Decision Before Dawn (1951)

6.8/10 119 min War Action Thriller

Overview

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.

Cast

Richard Basehart

Lt. Dick Rennick

Gary Merrill

Col. Devlin

Oskar Werner

Cpl. Karl Maurer - aka Happy

Hildegard Knef

Hilde

Dominique Blanchar

Monique

O.E. Hasse

Col. Oberst von Ecker

Wilfried Seyferth

Heinz Scholtz, SS-Mann

Hans Christian Blech

Sgt. Rudolf Barth - aka Tiger

Helene Thimig

Fräulein Schneide

George Tyne

Sgt. Griffin

Robert Freitag

Sgt. Paul Richter

Arno Assmann

Ernst Brandenbacher (uncredited)

Jochen Diestelmann

(uncredited)

Gert Fröbe

German Corporal - Nuremberg Control Point (uncredited)

Werner Fuetterer

von Bülow (uncredited)

Recommendations

Wolf Hound
Shining Through
The Dirty Dozen
Fatherland
The Great Raid
Triple Cross
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Walking with the Enemy
Cross of Iron
Protector
Valiant One
Chief of Station
An Ordinary Man
Sniper: The Last Stand
Red Scorpion
The Night of the Generals
The Catcher Was a Spy
Battleground
Allied
The Passage