Cruise holds minute of silence on World War II film set in Germany

BERLIN (AFP) – Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise at the weekend observed a minute of silence for the slain German resistance hero he portrays in a new World War II film, the German press reported on Sunday.

Cruise made the respectful gesture before shooting a scene of “Valkyrie” at the historic Bendlerblock building in Berlin, where authorities originally refused to allow the crew to film, before reversing their ban 10 days ago.

“Scriptwriter Christopher McQuarie, director Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise each made a short speech and asked for a moment of silence” before filming began there on Saturday night, German actor Christian Berkel told Bild newspaper.

Cruise declared that he was “touched” to be at the site, which today is used by the defence ministry and is a national shrine, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported.

It added that nobody was allowed to eat or drink on the set.

Cruise portrays Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg, an aristocratic officer who mounted a failed plot to kill Adolf Hitler in 1944 as Germany was losing the war, and was executed at the Bendlerblock along with his fellow conspirators.

The defence ministry said it gave the go-ahead for filming at the Bendlerblock after the filmmakers agreed to incorporate a scene showing that Germany had emerged from the evil of the Nazi regime to become a fully democratic country.

“Valkyrie” has been filming at locations in Berlin since July. It is due for release in 2008. (Source: Yahoo! News)

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