User Reviews

True story of "Operation Valkyrie", the plot to kill Hitler,and how despite all the odds in it being successful fell completely apart leaving those who executed it ending up being executed themselves by Hitler's secret police, the dreaded Gestapo, and SS troopers.

It seem so simple at first with German war hero Count Cluse Von Stauffenberg, Brad Davis, getting together with a number of fellow German Army officers with a secret plan to knock off the German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler, Mike Gwilym. With Hitler no longer in charge they then plan to sue for peace with the allies thus preventing their beloved Germany from being plastered off the face of the earth. The plan soon runs into a number of roadblocks with no one willing to risk their lives in a suicidal attempt to kill Hitler along with themselves.

Stauffenberg who's already given his right arm as well as left eye, in being wounded during the fighting in North Africa, for the Fatherland isn't that eager to give up his life in stopping that madman, Hitler, from destroying the country that he loves. Hitler plans to fight the remainder of the war to the very last man, as well as woman and child, in his scorched earth strategy of holding off the allied advance thus destroying the German nation and people in the process by doing it.

The film has us see how the plot to assassinate Hitler started when the war began to turn against Germany in the early Spring of 1943. With devastating losses in both North Africa and the USSR it became evident to many in the German General Staff that Germany had already lost the war. With only a miracle like the new super-weapons that both Hitler and his Propaganda Minster Joseph Goebbles, Jonathan Hyde, have been boasting about Nazi Germany's days were numbered. It was that stark reality that had Von Stauffenberg decide to go on with the plan to assassinate Hitler. As it turned out the perfect plan had many pitfalls the major one being that even if Hitler was killed would the German Army and people go along with those renegade German officers who killed him?

Getting to see Hitler in his bunker-the Wolf's Lair-in East Prussia Stauffenbrg manages to place a suitcase bomb within a few feet of his Fuhrer only to have it placed along side a table leg by another German officer that, with the explosion being directed away not towards the German leader, ended up saving Hitler's life. With Stauffenberg and his fellow conspirators thinking that Hitler was killed in the explosion they prematurely came out into the open, in trying to take over the government, and thus with no one in the military as well as general public supporting them sealed their own fate.

Stauffenberg and Co. not only ended up losing their lives in their attempt to put an end to the Hitler Regime but the lives of some 5,000 other Germans, mostly their friends and family members, in the remaining nine months that the war in Europe was to continue. As noble as their cause and intentions were in ridding the world of Adolf Hitler the attempt on his life, and him surviving it, only helped not hurt the German Dictator which was the exact opposite that Stauffenberg & Co. expected it to achieve.

By miscalculating their support in the German General Staff, a number of whom suddenly got cold feet and switched sides, and the German people Stauffenberg's, and the generals, plan went up in smoke together some nine months later with Hitler's Germany that at the time it failed to eliminate. That feat was accomplished by the victorious allies and ironically Hitler himself who's insane actions, in his conduct of the war, did more to help the allied forces to destroy him and his Nazi Regime then almost anything else!

I have come across the 3 movies relating to Operation Valkyrie with Col. Stauffenberg as the main focus. This is the one that i watched most recently but it was the first one made being (1990). Followed by that is Stauffenberg of (2004) and Valkyrie starring Tom Cruise (2009). Now after watching all 3, they are all good watches. I probably enjoyed the (2004) one the most as it had more feeling but 2009 because of the budget and modern look was visually better. After the (1990) and (2004) movies being made am surprised Tom Cruise opted to make another one as the the first 2 fulfill the explanation & feeling. They are all pretty much the same storyline as it is based on a true story with little movie differences here and there. Overall a good watch and doesn't wander off the truths of the incident that we know to be historically true or what we feel is the correct presentation. In many movies actors have tried to play Hitler, so just a little comment on the Hitler in this movie, decent performance. But for me the most defining Hitler i have come across in cinema has to be in ' Downfall' 'Der Untergang' : Bruno Ganz. Also the Himmler in Downfall is the best representation in terms of look i have ever seen. And as we are talking about Nazi representation in movies, the best Heydrich i have seen is in ' Aushwitz the Nazis and the Final Solution'. Although the Himmler in that documentary narrated by Samuel West is terrible. Imagine if all the actors who have represented Nazi personalities so well came together for one movie, now that would be epic for people who show a strong interested in ww2 movies. However in relation to this topic: for me someone should of just blown a bullet into his head rather than beating round the bush coming up with so many complicated ways to kill him yet failing on all accounts.

