Valkyrie

Colonel 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) and his wife 'Countess Nina Von Stauffenberg' (qv) have very dark hair, yet their children have blond hair.

The gene for blond hair is generally recessive, so if both parents are carriers, each child has a 25% chance of having blond hair.

Additionally, some of the real Stauffenberg children had blond hair.

'Hermann Göring' (qv) is not wearing his "Blue Max" WWI medal.

It should have been around his neck, with his Grand Cross.

Another character ('Pompous General') is correctly shown wearing his Blue Max.

When 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is recruited in the church, the camera pans up to show the bombed-out ceiling.

Nuns and priests removed the stained glass windows from churches and buried them outside cities before the Allied forces began bombing Germany.

If the ceiling was bombed out, the stained glass windows shouldn't be there.

Colonel 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) travels to and from secret meetings with 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) in a Mercedes-Benz convertible.

If you look closely at the front chrome grill, you can clearly see shiny outlines of various emblems that were removed prior to filming.

The emblems are placed on Mercedes-Benz cars by their owners to indicate milestones in mileage, etc.

They would never have been on a Nazi car.

When 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) changes in the room before setting the bomb, the cut on his neck disappears when he exits.

'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv)'s left eye that is damaged.

At one point when he is shaving, the patch is over his right eye.

The camera is looking into a mirror.

The scene at the Berlin Tempelhof Airport shows a Junkers 52 transport outside on the ramp, and a Messerschmitt 109 inside the hangar.

The Messerschmitt appears to be a Spanish-built CASA, with an upright V British Merlin V-12 engine.

Real Messerschmits had an inverted V Daimler-Benz engine.

Very few airworthy examples of the Me-109 remain.

The CASA type shown, which was flown at the 2008 Duxford Airshow, is fitted with a British Merlin engine.

In one shot, when 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is showing 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) the updated Valkyrie plan, he looks down with both eyes.

His left eye is glass, but prosthetic eyes are fitted against the muscles, so they can move.

Henning von Tresckow delivers the Cointreau bomb to Colonel Brandt at the aircraft, and later retrieves it from HQ in Berlin.

According to 'Offiziere Gegen Hitler', Tresckow's deputy, Fabian von Schlabrendorff, did both in real life.

Just before 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is shot, Lieutenant Werner von Haeften jumps in front to shield him from the bullets and dies instead.

While the powerful Karabiner 98 Kurz rifle, that the execution squad is using, can easily fire a bullet straight through the body of von Haeften, with more than enough momentum to kill von Stauffenberg, this scene is a true depiction of the event.

In the film, 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) signs his name with his right hand.

Hitler was ambidextrous.

The Berlin Reserve are called out twice to contain the district as per the orders of "Operation Valkyrie".

In all the shots, they are wearing full combat field kit.

As garrisoned troops, they would only take their ammunition pouches, bayonet, and gas mask.

They would also wear steel helmets, though officers could wear their field caps.

When General Olbricht is executed, mud from an earlier take can be seen on his uniform trousers just before he falls to the ground.

A banner in the movie that says 'Führer befiehl, wir folgen dir.

' is correct.

"Befiehl" is the imperative of the 2nd person singular of "befehlen".

After 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) shaves on the morning of the final assassination attempt and cuts himself, some blood drips on his shirt.

As he gets into a car in the next scene, the blood is not there, but reappears when he arrives at the Wolf's lair.

'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) and his adjunct are shown being driven on their way to have the new version of Walküre signed by 'Adolf Hitler' (qv).

There is a panoramic view of the exterior of the Berghof (Hitler's private residence).

It is shown situated on the extreme top of a hill with large mountains (the Alps) a kilometer away in the distance, but nothing directly behind it.

In reality, the Berghof was built onto the side of a hill and not on the top.

In any period photograph of the Berghof you will clearly see the hill continues to ascend behind the building and there was a thick forest of trees behind it as well (covering the hill well above the height of the Berghof's roof).

In the film no trees are shown behind the main building and it is shown to basically stand on its own, on the top of a hill.

In the ensuing gunfight at the Bendlerblock (Headquarters of the Army) 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) was hit in the arm, when in actuality he was shot in the shoulder.

When 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is speaking with his fellows, he looks at the portrait of 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) hanging on the wall and says "At the end of this the portrait will be unhung, and a man will be hung.

" The grammatically correct past tense of "hang" (as a method of execution) is "hanged".

The P-40's that attack the Germans in the beginning of the movie have the Flying Tiger teeth painted on them.

The Flying Tigers were based in China during WWII.

However, shark mouth was often used on the P-40 by other units, such as 112 squadron RAF - not just by the Flying Tigers; P-40's in the movie in fact clearly have the correct British camouflage for North Africa.

As 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) crosses the room to receive the new Valkyrie plan from Stauffenberg the upper part of his shadow advances faster than he does.

This must be caused by an artificial light source outside the window, rather than what otherwise appears to be sunlight.

In the ensuing gunfight at the Bendlerblock (Headquarters of the Army) 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) was actually wearing his white summer uniform jacket, not the Wehrmacht (Army) uniform as shown in the movie.

