|
Written by Staff Writer
|
|
Aug 20, 2007 at 05:19 PM |
No, despite the image above Cruise hasn't yet converted from Scientology to Naziism yet. In an ironic accident, a vehicle on the set of his newest movie (about Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg who attempted to blow up Hitler), exploded. 10 crew members were hurt, but importantly as the police put it "no findings to suggest anyone famous was involved".
The truck, which was made to look like a Wehrmacht military vehicle, is now being inspected for technical defects as part of a police investigation.
Cruise plays the mastermind behind a daring bid to assassinate Hitler.
The film, Valkyrie, has faced criticism in Germany, where crew were banned from filming at the former staff quarters where Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who led the plot, was executed.
While Stauffenberg's part in the plan required him to be at the Bendlerstrasse office to telephone regular Army units from around the Reich to arrest leaders of political organisations, such as the Sicherheitsdienst and the Gestapo, in the end Stauffenberg was the only one of the conspirators who had regular access to Hitler, at his briefing meetings. Even with only three fingers remaining, Stauffenberg, in 1944 now promoted to Oberst (colonel), agreed to carry out the assassination of the German Führer, Adolf Hitler himself. The attempt took place at the Führer's briefing hut at the military high command Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair) near Rastenburg, East Prussia (today Kętrzyn, Poland) on July 20, 1944. Colonel von Stauffenberg's briefcase was packed with explosives and a simple ten to fifteen minute timer set. He entered the briefing room where Hitler was present, placed the briefcase under the table, announced that he needed to make an urgent phone call to Berlin, and then quickly left the room. He waited in a nearby shelter until the explosion tore through the hut. From what he saw, he was convinced no one could have survived the blast. Although four people were killed and almost all present were injured, Hitler was injured only lightly as he was shielded from the blast by a heavy, solid oaken conference table. |
|
Last Updated ( Aug 20, 2007 at 05:59 PM )
|
Entertainment 