Televisión version about July 20 Plot professionally shot by Lawrence Schiller . This version (1980) about the historic events results to be an adequate retelling about the ¨July 20 plot¨ in which a group of officers attempt to take control of the German government , including magnificent actors and acceptable direction . This is a fine movie about the July 20 plot of 1944 lead by Wehrmacht Colonel Count Stauffenberg ; being made with good American actors as well as British and passable production values , though in television style . The picture contains brief remarks about Claus Graf Von Stauffenberg (1907-1944) , but focusing mainly the July Plot . The film packs a colorful cinematography by Freddie Francis and atmospheric musical score by Lawrence Rosenthal . This story about Stauffenberg and the famous event from how was orchestrated the dangerous plot has been well played by Brad Davis as Stauffemberg , Madolyn Smith Osborne as his wife Countess Nina Von Stauffenberg , Kenneth Colley as Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel , Michael Byrne as Gen. Olbricht , Jonathan Hyde as Professor Joseph Goebbels , Rupert Graves as Axel Von Dem Bussche , Helmut Griem as Field Marshal Erwin Rommel , Vernon Dobtcheff as Fellgiebel and Mike Gwilym as Adolf Hitler .

There are various adaptations about this famous plot and his main participant , Stauffenberg ; they are the followings : First German version about July 20 Plot professionally directed by G.W.Pabst in 1954 with Bernard Wicki ; German adaptation titled 'Stauffemberg (2004)' with Sebastian Koch, Christopher Buchold , Hardy Kruger Jr , Remo Girone and directed by Jo Baier who bears special remembrance to 'Valkyrie' (2008) by Bryan Singer with Tom Cruise , Tom Wilkinson David Scofield , Bill Nighy Christian Berkel and Kenneth Branagh.

