Decision Before Dawn
“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!”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Decision Before Dawn - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2011-10-13
Top Cast
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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
Harold Benedict
Lt. Pete Gevers
Arno Assmann
Ernst Brandenbacher (uncredited)
Heinrich Berg
(uncredited)
Bert Brandt
German NCO (uncredited)
Jochen Diestelmann
(uncredited)
Ulrich Folkmar
Prisoner (uncredited)
Otto Friebel
Clerk (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 21, 1951
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Anatole Litvak
- Screenplay & Story
- Peter Viertel
- Original Score
- Franz Waxman
- Original Title
- Decision Before Dawn
- Country of Origin
- United States of America, Germany
- Spoken Languages
- German, English
- Runtime
- 1h 59m
- Production Studios
- 20th Century Fox, Bavaria Film
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Anatole Litvak
Peter Viertel, George Howe
Franz Waxman
Franz Planer
Dorothy Spencer
Anatole Litvak, Frank McCarthy
Department Leadership Roster
Anatole Litvak
Director
Peter Viertel
Screenplay
Franz Waxman
Original Music Composer
Dorothy Spencer
Editor
Anatole Litvak
Producer
Frank McCarthy
Producer
Franz Planer
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Decision Before Dawn.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Decision Before Dawn.
War: World War II
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Spy-Thriller
Movies - Live Action
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Movies categorized under War
Spy Films
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Frequently Asked Questions About Decision Before Dawn
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Decision Before Dawn about?
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.
Who directed Decision Before Dawn?
Decision Before Dawn was directed by Anatole Litvak.
Who stars in Decision Before Dawn?
The principal cast of Decision Before Dawn includes Richard Basehart, Gary Merrill, Oskar Werner, Hildegard Knef, Dominique Blanchar.
When was Decision Before Dawn released and how long is it?
Decision Before Dawn was released in 1951 with a total runtime of 1h 59m.
Who composed the musical score for Decision Before Dawn?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Decision Before Dawn was composed by Franz Waxman.
Is Decision Before Dawn based on a book or true story?
Decision Before Dawn is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "George Howe".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Decision Before Dawn?
Decision Before Dawn holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).