NEWSTom Cruise Finally Gets Some Love From Germany
Sept. 14 2007, Published 6:25 a.m. ET
German government officials have lifted their ban prohibiting from filming his new movie, Rubicon, inside a Berlin memorial.
The actor, who plays German colonel and unsuccessful Hitler assassin Count Claus von Stauffenberg in the drama, will now be able to film scenes inside the German Defense Ministry Bendlerblock, the death site of Stauffenberg and his cohorts.
"There has been a change of mind at the defense ministry," Thorsten Albig, a spokesman for the German Finance Ministry, said. "A new request by the film team has received a positive answer."
In June, officials reportedly blocked production from taking place in the military site due to Tom’s Scientology beliefs, but the Finance Ministry explained that the location ought to be treated as "place of remembrance and mourning" and “exploiting” it as a film set would compromise its dignity.
Later, the Finance Ministry also claimed producers never filed an official filming request.
During the holdout, Tom, 45, expressed disappointment in the embargo, stating that, “We want the inner truth, so to speak, and location helps with that.”
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Director and ministry officials are scheduled to visit the facility to finalize filming plans. Four scenes are expected to be shot in Bendlerblock, including Stauffenberg’s execution. Under the agreement conditions, Nazi flags are forbidden from being displayed inside the memorial.
Rubicon is slated to open Aug. 8, 2008.