Adding more details over the widely described on the movie , the deeds happened of the following manner : In the early part WWII Stauffenberg (Brad Davis) served with distinction as an officer in a Bavarian cavalry regiment in Poland , France and North Africa where in 1943 he was deeply wounded. He was saved by the expert supervision of Dr. Ferdinand, Germany's most famous physician . Reporting back for service , he was appointed chief of staff of the Army Department. During his convalescence he revised his attitude . He made no secret of his utter contempt for Hitler and Nazism . He resented any form of totalitarianism, especially National Socialism, and criticized Hitler as the Antichrist . The meticulous Stauffenberg then decided to join the conspirators against Hitler with the goal of liquidating the Nazi regime and replacing it with a new social state that would maintain the good name of fatherland . Always impelled by Christian morality and angered by the excesses of Nazism, Stauffenberg became the leader of the conspiracy . At the center of the plot were such senior officers as Gen. Von Tresckow , chief of staff in Army Group Center on the Russian front , Col.Gen Friedrich Olbricht (Michael Byrne) , head of supply Section of the Reserve Army , Major Gen. Erwin Van Witzleber and General Beck (Ian Richardson). Added to these senior members were a number of younger officers (Rupert Graves) who believed who Third Reich was a catastrophe for Germany and were willing to gamble their lives on the outcome of the plot . Others knew of the plot but did not take an active role in it. Among them were Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (Helmut Griem) , popular war hero, General Canaris and Field Marshal Hans Von Kluge , army group commander in France . In March 1943 General Tresckow decided that the time had come for action. A British-made bomb time , disguised as a bottle of brandy, was placed on the Fuehrer's plane , but the bomb failed to explode and it was never discovered . Then General Von Tresckow agreed with Stauffenberg that the assassination attempt must be made at all costs: 'We must prove to the world and to future generations that the men of the German Resistance movement dared to take the decisive step and wager their lives on it'. When Hitler (Mike Gwylin) called a conference of his close military advisers at the headquarter at Rastenburg, Staufffenberg arrived and in his briefcase along with papers and reports, was a British time bomb. He set the timer on the bomb and brought it into the conference room. After greeting the Fuehrer , he placed the briefcase on the floor beside Hitler and the excused himself: 'I must make a telephone call'. And the bomb exploded . Meanwhile , Stauffenberg , certain that all in the hut had been killed was a plane bound for Berlin , but he learned to his amazement that Hitler had not been killed by the blast . Officers who were in the plot were dismayed and virtually paralyzed into inaction. Officers loyal to Hitler as Otto Remer had taken control of the War Ministry and arrested the conspirators . General Fromm (Helmut Lohner) hurried to cover his tracks,he had four officers shot by a firing squad in the courtyard below.Beck was killed with a coup de grace.Hitler's vengeance was terrible .The conspirators were handed over to the tortures of Gestapo,many more were killed in a a massive blood purge. Some were strangled with piano wire and their bodies hanged like animal carcasses on huge hooks General Fromm , who had been active in ordering the executions could not save himself,principal leaders met a barbaric death, among them the Adm . Wilhelm Canaris . Field Marshal Von Witzleben 's execution was typical , the old man was pushed into a cellar prison,placed under the first meat hook and stripped to the waist,a running noose was placed over the hook and wound around his neck,he was lifted and allowed to fall with the whole weight of his body ,young cadets ,forced to view the gruesome spectacle , fainted .

The plot to kill Hitler was a failure. And the film? Hmm. A partial success!

The lead cast all give competent performances and deliver the dialogue in unconvincing German-American accents. Except for Mike Gwilym (Hitler), who delivered his lines in a bizarre Welsh-German accent (which does actually work better) for this film before apparently going into retirement aged 40. If only Hitler had done the same!

Some of the supporting actors, for example Ian Richardson as General Beck and Helmut Griem (who may have had an advantage with the accent), as Rommel, make more impression.

I understand the film is historically accurate, but the pace is all a bit flat. OK, it's aimed at a 'family' audience. But really, a little less conversation, a little more action would have been welcome.

This is not a film I'd want to watch again.

This film has a solid plot and remains quite faithful to the historical events which it portrays. Some scenes involving the conspirators are necessarily conjecture but they always remain plausible and certainly do not compromise the facts for the sake of dramatic license.

There is a good mix of action and dialogue throughout the film and a tense soundtrack which does a lot to add to the atmosphere. The performances of many of the actors are first-rate. Ian Richardson as General Beck and Ken Colley as Field-Marshal Keitel are characteristically convincing. The presence of Helmuts Lohner and Griem as General Fromm and Field-Marshal Rommel respectively help to give the film a greater feeling of audio authenticity which adds to the effect of excellent costumes and sets. Jonathan Hyde is a convincing Goebells and demonstrates a wonderful range. The best performance by far is that of the little-known Welsh actor Mike Gwilym who puts in a masterly portrayal of the fast declining Hitler.

Great acting and drama that is better than Valkyrie which was released in 2009. It shows more of the family side side of the man. Hitler's doubts are also exposed. It's sad that the mass murders that were done. It's hard to believe that such an environment of hatred against another race of people (especially innocent ones) can be created. It's hard to believe all the attempts to assassinate Hitler failed. The whole history of World War 1 and 2 should be taught in detail in all schools, to educate everyone on the evils that are possible. And also to identify the build up of similar leaders that look to destroy others for no reason. Looks like Iran and Russia may be possible future countries in which leaders similar to Hitler may rise to power. The goal should be to educate and arm people to avoid such powers.