Björn-5 I've watched this movie three times over the years, and it is hard not to compare it to "Valkyrie". I'm aware that the respective budgets differed a lot, but good scripts don't have to cost millions, and "Stauffenberg" could definitely benefited from a better script. First off, the movie is very rushed. From the first scene to the start of the conspiracy, it is just 16 minutes. The co-conspirators are given just a short scene, and the whole idea behind the coup (the "Walküre" plan) isn't explained; the plot is much better portrayed in "Valkyrie". The morning of 20 July starts 30 minutes into the movie, with the remaining hour following the events of that day. This is here that the poor explanation of the plot results in further confusion. As it appears to have been thrown together in such a slap-dash fashion, the viewer is left with the impression that the plot didn't have a chance of succeeding. Other problems are poor casting (a pathetic Goebbels) and an overly melodramatic scene in Tresckow's HQ, where a woman who has survived a massacre describes the event in a way meant to be emotional, but which is just cringe-worthy for being so over the top. This version might be for those who think that German dialogue in WW2 movies tops the need for a good script, and for those who cannot stand Tom Cruise.

gradyharp OPERATION VALKYRIE (originally titled STAUFFENBERG for its 2004 television release in Germany) is a condensed, powerful, and realistic telling of the attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler by his own military supporters on 20 July 1944. Unfortunately now in the shadow of the highly touted VALKYRIE released this past year as the Hollywood version of the incident OPERATION VALKYRIE is getting little attention from viewers. Now that it is available on DVD perhaps it will gain the importance it deserves. For one aspect, the film is written, filmed and acted by Germans and the result is a different kind of felling than the later VALKYRIE: the tenor of the film suggests a growing lack of hope and a recognition of the insanity of Hitler by the a larger portion of the German populace than we have been lead to believe. It bears more a sense of reality than of a thriller movie. Sebastian Koch is wholly credible as Oberst Claus Graf Schenk v. Stauffenberg - a devoted military man under the spell of Hitler's influence in the early years of the rise of the Third Reich who gradually pays attention to the rumors and reports of Hitler's aloof response to his murders of thousands of people. In a particularly touching scene a Polish Jew named Polja (Katharina Rivilis) recounts the horrors that the war has imposed on her family and her descent into insanity from Hitler's plan and execution of that plan for the genocide of the Jews. Stauffenberg is so deeply touched by this crowning encounter that he requests immediate transfer to the African Front and it is there that he is nearly killed in action, losing a hand and an eye. From the moment he awakens in a Munich hospital he begins his plan to exterminate Hitler (an impressive mute role by Udo Schenk), a plan that ultimately fails and results in Stauffenberg's assassination - a film clip of which opens the film before the credits. The cast is excellent and the pacing and forward momentum of the story as written and directed by Jo Baier makes for a film that strikes the viewer in bullets aimed for the mind and heart. If too much of the peripheral activity of the times around the 1944 event is edited, remember that the film was originally a made of television experience to be viewed by the German populace and accepting part of the history depicted is still tainted by the horror of the Hitler guidance of Germany. Well worth watching. Grady Harp

Youcanmakeabettermovie Not to be confused with the Tom Cruise movie that just came out, this five year old German TV movie 'just happened' to be released on DVD in America right after that movie, uh huh... Anyway, it was surprisingly good quality for a TV movie and it was interesting to see the differences between the two movies. Of course 'Valkyrie' was able to go more into depth with the characters because it was a half an hour longer but there were many scenes that were very similar in both movies. This movie shows us the fate of the main character in the first scene. Bad idea! Luckily, I had already seen 'Valkyrie' so the whole movie wasn't ruined for me.

Federico Lotti There is no question to honour the activity and exploit of Stauffenberg, but if you are not enough informed about the background of this heroic deed, you are getting really fast an uncritical illustration. It is historically incorrect to focus the whole "coup d'état" of the 20 July 1944 on Stauffenberg. It seems that it was Stauffenbergs own motivation to fulfill the assassination, but there were a lot of other people, who were involved in the preparation. Beck and Olbricht were leading characters long time before, for example. In this movie they just appear as minor characters compared to Stauffenberg. At least it should be "mentioned" that there were two other tries to kill Adolf Hitler the days before the 20th July. I know that it is almost impossible to realize a historical moment as the 20th July in less than two hours, but there were as well a lot of scenes which could be deleted: for example Stauffenbergs "turning point" in Tunesia and this "more funny scene" with this Swabian guy or the long discussion with his wife wasn't that important for the plot...more concentration of basics would have been better. However, I am a great admirer of Sebastian Koch and he was acting fantastic as Stauffenberg. Very deep and clear and not exaggerated at all in opposite to some other characters in this movie. (O. Dietrich was horrible as Goebbels...he should continue to make comedy!)