As 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) and party arrive by air to Smolensk in Russia, in March 1943, the camera pans upon a vast green forest with not a trace of snow.

March in this part of Russia is a quagmire of melting snow, ice and mud.

The P-40s that attack the Germans in the beginning of the movie do not have any rockets or bombs and neither do any of them fire their machine guns that caused the first explosion that killed the general and blew 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) off his feet.

There just seemed to be an explosion when the fighters came up behind the Germans and nothing caused it.

In a long shot of 'Tom Cruise' (qv) and 'Kenneth Branagh' (qv) it is clear Cruise is wearing a pair of big shoes to boost his height.

On the day of the attempt at Rastenburg, 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) managed to get through Security Zone II with his briefcase containing the explosives without problems.

He knew however that on entering the inner Security Zone I, all personnel except 'Adolf Hitler' (qv)'s inner circle were thoroughly searched, as a precaution against assassination attempts.

In order to avoid it von Stauffenberg arranged so that he entered the Zone with Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel - an officer in Keitel's company would not be searched.

When 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) is flying into Smolensk, his plane has D-2600 and a black stripe painted on the wing.

However, in the shot of the final approach to the runway (view from behind), the plane is devoid of these markings.

They return once the plane is on the ground.

When 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) hands 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) the revised version of Operation Valkyrie, Hitler grabs the folder with his right hand and in the next shot he is holding it in his left hand.

In the scene where Colonel 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is in hospital after being wounded in Africa we see him giving wounded soldiers medals.

On one medal we see him place you see the indentation from the medal (in previous takes) before it has been placed on the lapel.

In a number of scenes, Colonel 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is seen wearing crimson stripes on his trouser legs, which are mistakenly believed to be red stripes worn only by German Generals; however, crimson stripes were worn by all German General Staff officers below the rank of General.

When 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) meets his family for the first time after the accident, when he kisses his wife 'Countess Nina Von Stauffenberg' (qv) you can see his nose, but in the next shot he is on the other side.

During the executions no bullet impacts are seen in the sand bank behind the victims having passed easily through the bodies at such short range.

During the shootout in the building corridors, prior to the arrests, no ejected cartridge cases can be heard tinkling on the hard stone floors.

When 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) flies back to Berlin the tailsign of the Ju52 is BT-A? when he enters it.

During the flight it is DI-AY and after touchdown in Berlin it is BT-A? again.

The aerial forest photos shot near and around the 'Wolf's Lair' obviously shows 'tree farms' (trees are all planted in a row).

In 1944 there might have been Christmas tree farms but there were no 'logging' tree farms.

Ludwig Beck did not succeed in killing himself as is shown in the film.

His first shot grazed his temple.

Fromm gave him time to "collect himself" before he tried again.

His second attempt also failed, so another officer ended up finishing him off.

Ludwig Beck was not wearing civilian clothes on July 20th.

He had put on his military uniform for the first time in 6 years when the plot went into operation.

Prior to meeting 'Adolf Hitler' (qv), 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is shown with brown eyes, yet the glass eye shown is blue.

The officer in charge of the firing squad never gives the order to fire when Lt.

Haeften is shot.

This is because a single man in the firing squad fires without the order being given, which is quite obviously shown in the film by the surprised look on the officer's face and following tremble in his voice.

The Afrika Korps General is wearing the Knight's Cross on the wrong neck ribbon of black/silver-gray.

It should be red-orange, white, black.

The other neck ribbon is not fitting for this decoration.

Shortly after in the film, General Olbricht is seen wearing the proper ribbon.

Also the General's collar devices are too big so that the center bullion device is far too small and out-of proportion.

When 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) and Haeften arrive at the Wolf's Lair on July 15th, Haeften can be seen descending from the car twice.

Close shots of 'David Bamber' (qv)'s eyes are seen only sparingly but it is apparent that the eye color is inaccurate.

'Adolf Hitler' (qv)'s eyes were known to be a penetrating blue and said by some to even be bordering on violet-blue.

Early in the movie, 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) speaks of 'Josef Goebbels' (qv) and mispronounces his name as "GO-bulls.

" The correct pronunciation is "GER-bulls.

" The building the German army barricades in Berlin is identified as the Ministry of Interior.

It was actually the Reich Air Ministry.

Today, it is the German Finance Ministry.

Shortly after the bombing attempt against 'Adolf Hitler' (qv), Colonel 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is standing in an office at the Ministry and the camera pulls out to reveal both hands intact, including all his fingers.

He is supposed to have lost one of his hands and 2 fingers off his other hand.

'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is shown shaving on the morning of the final assassination attempt.

However, the close-up shots reveal that he is already clean-shaven.

Throughout the movie, men are shown doing the official German Greeting of "Heil Hitler" with their arms outstretched.

However, in the time leading up to the July 20 plot, this salute was only used sparingly.

It was after 'Adolf Hitler' (qv) survived the plot (in effect July 24) that 'Hermann Göring' (qv), in a show of loyalty, replaced the standard military salute with the "Heil Hitler" salute.

When 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is being driven through the forest to his first meeting with 'Adolf Hitler' (qv), the date and time appear several times, and the time is around noon.

