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Vakoilijana omassa maassaan

Original title: Decision Before Dawn
  • 1951
  • K-16
  • 1h 59m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
3K
YOUR RATING
Dominique Blanchar, Hildegard Knef, and Oskar Werner in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
Trailer for this story of a man who spied on his own country
Play trailer2:58
1 Video
68 Photos
DramaWar

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

  • Director
    • Anatole Litvak
  • Writers
    • Peter Viertel
    • George Howe
    • Jack Rollens
  • Stars
    • Richard Basehart
    • Gary Merrill
    • Oskar Werner
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Anatole Litvak
    • Writers
      • Peter Viertel
      • George Howe
      • Jack Rollens
    • Stars
      • Richard Basehart
      • Gary Merrill
      • Oskar Werner
    • 63User reviews
    • 25Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 1 win & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Decision Before Dawn
    Trailer 2:58
    Watch Decision Before Dawn

    Photos68

    Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    WC
    Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Oskar Werner in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Oskar Werner in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Oskar Werner in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Oskar Werner in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Richard Basehart and Oskar Werner in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Richard Basehart and D.G. Devine in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
    Ernst Höchstätter in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Richard Basehart
    Richard Basehart
    • Lt. Dick Rennick
    Gary Merrill
    Gary Merrill
    • Col. Devlin
    Oskar Werner
    Oskar Werner
    • Cpl. Karl Maurer - aka Happy
    Hildegard Knef
    Hildegard Knef
    • Hilde
    • (as Hildegarde Neff)
    Dominique Blanchar
    Dominique Blanchar
    • Monique
    O.E. Hasse
    O.E. Hasse
    • Col. Oberst von Ecker
    Wilfried Seyferth
    • Heinz Scholtz - SS Man
    • (as Wilfried Seyfert)
    Hans Christian Blech
    Hans Christian Blech
    • Sgt. Rudolf Barth - aka Tiger
    Helene Thimig
    Helene Thimig
    • Fräulein Paula Schneider
    Robert Freitag
    Robert Freitag
    • Sgt. Paul Richter
    • (as Robert Freytag)
    George Tyne
    George Tyne
    • Sgt. Griffin
    C.A. Amos
    • Self
    • (as C.A. Amos 1st Lt. USAF)
    Harold Benedict
    • Lt. Pete Gevers
    • (as H.L. Benedict S/Sgt. USAF)
    H.W. Briggs
    • Self
    • (as H.W. Briggs Sgt. USA)
    D.G. Devine
    • Lt. Rennick's Driver
    • (as D.G. Devine Cpl. USAF)
    L.E. Dixon
    • Self
    • (as L.E. Dixon Maj. USA)
    B.L. Hendrickson
    • Self
    • (as B.L. Hendrickson T/Sgt. USA)
    D. Kogel
    • Self
    • (as D. Kogel Pvt. USA)
    • Director
      • Anatole Litvak
    • Writers
      • Peter Viertel
      • George Howe
      • Jack Rollens(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      One of the first films after World War II to portray the German people--outside of the Nazi regime--in a sympathetic light.
    • Goofs
      Karl is mistakenly called a corporal. The Luftwaffe uniform that he wears both in the US POW cage and while back in Germany has the rank insignia of an "Obergefreiter", specifically three winged emblems on the collar patches, plain shoulder straps and two chevrons on his left sleeve. Also when the list is checked for his name at the bridge the rank is written down as 'Gfr' (gefreiter) The ranks of Gefreiter, Obergefreiter and Stabsgefreiter (all which were partially identified by chevrons on the sleeve) were not NCOs and had no command authority over other soldiers. They were simply grades of seniority and would be more equivalent to Private First Class (PFC) in the US military. The German rank that is the closest equivalent to Corporal is Unteroffizer. Also, Karl is wearing the medical badge on his right sleeve; Luftwaffe enlisted medical personnel wore the badge on the left sleeve, while Wehrmacht (army) wore it on the right.
    • Quotes

      Lt. Dick Rennick: [Intro narration] 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.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Mikä tyttö!: Decision Before Dawn (1968)
    • Soundtracks
      Ach, wie ist' möglich dann (Treue Liebe)
      (uncredited)

      Written by Friedrich Kücken (1827)

    User reviews63

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Somewhere a place for us?
    Those were the outcasts of WW2.German war prisoners who decided to rebel against their country.

    Karl-aka "Happy" - agrees to become a spy in the "pay" of Americans at the end of WW2 in his country .A country in ruins.The "Third Reich " which should have lasted one thousand years was collapsing.Oskar Werner gives a restrained moving performance.If "underacting" has a meaning (not meant pejoratively) ,that's exactly what it is.He watches his country fall as if he does not belong there anymore.He meets people he used to know ,a girl (Knef) he could love (but he won't),but he knows from the start that wherever he goes,he is an outcast.His new "Friends" use him as a pawn in their game,and " his motherland will not cradle him anymore" .

    Anatole Litvak,an European who used to work in France -where the first scenes take place- in the thirties (and later would in the fifties/sixties)knows what he is talking about.He joined the army during WW2;and "decision before dawn" was one of his finest achievements .

    Like this? try this...

    Vent d' Est Robert Enrico 1993
    helpful•11
    1
    • dbdumonteil
    • Oct 16, 2007

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    FAQ16

    • How long is Decision Before Dawn?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 18, 1952 (Finland)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • West Germany
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Decision Before Dawn
    • Filming locations
      • Bavaria Studios, Bavariafilmplatz 7, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Bavaria Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 59 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Dominique Blanchar, Hildegard Knef, and Oskar Werner in Vakoilijana omassa maassaan (1951)
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