Decision Before Dawn (1951)

As the US Army approaches Nazi Germany, they recruit German prisoners to spy behind German lines.

Director:

Anatole Litvak

Writers:

Peter Viertel (screenplay), George Howe (novel),

Stars:

Richard Basehart, Gary Merrill, Oskar Werner

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Basehart	...	Lt. Dick Rennick
Gary Merrill	...	Col. Devlin
Oskar Werner	...	Cpl. Karl Maurer aka Happy
Hildegard Knef	...	Hilde (as Hildegarde Neff)
Dominique Blanchar	...	Monique
O.E. Hasse	...	Col. Von Ecker
Wilfried Seyferth	...	Heinz Scholtz - SS Man (as Wilfried Seyfert)
Hans Christian Blech	...	Sgt. Rudolf Barth aka Tiger
Helene Thimig	...	Fräulein Paula Schneider
Robert Freitag	...	Sgt. Paul Richter (as Robert Freytag)
George Tyne	...	Sgt. Griffin
C.A. Amos	...	Himself (as C.A. Amos 1st Lt. USAF)
Harold Benedict	...	Himself (as H.L. Benedict S/Sgt. USAF)
H.W. Briggs	...	Himself (as H.W. Briggs Sgt. USA)
D.G. Devine	...	Himself (as D.G. Devine Cpl. USAF)

Storyline

WWII is entering its last phase: Germany is in ruins, but does not yield. The US army lacks crucial knowledge about the German units operating on the opposite side of the Rhine, and decides to send two German prisoners to gather information. The scheme is risky: the Gestapo retains a terribly efficient network to identify and capture spies and deserters. Moreover, it is not clear that "Tiger", who does not mind any dirty work as long as the price is right, and war-weary "Happy", who might be easily betrayed by his feelings, are dependable agents. After Tiger and another American agent are successfully infiltrated, Happy is parachuted in Bavaria. His duty: find out the whereabouts of a powerful German armored unit moving towards the western front.

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Plot Keywords:

germany | spy | prisoner | nazi germany | checkpoint | 

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Taglines:

A woman's kiss . . . A lighted cigarette - Each had Its meaning! An exciting and realistic story of war . . . of German Prisoners Sent Back Behind Their Own Lines as Agents of the Allies!

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

25 February 1952 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Legion of the Damned

Filming Locations:

Bavaria Filmstudios, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Bavaria Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Since the instigation of five Best Picture nominees for the Academy Awards in 1944, this was the first Best Film nominee to only be nominated in one other category. The next instance of this occurred in 1994 when Four Weddings and a Funeral only picked up two nominations (including Best Film).

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Goofs

The shot of the C-47 just before Happy parachutes into Germany shows USAF markings on the fuselage not used until after WWII.

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Quotes

Narrator: [First Lines] Of all the questions left unanswered by the last war, and probably any war, one comes back constantly to my mind. Why does a spy risk his life. For what possible reason, If the spy wins, he's ignored. If he loses, he's shot.

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Connections

Referenced in That Girl: Decision Before Dawn (1968)

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Soundtracks

"Ach, wie ist' möglich dann (Treue Liebe)"
Written by Kükcken

User Reviews

Well-written, well-acted. Great "issue" film

A taut story, first-rate acting, and a compelling subject make this film worth seeing.

Espionage/spying is a tricky subject, but "Decision Before Dawn" handles it brilliantly. No flash, no Mata Haris, no absurd coincidences. Weaving human drama and the grim realism of war, this film is that rare gem that manages to teach without preaching.

Among the superb performances is our hero Happy, played with just the right blend of suspense and humanity by Oskar Werner. Happy (an ironic name given to him by his American overseers) is torn between love of his native land and his duty to what is right. Werner walks this tightrope better than most I've seen.

In the end, however, it's the script that is the true gem of the film. Peter Viertel is a master story teller, with such great screenplays as "Saboteur" and "The Hard Way" to his credit. Viertel, with a story by author George Howe, weaves an intricate, but not confusing, narrative of war and devotion and duty. He's one of the few _writers_ I look for when I check out "On TV This Week" on IMDB.