auschwitz and other camps. They believed they had little chance of success, but saw the attempt as necessary in order to save the dignity of Germany. They knew that history, and the world, would judge them. They came amazingly close to success.
When I watched the film, the thought that kept coming into my mind is that these might very well have been highly honorable and chivalrous men. They put their own safety second, rising to the challenge in a deadly game, attempting to undo a wrong and end the war.
When it failed, most were executed and a few took their own lives.
Anyone else seen it or read about it? Very fascinating history.
