Just when you thought you could rely on the German commitment to obdurate pride, our Teutonic friends have done a goose-stepping about face.
Originally, German Defence Minister Harald Kammerbauer, had issued a vehement denial to the production company that wanted to bring Tom Cruise’s “Valkyrie” to Germany, saying the film makers would “not be allowed to film at German military sites if Count Stauffenberg is played by Tom Cruise, who has publicly professed to being a member of the Scientology ‘cult’.”
Germans have no love lost for Scientology religion, as Reuter notes:
The German government does not recognize Scientology as a religion and sees it instead as a dangerous cult, which brainwashes and exploits its members. Scientology is under official observation by Germany authorities as a potentially threat to German democracy, putting the organization on par with neo-Nazi groups.
But it appears the cult has some purse strings they have pulled. The ministry now claims they haven’t received an official from “Valkyrie” producers, but would “look agreeably” upon any application.
The head of German Fisser film studios said of the project: “The assassination attempt against Hitler is hardly known outside Germany. We should therefore be delighted and welcome this wonderful opportunity to improve the image of our country.”
The upshot is that “Valkyrie” is a Bryan Singer (“X-2,” “Superman Returns”) film that reunites the comic-book centric director with “The Usual Suspects” scribe, Christopher McQuarrie. Still we would have loved to have seen Cruise snubbed so globally.
