A Foreign Affair

In the war-torn city of Berlin, 1947, US Congresswoman Phoebe Frost (Phoebe) arrives with a fact-finding mission to probe the morale of American occupation troops, allegedly afflicted by a peculiar malady known as "moral malaria." The occupation zone is rife with corruption, where soldiers exploit supply shortages to peddle goods and curry favor from local women. Officials rationalize the behavior of these GIs, arguing it's unrealistic to expect them to be both valorous and wise.

Phoebe brings a birthday cake for her constituent's boyfriend, Captain John Pringle (John). Although John promises to share the rare treat with his comrades, he trades the coveted chocolate cake on the black market for a mattress, which ultimately ends up in the possession of his lover, Erika von Schlütow. The Military Police arrive at Erika's doorstep, intent on questioning her about her past, but she had been ordered to a labor camp for brickwork due to her former connections. Instead, she has managed to secure a job at a nightclub, thanks to her relationship with John. The authorities instruct Erika to report to the de-Nazification office, but John sends them packing.

As Phoebe embarks on a tour of Berlin's ravaged landscape, she observes how many American soldiers are fraternizing with local women. Their guide attributes this phenomenon to their winning ways, but Phoebe ponders who is truly influencing whom. Ditching the tour group, Phoebe slips away and is mistaken for a local by two GIs. She pretends to speak only broken English and accompanies them to Club Lorelei, the most popular troop hangout. There, she encounters cabaret torch singer Erika von Schlütow, rumored to have been the mistress of either Hermann Göring or Joseph Goebbels during the war, and is being protected by an unidentified American officer. At the nightclub, Phoebe enlists John's assistance in her investigation of Erika, oblivious to the fact that he is currently enamored with the singer.

The revelation that Erika was seen cavorting with Adolf Hitler in a wartime newsreel sparks Phoebe's curiosity, prompting her to ask John to escort her to army headquarters and retrieve Erika's official file. To distract her, John woos Phoebe, who initially resists his advances. When Phoebe lambasts the morals of American soldiers cavorting with former Nazis, John asks whether she ever had a romance that compromised her political ethics. She confesses to having been smitten with a Southern Congressman who wooed her solely for her vote. Taking his cue, John turns on the charm, eventually winning over Phoebe's defenses.

As tensions simmer beneath the surface, Erika confronts John about his lack of attention, only to be met with a dose of harsh reality. Her involvement with Nazi officials has become increasingly apparent, leaving John to wonder if she'll soon be consorting with officers donning the hammer and sickle emblem. His words are laced with a mix of incredulity and disdain as he mocks her affinity for Phoebe, prompting him to depart abruptly.

Little do they know, Colonel Plummer has been watching their dynamics closely, ordering John to continue his association with Erika in an attempt to reel in the elusive Hans Otto Birgel. It seems that Birgel, a former Gestapo agent, is believed to be hiding in the American occupation zone and has threatened to eliminate Erika's new love interest.

Meanwhile, Erika and Phoebe find themselves under arrest at Club Lorelei during a raid targeting Germans without proper identification papers. As they're hauled away, Erika employs her cunning to secure Phoebe's release by claiming the younger woman is her cousin, all while avoiding any scandalous revelations about herself.

Back at Erika's apartment, she reveals to Phoebe that their entire encounter has been a ruse, with Phoebe now owing her John - her protector. Just as things seem to be wrapping up, John arrives on the scene, only for Phoebe to witness him locking lips with Erika from behind his back, leaving her feeling embarrassed and betrayed.

As Phoebe grapples with her own moral ambiguity at the military airport, awaiting departure, Colonel Plummer presents her with a dossier that sheds light on John's true intentions. It seems he was working under orders all along to use Erika as bait to track down Birgel, placing a target squarely on his back. The Colonel's words are laced with a hint of paternal concern as he acknowledges the complications arising from John's feelings for Phoebe.

Just as Birgel appears at the Lorelei, gun in hand and intent on eliminating John, American soldiers intervene, taking him down first. Erika, however, finds herself under arrest for her complicity in Birgel's plans. With Colonel Plummer's assistance, Phoebe and John are finally able to reunite, their paths having been forever altered by the complex web of deceit and intrigue that has unfolded around them.