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Revealing a little known chapter in World War II history, Valkyrie focuses on the July 20, 1944 conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler. What makes the historic footnote more intriguing, the operation was conceived by the Nazi Fuhrer's own inner circle.

At the forefront was German Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, who not only led the coup, but also assumed responsibility for personally carrying out the deadly act. Tapped to portray Stauffenberg was Tom Cruise.

Initially, Cruise's casting sparked opposition among German politicians and Stauffenberg's family members because of the actor's practice of Scientology. They eventually bowed to the pressure of the German media and filmmakers to have the information dispensed globally of the Colonel's heroic efforts. In fact, the German Federal Film Fund kicked in $6.64 million of the reported $75 million budget.

Equally important, director Bryan Singer gained permission to film at many of the authentic locations such as Columbia Haus, the former Nazi jail for political prisoners, and Bendlerblock, the site of Stauffenberg's execution.

"I know there have been a few things written about this film before people even saw it," Cruise chuckled during a recent press day in Manhattan. "So there's a perception out there versus what we've done artistically. I've been through this many times before and certainly think the Internet has accelerated a lot of this kind of drama."

What Cruise claims the production crew has accomplished is create "a suspense thriller about killing Hitler."

"After reading the script, I put it down and thought, 'This can't be true.' I'd never heard about this before. Then you find out that it really happened. There's actual dialogue in the film that I discovered were from letters and journals that Chris [McQuarrie] and Nathan [Alexander], (the screenwriters) had studied.

"This allowed us to put in so many intimate moments with Stauffenberg's children, like when his daughter saluted him and his reaction when his son was indoctrinated into The Hitler Youth," the current Golden Globe nominee (for Tropic Thunder) said. The 46-year-old actor admitted, however, "On a scale of one to 10, I think that this film rates a 20 in terms of being a challenge to make. This is a massive and comprehensive story that we could have made a five-hour, even a 10-hour mini-series, but Bryan was always very specific about what this film was going to be."

What is Cruise's definition of success? "To me, it's having the ability to make the kinds of films that I've been able to make and work with the kinds of people that I've been able to work with. I just love movies. Back when I was making Taps or Risky Business, there were times when I'd be thinking, 'I just want to enjoy these moments because I don't know if it's going to end right here,'" he said flashing his best dimpled leading man smile.

"Then there were certain projects when I had the opportunity to work with Paul Newman (The Color of Money), Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man), Gene Hackman (The Firm), Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone (Born on the Fourth of July), and Steven Spielberg (Minority Report and War of the Worlds), that kind of creative freedom that I've been privileged to have. On that level, I'm really proud." Cruise also casually mentioned, "I own a piece of United Artists." Back in 2005, Cruise and his partner, Paula Wagner, took over the reins of United Artists. Cruise/Wagner Productions has co-produced several of his biggest hits such as the franchise Mission: Impossible. In 2006, Forbes magazine ranked him "the world's most powerful celebrity."

"As fortunate as I've been in my professional life, my family, Katie and the kids have always been my priority. I feel fortunate that my family is healthy and happy. I love being a father. As a kid, maybe four or five, I couldn't wait to grow up and be a father. All of my kids. . . I've enjoyed every part of it."

Cruise is dad to Isabella, 16, and Connor, 13, with Nicole Kidman; and two-year-old Suri with Katie Holmes. "I feel lucky to have teenagers and to have a toddler, to have the journey of both happening at the same time," he concluded.