Tom Cruise denied access to German sites for film
Story by Jack Foley
TOM Cruise has been banned from filming at military sites in Germany because of his Scientology links.
The German defence ministry announced this week that it objected to the Hollywood star filming at key locations because he had “publicly professed to being a member of the Scientology cult”, which it believes masquerades as a religion to make money.
Cruise is currently preparing to play Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the leader of the 1944 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler using a bomb hidden in a briefcase, in Valkyrie, a big budget film due for release next year.
The movie will co-star Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy and Patrick Wilson and is being directed by Bryan Singer from a script by The Usual Suspects screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie.
But owing to Germany’s position on Scientology, the Ministry issued a statement saying that the film-makers “will not be allowed to film at German military sites if Count von Stauffenberg is played by Cruise”.
It added: “In general, the Bundeswehr [the German military] has a special interest in the serious and authentic portrayal of the events of July 20 1944 and Stauffenberg’s person.”
Hitting back, Cruise’s producing partner Paula Wagner insisted: “Aside from his obvious admiration of the man he is portraying, Mr Cruise’s personal beliefs have absolutely no bearing on the movie’s plot, themes or content.
“Even though we could shoot the movie anywhere in the world, we believe Germany is the only place we can truly do the story justice.”
She went on to say that Cruise’s portrayal of von Stauffenberg in the film would be as a “heroic and principled figure”, before adding: “We believe the film will go a long way toward reminding the world that even within the ranks of the German military, there was real resistance to the Nazi regime.”
It remains to be seen what the outcome of the situation will be – or what it means for the filming of Valkyrie and its release date.
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