However, the shadows are far longer than they should be for that time of day.

Colonel 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) is wearing a WWI campaign ribbon on his dress uniform seen in one or two scenes.

Stauffenberg was too young to be in WWI, and Germany did not use campaign ribbons in WWII.

Henning von Tresckow was not promoted to Major General (Generalmajor) until June 1st, 1944 - until then, he held the rank of colonel.

However, 'Kenneth Branagh' (qv) is wearing a Major General's uniform throughout the movie.

Friedrich Olbricht is one star short.

While he is correctly addressed as "General", and his official correspondence also names him as a General of The Infantry (General der Infanterie), 'Bill Nighy' (qv)'s uniform is that of a Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant), sporting the shoulder cords for General Officers with only one star.

In the film Otto Remer arrives to arrest Goebbels unannounced.

Goebbels places a cyanide capsule in his mouth and hands Remer the phone hoping he will speak to Hitler to confirm Hitler is still alive.

One assumes that Goebbels intends to bite the capsule should Remer decide to arrest Goebbels.

This is not what occurred.

Remer issued the orders to secure Berlin as per the implemention of Operation Valkyrie but realised that something was wrong.

Remer immediately telephoned Goebbels and discussed the matter with him.

He was then invited to visit Goebbels whereupon Goebbels arranged telephone contact with the Wolfs Lair and Remer was allowed to confirm that Hitler was still alive.

Hitler did not wear civilian clothes during the war, and it is unthinkable that he would have received an officer and approved a military plan while not in uniform.

The table leg where Colonel Claus Schenk Graf Von Stauffenberg places the bomb was a "stout" (block) leg not a peg leg as shown in the scene.

This was the critical difference in saving Hitler's life, because Colonel Brandt, trying to get a better view of the map, moved the briefcase to the other side of the stout block, away from Hitler.

The blast thus blew away from Hitler, and ironically toward Brandt, who died from it.

When Hitler visits Tresckow in Smolensk, Russia, he arrives in a Junkers Ju 52.

In his actual visit, he was in a Lufthansa Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor.

It seems odd that with at least 3 men being shot before 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg' (qv) and Haeften that there is not a single drop of blood on the ground.

Even as Haeften is being carried off there is not even a small patch where he should have bleed out after being shot with 6-10 rifles.

This is especially evident as Stauffenberg is being shot when the camera moves to an aerial view of the execution grounds.

However, a realistic portrayal could have caused the movie to receive a stronger rating.

The first two sequences are out of historical sequence.

The attempt by Henning Von Treskow to blow up Hitler's plane as it flew from Smolensk to Rastenburg took place March 13, 1943.

The P-40 fighter-bomber attack which crippled Graf Von Stauffenberg was delivered by the American 33rd Fighter Group on April 7, 1943.

Stauffenberg is shown to have arrived at the "Wolfs Lair" in a Junkers-52.

However, he made his journey from Berlin to the "Wolfs Lair" using a Heinkel-111, a German middle range bomber.

The opening scenes show Hitler arrive in a Junkers-52 airplane.

However his personal "Füherflugzeug" (eg.

leaders plane) was a modified version of the Focke-Wulf-200.

This plane has four engines and a higher range compared to the Junkers shown in the movie.

On the banner with the inscription "Führer befiehl, wir folgen dir", the font used is a Gothic type.

This is extremely improbable, given that Hitler had banned all Gothic types in 1941 while openly stating that they were of Jewish origin.

I went to a pre-screening of Valkyrie and I was surprised to find myself enjoying the movie more than I thought I would.The story is straight forward, detailing the last of 15 known assassination attempts against Adolf Hitler.

I adore German WWII history when I heard this was coming out I was very excited. I feel like a failure because it took me almost 3 years to watch it but it was worth the wait.

I just saw this last night at a pre-screening and it was fantastic. When I saw the recent trailer it made me think it was going to be another mindless action film but it really did surprise.

There was a lot of suspense throughout the movie. The plot was solid though if you know a bit about history you already know how the movie is going to end.

SPOILER ALERT – If you do not at least generally know how Hitler died, read no further.Valkyrie is billed as a suspense movie, a thriller.

This film is a tribute to a group of unlikely heroes determined to end the tyranny of Adolph Hitlers Nazi regime at all cost, and in the end they paid the ultimate price. This is a story that 90% of the world knows little to nothing about but is a story of such great importance to the eventual outcome of World War II that to forget it would be akin to forgetting the events of Iwo Jima or D-Day.

Bryan Singer returns to a world that isn't inhabited with superheroes, joining an old friend in screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie, a partnership that last resulted in The Usual Suspects. The question then becomes whether lightning can strike twice and if Tom Cruise's thoughts that it would, by producing it as his second feature as head of United Artists, could be correct.

One of the best movies I've seen in years. In the world where special effects and cheesy plots make 99% of all films, "Valkyrie" delivers psychological thriller with a lesson in history.

This is a movie which shows what happens when writers and directors do not trust their audience. Ultimately, Tom Cruise will get either praise or blame for what happens to it.