They got the history right!

Rating: 7/10 (13 January 2009)

As a student of WWII, and a former German Gymnasium student, I can tell you that they got the history right. Did they leave out a lot - yes. Did they not mention how may people were executed as a result of the Valkyrie plot - yes. But they did show an important part of German history, and world history.
Whatever you think of Tom Cruise as a human being or as an actor, he really delivered in this film. He brought the right combination of patriotism and megalomania to pull of this part.
Von Stauffenberg was not a saint - but he was a good man, determined to save his country from the very worst it had done. He was racist and pro-Germany - but so was every other high-ranking German officer (and German aristocrat) of the times.
The movie builds toward it's chilling climax, showing the desperation and futility of the plotters. The scenes in Berlin during the few hours of the attempted coup show people's heroism and devotion.
Whether we like their characters' motives or not, Valkyrie did happen, and it was important.