Where have all the heroes gone? A review of Valkyrie
While discussing film with All Saints grad student Adam Stephens, a German student at U.T. remarked, “Why is it you’re watching so many German movies?” When he paused searching for an answer, she continued, “But then, it’s not as if American movies are about anything, are they?”
There’s enough truth in her comment for it to sting a little. After all when was the last time you watched an American movie that dealt with an issue of substance? But like most generalizations, this one falls short, too. American movies are about things sometimes, important things, like German history for example. And when a hefty dose of morality, sacrifice and heroism, is added to one, the result is Valkyrie.
In 1944 a group of German Army officers attempted to execute Adolph Hitler, replace him as head of state, and sue for peace with the Allies. Most of us may be aware that such attempts were made, but probably aren’t aware of the details of the plan, nor of the character of those officers involved. Valkyrie fills in those blanks quite nicely.
Tom Cruise (No, I don’t like Tom Cruise either, but I liked the movie anyway. Go figure.) plays Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who begins the story as a minor player in the plot, but in the end becomes its chief actor. Cruise’s von Stauffenberg is a German aristocrat appalled at the Nazi atrocities. The real von Stauffenberg was this, and a believer, too. (This is hinted at in the film, but never given any substance.) His co-conspirators are interested only in getting rid of Hitler until he schools them in just war theory, insisting that Hitler be replaced, not merely removed. In all, his effort was nobly and admirably considered, despite the fact that it was unsuccessful. For this von Stauffenberg is rightly remembered as a German hero.
One thought lingered in my mind after watching the movie: why is it that films with strong moral and heroic themes are rarely if ever made about the post-World War II world?
In their 1991 book The Day America Told the Truth James Patterson and Peter Kim offered this answer:
“70% of Americans now say that America has no more heroes. Why are there no more heroes today? There are no more heroes because we have ceased to believe anything strongly enough to be impressed by its attainment.”
Valkyrie is a movie for those who believe (or want to believe) that there are things worth dying for. Watch it and learn.
Greg, Thanks for the review. I had wanted to see it, but had decided it probably would end up being a waste of time. “Not so,” you say. I believe you and am glad to hear it. Will let you know my thoughts…
For what it’s worth, I haven’t seen the movie. I do have a question about how we think about this assassination attempt, particularly as it relates to Christian ideas of “resistance.” Which is really an academic way of asking, at what point does the Christian use force? Even against evil men like Hitler.
I guess it relates to the topic: where have all the heroes gone? Well, Stauffenberg might be a hero in the sense that Achilles is a hero, even a tragic hero. That might make them admirable, especially for the fact that anyone with a sense of spirit in our mechanized world is a major accomplishment. I don’t know that, for the Christian, it makes them worthy of imitation. Folks like Stauffenberg are only going to produce tragedies, whereas Christians who follow themselves and lay down their lives produce tragedies that, through the gospel, transform into comedies.
But back to the idea of using force as being Christian. I’m not sure what to think myself. The weird thing is that Bonhoeffer was arrested as part of a plot to kill Hitler – maybe it was the same as this one – while at the same time he mocked those who interpreted some of Jesus’ commands to mean “The way really to love your enemy is to fight him hard and hit him back” – that from p. 81 of The Cost of Discipleship.
I really don’t have an idea as to what the answer could be. Part of my wants to say that evil fellows like Hitler can be stopped dead in their tracks, and that it is a good thing for anyone, Christian or otherwise, to do. Another part of me says that we are to endure every evil as sheep led to be slaughtered.
Maybe you have some thoughts on this too, Greg, I need to hear them.
Daniel, thanks for focusing in so clearly on what is a central issue in Valkyie: Was this attempt morally justified? In answer the Christian just war tradition has said no to assassination, but yes to revolution. The difference between the two is brought out clearly in the film.
When von Stauffenberg first meets the men who will become his co-conspirators, they are only considering assassination. Killing Hitler is their only goal. But von Stauffenberg takes them to task for this. Real justice demands more than removing a bad ruler; it means replacing him. To fail in this is to embrace anarchy. Their plot fails in the end in part because they fail to embrace this goal fully.
Of course, this question begs another, more fundamental one: must a Christian be a pacifist? Among Valkyrie’s many flaws as a film is the fact that it ignores this question completely, while only toying with the first. If you want more, Augustine and Aquinas have substantially more to offer here than Tom Cruise.
Thanks for clearing that up, and awesome last sentence.
This is a very interesting discussion thread, and reminds me of some discussions along the same lines at Douglas Wilson’s blog. He has a series called Trinity and Violence in which he addresses the pacifist notion referred to above. And while I would not raise Wilson to the level of Augustine & Aquinas, his comments do indicate that he is familiar with both.
The bottom line there is to note that the evil/righteousness juxtaposition is different from the violence/non-violence one. There is such a thing as “evil non-violence” (standing by while your family is attacked by an intruder, for instance, thus failing to protect them) as well as “righteous violence”. He cites several passages of scripture, as well, but I’ve already borrowed too much of his work to continue. Anyone interested and not already familiar with his blog can simply google ‘blog and mablog’.
“Evil non-violence” isn’t a hypothetical category. I have a friend who was once upon a time a social reformer in rural India; he is coincidentally also a pacifist. When his “reforms” became successful enough to prompt death threats against him and his family, his wife asked, “If I’m attacked, will you protect me with force if necessary?” His answer–“No”– didn’t satisfy her.
By the way he is no longer a social reformer in rural India.