Occasionally I rate a film high for personal and sentimental reasons. In this case I am compelled by objective facts to add in the light of greater perspective that I consider this one of the best war movies of all time.

In the first place, the acting is superb. The casting is flawless. The direction is taut, as is the editing. It is filmed in black and white, as it would have to be even today if someone wanted to try a remake. The locations and sets are authentic to a "T." The story itself follows faithfully the text of a book I read as a child (before I saw the film, in fact).

Moreover, I consider it an act of bravery on the part of the film's producers even to begin a project like this so soon after the end of World War II, when passions against the Germans were still running high and mere caricatures of that nation's common people remained the standard for the day (and for years to come).

Oskar Werner in the main role was a brilliant choice, and veterans Richard Basehart and Gary Merrill provide ample evidence that casting proceeded on a basis of resolute excellence and authenticity. I am still blown away by revisiting the "Romantic Road" in Germany and thinking how this movie defined and continued to define for me how recent and ancient history converged along that path.

I cannot praise it enough.

Surprisingly good war film unknown to me before I saw it on American Movie Classics. Cast is excellent. Characters are well-drawn. The film is the best portrayal I have yet seen on celluloid of Germany in its stages of final collapse as the end of WWII nears. Some very impressive interiors are beautifully shot - the cathedral that serves as intelligence hq, and the castle or chateau that is the German command hq. Engrossing story of conflicted loyalties, and good action and suspense as well. I can only add my agreement with the positive comments already entered.

Gary Merrill and Richard Basehart are the Americans who head the cast of Decision Before Dawn, an outstanding film about the final days of World War II and the Third Reich. The film shows the scene of both the Americans who want a quick way to the heart of Germany to end the war and the Germans trying to stay alive in a situation with not many options.

This film was the first introduction for American audiences to Oskar Werner who plays a young German soldier who is now a POW. An option is offered to Werner along with some other selected prisoners to now spy for the Americans as the war even from their point of view after the Battle Of The Bulge is lost. Too bad the same option couldn't be offered by the Russians on the Eastern front. A little too much personal history there.

Werner's mission is to find the 11th Panzer Division and assess their strength and he's got five days to do it. He proves adept, but not quite adept enough as he eventually gets the Nazis on his trail. How he makes out is for you to see Decision Before Dawn.

Werner's performance might have been something that Marlon Brando saw and made mental notes of before taking on his German role in The Young Lions. In the Brando film we see the gradual deterioration of his beliefs until he's killed a little bit after the events of this film. Werner's character is like Brando's, except he lives long enough to redeem himself in his own eyes by the work he does now.

20th Century Fox spent a little money on this one with location shooting and casting of various German players who like Werner were no doubt deemed to be non-Nazi in their beliefs. Check the credits of the cast and you'll see many had long careers post World War II careers in the German cinema. As for the location shooting, a lot of that area of the Rhine border on both sides was still showing the effects of the devastation of the war. In fact besides the performances, you'll also see some of the most realistic cinematography around of World War II battle sequences, not to mention the effects of bombing of civilians.

Decision Before Dawn is an outstanding war film, receiving two Oscar nominations in technical categories. It's that third Oskar you should see this film for though.