A Foreign Affair (1948)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

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 | Birthday Cake | Post War | Military

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: Let's go up to my apartment. It's only a few ruins away from here.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Billy Wilder Speaks (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

IOWA CORN SONG

an excellent film

This is a well written (Brackett and Breen) and directed (Billy Wilder) film with great performances. Marlene Dietrich is impressive as the Nazi chanteuse with loose morals, great legs and an eye for the main chance. Her songs e.g. Ruins of Berlin are sardonic and compelling. Jean Arthur is irresistible as the frustrated Congresswoman, throwing herself at John Lund with enthusiasm and gradually coming to see human behaviour in shades of grey, rather than black and white.

John Lund is very good as the cynical army officer, attracted to Dietrich while repelled by her politics and prepared to romance Arthur in order to bury Dietrich's Nazi past. He has a nice way with underplayed humour e.g. "It can't be subversive to kiss a Republican!" Supporting actors, especially Millard Mitchell as Col Plummer are all good.

Berlin makes a bleak impressive backdrop, making the behaviour of the occupying troops and the Berliners easy to understand. There are some lovely vignettes e.g. the German woman pushing a pram decorated with the US flag.

Unfortunately the film was perceived as unpatriotic by many critics and did not do as much for the career of John Lund as it should.