A WWII yarn about a German prisoner (Oskar Werner) who volunteers himself for spy work in the front lines during the waning days of the European conflict. He's sent off on a mission that also involves another German spy and an American radio man (Richard Basehart). While carrying it out, he suffers a crisis of conscience, torn between his allegiance to his home country and his belief that the best way to help his people is to help the Americans wipe out Hitler's regime.
"Decision Before Dawn" is an entertaining spy thriller that benefits from its authentic, on location shooting amid bombed out European villages. But it could have been a much more interesting film had its moral conflicts been given more air time. It then would have been like something from Graham Greene. Unfortunately, Werner's crisis isn't shown to us as much as it's told to us in a few moments of voice over. Werner himself gives a good performance with the material he's given to work with, but it's tough to shake off the feeling of missed opportunity that surrounds the role.
Speaking of Graham Greene, the film's finale is a chase through the rubble of a German town, and it's reminiscent of "The Third Man," but this one feels slightly dogged when compared to that other film's sense of funhouse excitement.
Also starring Gary Merrill as the leader of the American mission, and Hildegard Knef in a brief but memorable role as a possible romantic complication for Werner.
Grade: B+
"Decision Before Dawn" is an entertaining spy thriller that benefits from its authentic, on location shooting amid bombed out European villages. But it could have been a much more interesting film had its moral conflicts been given more air time. It then would have been like something from Graham Greene. Unfortunately, Werner's crisis isn't shown to us as much as it's told to us in a few moments of voice over. Werner himself gives a good performance with the material he's given to work with, but it's tough to shake off the feeling of missed opportunity that surrounds the role.
Speaking of Graham Greene, the film's finale is a chase through the rubble of a German town, and it's reminiscent of "The Third Man," but this one feels slightly dogged when compared to that other film's sense of funhouse excitement.
Also starring Gary Merrill as the leader of the American mission, and Hildegard Knef in a brief but memorable role as a possible romantic complication for Werner.
Grade: B+