This must be an honest question since it comes from someone who hates Tom Cruise! . . .

Well, look way back into the past to 1932 Best Picture winner Grand Hotel.  Now, everybody in that movie should have had a German accent, but only Wallace Beery truly affects one by purposeful design.  And it worked. 

Now, look forward to 1991 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.  Kevin Kostner won a Razzie for his portrayal of Robin Hood with a midwestern U.S. accent.  Whether you liked the movie (and many do, including, I confess, myself, both the good scenes and the dumb scenes. . . anybody have a spoon?) or not, most people agree that Costner's misplaced accent was a serious flaw.

Let's go forward again to 2006 and Silent Hill.  Sean Bean, of all people, couldn't master an Ohioan accent if Radha Mitchell's life depended on it.  Coupled with Roger Avary's bad script, it ruined every second he was on the film.  I almost want to switch Sean Bean in that film with Kevin Costner in Robin Hood.  You may still not think much about either movie, but at least the accents would no longer be an issue.

So, it depends, really.

I would want a historical reenactment to capture the accents of the people involved.  Everyone else in that Valkyrie trailer seems to have no problem talking with an accent.  And everyone's reaction to this trailer focuses on Cruise's accent, bad, non-existent or whatever.  So, it would seem with this movie that yes, it does matter.

I don't think it is either necessary or essential. Quite a number of historic epics have been done by Hollywood where the actors didn't attempt any sort of accent. In some cases, it can detract, rather than add to the experience. I suppose that if a director really wants that level of realism, he/she should simply film the entire story in the native language with subtitles, which, in my view, can be a tedious experience.

At the end of the day, the film is going to sink or swim on the strength of the story and the credibility of the performances. For that reason alone, there is reason to believe that Cruise can sink this project.

I have a question, though.
I have been reading in other forums (and I have read pretty convincing arguments) that an accent is not as essential as some (we) believe it to be. I remember one poster who said that he had never heard "Hamlet" done with a Danish accent, and many films would be dubbed anyway, therefore it wouldn't really matter.
Therefore, my question: Why do you guys think that a German accent in this film is essential?

Thank you in advance.

No, I mean if Tom Cruise were to overdub his voice for the entire film to get his accent right, and you were hired as the vocal coach to put him in a headlock until he said each line right. . . . well, going along with the fiction, the squad from Tom Cruise's movie Minority Report, who specialized in capturing murderers before they commit murder, would get a little wooden ball with your name on it. . . .

Originally posted by Queen_of_Toad Why do I feel like you're looking at me???

Cruise's Minority Report squad would crash through your door the second you landed the job!

Anyone want to volunteer to be the vocal coach? . . .

Originally posted by cvcjr13 . . .this time with a vocal coach holding him in a headlock until he says it right. . .

Cruise will need to redub his voice for the entire film, this time with a vocal coach holding him in a headlock until he says it right, or else this film is flushed away.  That would be expensive, but can United Artists afford two duds in a row?  The sad thing is, I liked what I saw everyone else doing.  But since Cruise is the center, it's like everything else just doesn't matter. 

Of course, the question is, would even that be enough?  But I feel they don't have a choice about it.  Cruise's accent kills the film.

QoT: 

Originally posted by Queen_of_Toad I am still not convinced that turning from Tommy Boy into Tommy Curl took THAT much of an acting effort.

Love those stills. 

QoT, I feel a strong actor could do what Tom did with minimal effort, and probably would have gone even farther and blown everyone away on the screen.  If the trailer is any indication, I'd say Tom has failed to do that.  The trailer is sadly underwhelming.

Originally posted by Queen_of_Toad [quote]  How German can his accent be?

That's my point.  He's trying to sound German.  It's a very weak attempt.  I'm guessing to his ears he sounds German, but to my ears, I can hear the attempt, but he blew it.  Again, his attempt at an accent sounds like Kevin Costner in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.  What's a midwestern boy doing in the middle of Sherwood Forest?

Of course, "try" can mean both "attempt" and "exasperate" in English, so making a pun, one could say Tom Cruise is always trying. . . .

Originally posted by Queen_of_Toad And WHY did they change the title from Valkyrie to Lions for Lambs? Perhaps because these are two different films?

OH MY WORDS!  I knew all about Valkyrie, but I DIDN'T KNOW HE MADE ANOTHER ONE!  Thank you, QoT, for sorting that out for me.  I thought Cruise only had one movie going.  I was so confused.

But I'm still confused.  Valkyrie looks like it will be a stiff, and Lions for Lambs, based on its box office and reviews, looks like it is a stiff.  Is this how you start a movie studio?  By releasing two stiffs in a row?  Not to mention, chasing Oscars in the movies is (I can't help it) risky business. . . .

As for his accent, to my ears, it sounds like he's attempting a German accent.  It's definitely NOT a clear American accent on several lines.  But it's also definitely NOT a clear German accent.  It's not even as good as Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire, and Williams' mangled accent in that movie was part of the joke.  If that clip is any indication, I can imagine Cruise stayed up the night before going over with a diction coach, and then he goes to filiming the next day thinking he's ready.  

Cruise's [ahem] German accent is better than Kevin Costner's [ahem] English accent in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, or Sean Bean's [ahem] Ohioan accent in Silent Hill.

That's not saying much for Tom Cruise, however.  Cruise shouldn't have just made an attempt at an accent.  With all the voice and diction coaches available, the only excuse for a top rate actor to blow an accent is if they just can't do it.  You either speak it well, or you find someone else to play the role. 

And I have to wonder if this story was strong enough for the big screen.  I mean, you have the same problem with Lions for Lambs as you did with Apollo 13--everyone knows how it's going to end.  Apollo 13 managed to keep you on edge anyway.  My guess is, based on this clip, that Lions for Lambs may keep you on edge, too.  That is, you'll be on the edge of your theatre seat, holding onto the seat in front of you while laughing so hard at Cruise.  He's bit off more than he could chew.  He's not a good enough actor for this role!

And look at the list of actors, with Brian Singer as the director!  What's with this year?  We've had several movies with superstar casts, most of which were duds.  Evening, anybody?

And WHY did they change the title from Valkyrie to Lions for Lambs?

WOW!  This looks like an Ed Wood/Sex Change remake of our 1992 Worst Picture "winner" SHINING THROUGH, with Tom Cruise replacing Worst Actress "winner" Melanie Griffith as the inept behind-enemy-lines agent. And yes, Tom's near total lack of any accent manages to make him look even more idiotic (if that's even possible!)...