Movie

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!”

★ 6.8(49)19511h 59m

War Action Thriller

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Decision Before Dawn is available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube in Canada. It isn't on a subscription streaming service there yet. Availability checked 15 June 2026.

Where to watch Decision Before Dawn

🇨🇦 Canada

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Good to know

Director: Anatole Litvak
Release date: 1951-12-21
Runtime: 1h 59m
Language: German
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Decision Before Dawn — trailer

About Decision Before Dawn

Decision Before Dawn is a 1951 movie in the War, Action and Thriller genres, directed by Anatole Litvak, starring Richard Basehart, Gary Merrill and Oskar Werner. It has a runtime of 1 hour 59 minutes. It holds an average rating of 6.8/10 from 49 viewers. Below you can see where to watch Decision Before Dawn in Canada — across streaming, rental and purchase options — along with the full cast, trailer and viewer reviews.

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.

Cast

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

Themes & keywords

spyworld war iiprisoner of warwaffen ss

Frequently asked questions

Where can I watch Decision Before Dawn in Canada?+

In Canada, Decision Before Dawn is available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. It isn't on a subscription streaming service there right now.

Is Decision Before Dawn on Netflix?+

Decision Before Dawn is not on Netflix in Canada right now.

How long is Decision Before Dawn?+

Decision Before Dawn has a runtime of 1 hour 59 minutes (119 minutes).

Who stars in Decision Before Dawn?+

Decision Before Dawn stars Richard Basehart, Gary Merrill, Oskar Werner, Hildegard Knef and Dominique Blanchar.

When did Decision Before Dawn come out?+

Decision Before Dawn is a 1951 movie directed by Anatole Litvak.

What genre is Decision Before Dawn?+

Decision Before Dawn is War, Action and Thriller film.

Who directed Decision Before Dawn?+

Decision Before Dawn was directed by Anatole Litvak.