A Foreign Affair (1948)

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Charles Brackett (screenplay)
Richard L. Breen (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 August 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

It would make a cigar store Indian laugh ...

Plot:

In occupied Berlin, an army captain is torn between an ex-Nazi cafe singer and the U.S. congresswoman investigating her.

Plot Keywords:

Congresswoman | Singer | Military | Post War | Birthday Cake

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Jean Arthur	...	Congresswoman Phoebe Frost
Marlene Dietrich	...	Erika Von Schluetow
John Lund	...	Captain John Pringle
Millard Mitchell	...	Col. Rufus J. Plummer
Peter von Zerneck	...	Hans Otto Birgel
Stanley Prager	...	Mike
William Murphy	...	Joe (as Bill Murphy)
Raymond Bond	...	Congressman Pennecot
Boyd Davis	...	Congressman Giffin
Robert Malcolm	...	Congressman Kramer
Charles Meredith	...	Congressman Yandell
Michael Raffetto	...	Congressman Salvatore
Damian O'Flynn	...	Lieutenant Colonel
Frank Fenton	...	Major Mathews
James Larmore	...	Lieutenant Hornby

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Hungary:14 | Australia:G | Germany:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #12791)

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Director Billy Wilder said famously of his difficulties with Marlene Dietrich and Jean Arthur in the film. "I have one dame who's afraid to look at herself in a mirror and another who won't stop looking!"

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Though the character played by Jean Arthur is an 'unmarried' American Congresswoman, the actress's real life wedding ring is visible in many scenes especially close-ups during the latter part of the film.

Quotes:

Erika von Schluetow: So you fly off back home. Wash your hands. Why, surely. You've got so much soap in the United States.
Congressman Pennecot: If you give a hungry man a loaf of bread, that's democracy, if you leave the wrapper on, that's imperialism.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

Soundtrack:

THE RUINS OF BERLIN

A Moment in Cinema: Dietrich Sings "Black Market"

in this excellent and underrated Billy Wilder film. Dietrich plays a former Nazi trying to hide behind a post-war American boyfriend. Jean Arthur plays a spinster American congresswoman, and John Lund is the man they both fall for. The scenes of bombed-out Berlin are astonishing, and the 3 stars are wonderful in this sly comedy that gets better with every viewing. The highlights tho are Dietrich's musical numbers sung in a basement speakeasy. She sings the great "Black Market" with composer Frederick Hollander at the piano. She sings LIVE and it's electrifying. She also sings "The Ruins of Berlin" and "Lovely Illusions." Jean Arthur is also good in one of her last films. Millard Mitchell, Bill Murphy, Stanley Prager, and Gordon Jones co-star. A must!