In a wrecked post-war Berlin, a congressional committee from the United States of America comes to the occupied city to investigate the moral of the American troops. The conservative republican Congresswoman Phoebe Frost (Jean Arthur) from Iowa brings a birthday cake to Captain John Pringle (John Lund) from his girlfriend also from Iowa. Later she splits from the others congressmen and decides to investigate the decadence of the military by her own, and not in accordance with the official speech and visit promoted by Colonel Rufus J. Plummer (Millard Mitchell). She meets two American privates that believe she is German and takes her to the night-club Lorelei, where the lead attraction is the singer Erika Von Schluetow (Marlene Dietrich), who is the secret mistress of Captain Pringle. Congresswoman Frost overhears that Erika belonged to the Nazi Party and is protected by a senior officer, and she enlists her fellow countryman Captain Pringle to help her in the investigation of Erika. The officer seduces Frost to protect Erika and himself from martial court, but the jealous former lover of Erika, the Nazi Hans Otto Birgel (Peter von Zerneck), is seeking revenge against his competitor.
"A Foreign Affair" is a cynical, but naive and dated romantic comedy of the great director Billy Wilder. It is sad to see the corruption, the decadence and the treatment of the "rebuilding" of Berlin sixty years ago, with abusive soldiers exploring the hunger and misery of the German people to have sex and make business with the poor civilians without any patriotism or sympathy. The politicians are also not spared; the ruins of Berlin are also extremely painful to see; but there are funny moments alternating with others dramatic and great performances of Marlene Dietrich, Jean Arthur and John Lund. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "A Mundana" ("The Lowlife")
"A Foreign Affair" is a cynical, but naive and dated romantic comedy of the great director Billy Wilder. It is sad to see the corruption, the decadence and the treatment of the "rebuilding" of Berlin sixty years ago, with abusive soldiers exploring the hunger and misery of the German people to have sex and make business with the poor civilians without any patriotism or sympathy. The politicians are also not spared; the ruins of Berlin are also extremely painful to see; but there are funny moments alternating with others dramatic and great performances of Marlene Dietrich, Jean Arthur and John Lund. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "A Mundana" ("The Lowlife")