A Foreign Affair 1948

In the aftermath of World War II, Berlin was a city in disarray, where corruption and moral decay reigned supreme. Amidst this chaos, Congresswoman Phoebe Frost (Phoebe Frost) from Iowa arrived with a US congressional committee to investigate the morale of American occupation troops, who were reportedly struggling with a mysterious affliction dubbed “moral malaria.” As she delved deeper into the situation, Phoebe discovered that troops were taking advantage of supply shortages to profiteer and secure favors from local women. The officials’ defense of their behavior was telling: they expected these soldiers to be both valorous and wise, without recognizing the inherent contradictions.

Phoebe’s visit had a personal touch, as she brought a birthday cake for Captain John Pringle (John), a constituent’s boyfriend. However, instead of sharing it with his comrades, John traded the precious treat on the black market for a mattress to indulge his lover, Erika von Schlütow. This illicit transaction sparked a chain reaction that led Phoebe to question Erika about her past and her current circumstances.

As she explored the devastated city, Phoebe found herself witnessing the widespread fraternization between American soldiers and local women. Her guide described this phenomenon as a key factor in winning over the population, but Phoebe couldn’t help but wonder who was influencing whom. When she slipped away from the tour to investigate further, Phoebe found herself mistaken for a local by two American soldiers and accompanied them to the Club Lorelei, the most popular troop hangout.

It was at this club that Phoebe encountered Erika von Schlütow, a cabaret torch singer with a mysterious past. Rumors swirled that she had been the mistress of either Hermann Göring or Joseph Goebbels, and was now being protected by an unidentified American officer. Phoebe enlisted Captain Pringle’s assistance in investigating Erika, unaware that he was her current lover.

As she delved deeper into Erika’s past, Phoebe discovered a newsreel from the war era featuring Adolf Hitler and the singer. This revelation prompted Phoebe to ask John to take her to army headquarters to retrieve Erika’s official file. In an effort to distract her, John wooed Phoebe, who initially resisted his charms. When Phoebe berated the ethics of American soldiers who cavorted with former Nazis, John asked whether she had ever compromised her political beliefs for romantic love. Heeding her example, Phoebe revealed how she had fallen for a Southern Congressman who romanced her solely to secure her vote. Taking his cue, John turned on the charm, and Phoebe eventually succumbed to his advances.

As Erika’s concerns about their waning relationship come to a head, John reveals his disapproval of her deepening connections with Nazi officials, cautioning that she may soon be consorting with officers bearing the emblem of communism. The veiled warning falls flat, and Erika’s mocking response sends him retreating. Meanwhile, Phoebe finds herself entwined in their complicated web, as Erika inserts herself into their table at Club Lorelei, taunting her new rival.

Colonel Plummer, privy to John’s association with Erika, orders him to maintain the facade, exploiting their connection to lure Hans Otto Birgel, a rogue ex-Gestapo agent believed to be hiding in the American-occupied zone. A intercepted letter reveals Birgel’s bloodlust, threatening to eliminate Erika’s new lover.

As tensions escalate, Erika and Phoebe are arrested during a sweep at the Lorelei, aimed at apprehending Germans lacking proper identification papers. At the police station, Erika employs her cunning, claiming Phoebe is her cousin, securing her release without compromising her own identity or reputation. Back at her apartment, Erika reveals to Phoebe that she has become her protector and owes John a debt of gratitude.

When John arrives, Phoebe, out of his line of sight, witnesses the tender moment between him and Erika, leaving her feeling mortified. At the military airport, as they prepare for departure, Phoebe confides in Colonel Plummer that she feels morally compromised and will not be submitting her report. The colonel shares a dossier with Phoebe, detailing John’s true intentions – using Erika to lead them to Birgel – and warns her of the danger now besetting John.

Just as Birgel appears at the Lorelei, intent on eliminating John, American soldiers intervene, felling the would-be assassin. However, Erika is arrested for her complicity with Birgel. With Colonel Plummer’s assistance, Phoebe and John are finally reunited, their complex web of relationships and motivations slowly unraveling as they navigate the treacherous landscape of post-war Germany.