Cruise finds Valkyrie role 'gripping'

SEOUL — Tom Cruise seems to have set very high standards with regards to playing real-life characters. Just think, although he has been in the movie business for nearly 30 years and is a huge box-office star with his pick of roles, he has portrayed only two real-life figures on screen.

The first was Vietnam war hero-turned-protester Ron Kovic in Born on the 4th of July in 1990. It was a memorable outing with director Oliver Stone. He still finds it an amusing coincidence that his birthday falls on July 3 while Kovic has his on the 4th. They remain good friends to this day and last December, Kovic was Cruise’s special guest at the Hollywood premiere of his latest film Valkyrie.

Directed by Bryan Singer of X-Men and The Usual Suspects fame, Valkyrie is the second time in his career Tom is playing a real-life character in a picture based on a true story. Like Born on the 4th of July, this one is also set in wartime, Nazi Germany during World War II. Tom also plays a war hero, charismatic Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who was executed by firing squad when he was only 36.

I do not know if Cruise’s involvement with Born on the 4th of July resulted in strong anti-war feelings and empathy for the men who tried to make this a better world. But there is no question Valkyrie did strongly affect him and he is spending a lot of time and effort to tell everyone about Stauffenberg and his experience doing the movie.

“We are honoring the history, the spirit of the resistance in Germany during World War II,” Cruise told members of the Asia-Pacific press he met with at the Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, South Korea last Jan. 17. It was the first leg of an international tour of Valkyrie premieres that has since then already taken him to Berlin, London, Moscow, Amsterdam, Rome, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro.

Looking bright-eyed, lean and handsome, Cruise passionately extolled the virtues of the film. “Valkyrie is about men who made what they believed was the right choice even if it meant great danger to their families and the loss of their lives. We want people to know about their story.”

One of those men was Stauffenberg. He was descended from a noble family, whose members had served in the government of Germany for 700 years. Unfortunately, when Claus’ turn came, it was under Adolph Hitler. A genius in military organization and logistics he rapidly rose in the ranks to become the Chief of Staff of the General Army Office under Friedrich Olbricht. But in the process he also got a first hand view of the atrocities perpetuated on the people by Hitler and his Nazis.

Also individualistic and unquestionably heroic, he lost his left eye, a hand and two fingers of the other while fighting in Tunisia. It was not hard for Stauffenberg to come to the conclusion that something must be done to stop Hitler. The Fuhrer had become the arch enemy of Germany and the world. Unlike many who merely sat and watched or even partook of the abuses going on, Stauffenberg did something about it. He attempted to kill Hitler but failed and was executed on July 20, 1944.

“I had not heard about Stauffenberg until I got the script from Bryan and Chris,” continues Cruise. Chris is screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie, friend and collaborator to director Singer. It was he who discovered Stauffenberg while on a visit to Germany and decided to write a script he thought nobody would be interested in.

“Gripping” is how Cruise describes the screenplay. “I couldn’t put it down. I just kept turning the pages. The story is so inspired and compelling. And it is real and resonates for all times. It is about taking personal responsibility, about making choices for the greater good. He had a family and children but he still did it. I couldn’t get over how he was going off to kill Hitler but he was not even able to say goodbye to his wife.

“When I learned about Hitler as a child, I did wonder why nobody stood up to stop him. I hated him. I wanted to kill him. And now there I was in that environment and learning what challenges there were.”

Though not as demanding as action-filled Mission: Impossible, Valkyrie was still a big challenge physically for Cruise. He had to function without one hand and with only two fingers in the other and with only one eye. “Wearing an eye patch was very difficult. It threw me off-balance at first. Then as an actor, I was also concerned about how I was communicating with only half my face.

“I also had to put on that uniform every day. It was hard looking at yourself in that. But that was when I really got into Stauffenberg’s shoes. It was what it meant for him to wear that uniform that made him do what he did.”

The question of what he might have done in the same situation stayed with Cruise throughout the shoot. More so while on location in Germany with his wife Katie Holmes and young daughter Suri also present. “That is what makes this movie very powerful. You think of how will I handle that and you do not have an answer. We, Bryan, Chris, we all had that in our minds. We look at the children and we think, what would I have done?”

That is why Tom is ecstatic about the PG-13 rating Valkyrie got. “I am very proud of this movie. This is a story for everybody and it is great to see whole families watching it. It is about heroism and integrity and loyalty. I am so happy we got it made.

The Seoul sojourn was a short and hectic but eventful one that showed Tom’s eagerness to reach out to fans in Asia and his passion for Valkyrie. I believe it also set the grueling pace in the cities that came in its wake.

Take a look at this list of activities. Meet Korean movie industry bigwigs in a cocktail party on Friday evening, where everybody was glad Cruise stayed for nearly three hours. Spend the whole of Saturday afternoon talking to media, taping for TV and in photo-ops.

Then go to the CGV Yongsan multiflex in downtown Seoul to immortalize his handprint at the lobby. Do the Korea press Sunday afternoon then walk the red carpet for the premiere at the Megabox Coex. Do not watch movie, just head straight to the airport to take the plane for Berlin. And the whole process begins again for the tireless star.

Then not to forget, he has to do everything with crowds of fans screaming and reaching out in adoration. Tom Cruise simply loved being with them and was all warmth and sunshine smiles in Seoul’s 10 below zero weather.