Writes Taki: "Tom Cruise is about to begin filming in Germany, and he’s portraying none other than the great Claus von Stauffenberg, the officer who tried to assassinate Hitler. When I rang my friend Elizabeth Stauffenberg Roberti—her father was Claus’s brother and was also put to death after the July 20 plot—she did not seem too perturbed that Cruise would play her uncle. 'He is a foot shorter but what the hell…' My problem with Cruise is not his religion, far from it, but his mannerisms. I don’t think he is capable of playing an upper class Wehrmacht officer of noble background. It takes more than acting lessons to do that. Stauffenberg was very handsome and a great hero, something perhaps a Gary Cooper could bring across, but not Cruise. Mind you, I hope I’m wrong, but I wouldn’t bet on it. A German journalist was not pleased by the choice. 'It is like casting Judas in the role of Jesus.' Easy Trigger. It’s not as bad as all that, but they should have got Leopold Bismarck for the role."
