Noelie Wrote:I thought this was a great movie. I dislike Tom Cruise, but my undying adoration for Bill Nighy made up for it.
As far as Tom Cruise is concerned, I don't care one way or the other. As far as his private life is concerned (especially his "religious beliefs") I think he's as nutty as squirrel shit, but he's a pretty good actor.
Quote: I had such an inappropriate thought when the bomb went off though. Given how many people wanted Hitler dead by then, and given the level of paranoia and security at the Wolf's Lair, I don't know how at least some of the people there didn't just fall on their asses laughing when that explosion happened. Or... maybe they did, and we just don't know it.
There were supposed to be two bombs in the briefcase, but Count Von Stauffenberg was interrupted when he was trying to arm them and only one bomb was used. So the explosion was only half of what was planned.
The table it was placed under was made of heavy oak, and someone moved the briefcase -- effectively away from Hitler.
Even then, the blast killed four people and almost everyone in the room was wounded. Although Count Von Stauffenberg was convinced that all the people in the room were killed.
Around five thousand people were executed in relation to this plot.
So the movie is very historically accurate.
Another movie which deals with this plot is: THE DESERT FOX - The Story of Rommel. The movie stars James Mason as Rommel, and the screen play was derived from the biography of Erwin Rommel, by Brigadier Desmond Young, MC.
Desmond Young had a cameo performance in the movie, playing himself toward the beginning of the movie -- although his voice was dubbed by Michael Rennie who narrated the movie.
The only inaccuracy I could find in THE DESERT FOX was in the character of Count Von Stauffenberg, who had a patch over his right eye instead of his left.
Another movie which makes a brief mention of this plot is IS PARIS BURNING, which stars Gert Frobe as General Von Choltitz. Another very historically accurate film.
Ken V.