Risky Business
August 25, 2008
The German extras are demanding $11 million (7 million euros) in compensation from Cruise and production company United Artists, Germany's Focus news magazine reported.
During filming, the extras fell off a period truck from the 1940s when one of its sides collapsed as it rounded a bend in Berlin.
According to the report, their Berlin lawyer, Ariane Bluttner, has warned the group will take their case to a Californian court if the compensation is not paid.
Bruises and head wounds
The extras suffered bruises and head wounds. Cruise was not present when the accident occurred.
Valkyrie relates the July 20, 1944 plot to blow up Hitler's Eastern Front military headquarters in Poland, called the Wolf's Lair, while the Nazi leader was holding a war conference there.
In the film, Cruise plays Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg, the Wehrmacht colonel who placed the bomb, which failed to kill Hitler.
Stauffenberg and his co-plotters were executed.
Cruise is a producer at UA, a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.
Film beset by controversy
The filming of "Valkyrie" was beset by controversy from the get-go. Much of it revolved around German objections to Cruise, a Scientologist, playing a Catholic German hero.
In addition, German authorities had initially refused permission for filming in the historic Bendler Block building in Berlin -- the site where von Stauffenberg and his co-plotters were executed -- citing concerns over "the dignity of the place."
The Bendler Block is part of the German Defense Ministry and now holds a memorial to the anti-Nazi resistance.
They later agreed on condition that the production company show respect to Stauffenberg.
Most recently, the film's release date has been pushed back, from this summer to December 2008.