A Foreign Affair

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A Foreign Affair

1948

1h 56m

Musical

Comedy

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100%

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14 Reviews

78%

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1,000+ Ratings

Idealistic Iowa congresswoman Phoebe Frost (Jean Arthur) touches down in postwar Berlin on a fact-finding mission about legendary cabaret singer Erika von Schlütow (Marlene Dietrich), long rumored to be the former mistress of one or more high-ranking Nazi leaders and now reportedly intimately involved with an unidentified American military officer. Frost falls for her military escort, Captain John Pringle (John Lund), unaware that the handsome American is the singer's secret paramour.

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Edwin Schallert

Los Angeles Times

Apr 29, 2019

The bitterness of A Foreign Affair is thus likely to linger after its laughs have passed.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Aug 14, 2007

As usual, it's more clever than meaningful, but this 1948 film is one of his most satisfactory in wit and pace.

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Time Out

Jan 26, 2006

This may not be Wilder at his best -- the story develops along fairly predictable lines, with Arthur switching her starchy uniform for a glistening evening gown -- but there are some precious set pieces.

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Tom Beasley

VultureHound

Aug 19, 2020

3/5

While there are undeniable flourishes of Wilder's genius throughout, the film is more of an inconsistent, mixed bag than most of his great works.

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Aug 11, 2020

4/5

It's a tall order for a romantic comedy, and yet, Wilder instills an effortless tone which makes even its morbidity escapable, at times.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Jul 13, 2020

4/5

A Foreign Affair isn't the best Wilder comedy but it's certainly a cynical film for the era.

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David K

@RT61474040 4 days ago

The scenes of a posts WWII Berlin from the air are documentary worthy. Marlene Dietrich carries the film for me. I love Jean Arthur, one of my favorites ever, but her performance here leaves me a little cold. It's just a little too obvious (?). But the film does deal effectively with issues confronting Occupied Germany.

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W. W. W

@Witt2k9 Jan 24, 2026

a dull Arthur in a dull story

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Michael Edwards T

@Mikedbigame Nov 16, 2025

Mix match casting and a waste of Marlene Deitrich and Jean Arthur

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 28, 2025

Funny in 1 hour and 56 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Rare T

@RT00283363 Oct 29, 2024

This is so many genres and elements infused into one. Even the predictability shown by some parts of the plot is surpassed by the ingenuity and inventiveness of the Billy Wilder classic. The plot is as dense in its intertwined events as the whole movie is in its interwoven elements: the setting, the performances, the suspense, the humor, the romance, the action, the drama… All of them render A Foreign Affair congenial.

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Steve D

@RT35616104 Jun 6, 2023

Interesting and well acted but doesn't leave enough of an impact.

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Billy Wilder

Director

Jean Arthur

Congresswoman Phoebe Frost

Marlene Dietrich

Erika von Schlütow

John Lund

Captain John Pringle

Millard Mitchell

Col. Rufus J. Plummer

Peter von Zerneck

Hans Otto Birgel

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Synopsis

Idealistic Iowa congresswoman Phoebe Frost (Jean Arthur) touches down in postwar Berlin on a fact-finding mission about legendary cabaret singer Erika von Schlütow (Marlene Dietrich), long rumored to be the former mistress of one or more high-ranking Nazi leaders and now reportedly intimately involved with an unidentified American military officer. Frost falls for her military escort, Captain John Pringle (John Lund), unaware that the handsome American is the singer's secret paramour.

Director: Billy Wilder
Producer: Charles Brackett
Screenwriter: Charles Brackett, Richard L. Breen, Robert Harari, David Shaw, Billy Wilder
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 20, 1948, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 3, 2017
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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