Cloak and Dagger

Cloak and Dagger

Year: 1946

Runtime: 106 mins

Language: English

Director: Fritz Lang

WarThrillerDrama

The moment he fell in love was his moment of greatest danger! Italian partisans help a professor sent by the OSS to find an atomic scientist held by Nazis.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Cloak and Dagger yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Cloak and Dagger (1946)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Cloak and Dagger (1946). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1944

Set in 1944, during the height of World War II, Allied intelligence battles German counterintelligence in a race to secure nuclear knowledge. The era’s urgency is driven by the Manhattan Project and the need to disrupt German atomic ambitions.

Location

United States, Switzerland, Italy

The story shifts between the United States, where the Manhattan Project drives the war effort, and neutral Switzerland, where Katerin seeks safety from German capture. It then moves into Italy, where the OSS and a courageous Resistance work covertly against the Axis. These locations underscore the global reach of WWII espionage.

🗺️ War zones 🎭 Espionage 🕰️ WWII theaters

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:31

Main Characters – Cloak and Dagger (1946)

Meet the key characters of Cloak and Dagger (1946), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Prof. Alvah Jesper (Gary Cooper)

A brilliant nuclear physicist working on the Manhattan Project who is recruited into the OSS. He demonstrates quick thinking, charm, and resolve as he pursues crucial information from Katerin and coordinates with resistance networks, even as danger closes in on every side.

🎯 Protagonist 🧪 Scientist 🕵️‍♂️ Spy

Katerin Lodor (Helene Thimig)

A Hungarian nuclear physicist who has escaped to neutral Switzerland. Her knowledge makes her a target for German intelligence, and her capture catalyzes a series of dangerous seizures and escapes that drive the plot to its tragic end.

🔬 Scientist 🧭 Target 🕵️‍♀️ Prisoner

Gina (Lilli Palmer)

A resourceful member of the Resistance who hides Alvah in Italy and helps orchestrate the escape of Polda. Her loyalty to her country and practicality in danger make her a pivotal ally, even as she sacrifices personal happiness for the war effort.

🧭 Resistance 🔒 Ally 🕊️ Sacrifice

Ann Dawson (Marjorie Hoshelle)

An attractive American who is manipulated into becoming a German agent. She plays a dangerous double game, aiding Alvah to locate Katerin and then being leveraged by both sides to reveal critical information.

🧪 Agent 🗣️ Deception 🕶️ Double agent

Polda (Vladimir Sokoloff)

A German nuclear physicist whose cooperation with the Americans hinges on freeing his daughter. The pursuit and eventual revelation about his daughter demonstrates the tangled loyalties and the moral ambiguities of wartime intelligence.

🔬 Scientist 🤝 Allied liaison 🗝️ Leverage

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:31

Major Themes – Cloak and Dagger (1946)

Explore the central themes of Cloak and Dagger (1946), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️ Espionage

The plot revolves around undercover operations, covert meetings, and the manipulation of allies and enemies alike. Alvah navigates complex loyalties, using interviews and intelligence to uncover who can be trusted. The narrative highlights the fractures and details of wartime espionage, where information is the ultimate currency.

🕯️ Sacrifice

Characters risk personal safety and even their future for the war effort. Gina risks her own life and gives up a chance at personal happiness to free her country from occupation. Katerin's fate and the decision to let others escape underscore the costs borne by those who fight in the shadows.

🎖️ Patriotism

The protagonists act out of loyalty to their nations, prioritizing collective victory over individual desires. The story portrays courage found in difficult choices, from hiding agents to coercing allies into dangerous plans. It frames war as a test of resolve and national duty.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:31

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Urgent spy mission movies like Cloak and Dagger

High-stakes undercover operations with constant danger and a ticking clock.If you liked the high-stakes tension and dangerous undercover work in Cloak and Dagger, you'll find more movies like it here. This thread gathers fast-paced espionage thrillers set in wartime, featuring desperate gambits, tense intrigue, and the heavy personal cost of duty.

tensesuspensefuldangerousurgentdramaticdeterminedwar-torn

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a linear, objective-driven path where agents must complete a critical mission against overwhelming odds. The plot is propelled by a series of urgent tasks—making contact, extracting targets, evading capture—with little room for error. Loyalty is tested, and sacrifices are often required, culminating in a victory that feels hard-won and personally costly.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared setting of war-torn environments, the high-pressure experience of espionage, and a tone of grim determination. They deliver a consistent vibe of suspense and danger, appealing to viewers who enjoy stories of calculated risk and resilience in the face of ultimate threats.

Movies with bittersweet endings like Cloak and Dagger

Stories where success comes at a profound personal or moral price.If the poignant, costly victory in Cloak and Dagger resonated with you, explore similar films here. These stories feature characters who succeed in their missions but pay a heavy personal price, resulting in endings that are emotionally complex and deeply felt.

bittersweetdramaticheavypoignantsacrificialdeterminedsolemn

Narrative Summary

The journey is defined by high stakes and heavy emotional weight, where characters are forced to make significant sacrifices for a greater cause. The plot builds towards a climax where the external objective is met, but internal costs—such as the loss of allies, romantic separation, or moral compromise—create a layered, bittersweet conclusion that underscores the theme of sacrifice.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their emotionally heavy conclusions that balance success with sorrow. They share a specific tonal balance where tension and drama resolve not into simple happiness, but into a more realistic and poignant reflection on the costs of conflict, making the victory feel earned and deeply human.

Unlock the Full Story of Cloak and Dagger

Don't stop at just watching — explore Cloak and Dagger in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Cloak and Dagger is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Cloak and Dagger Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Cloak and Dagger, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Cloak and Dagger Summary

Cloak and Dagger Timeline

Track the full timeline of Cloak and Dagger with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Cloak and Dagger Timeline

Cloak and Dagger Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Cloak and Dagger that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Cloak and Dagger Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Cloak and Dagger

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Cloak and Dagger: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Cloak and Dagger

Similar Movies to Cloak and Dagger

Discover movies like Cloak and Dagger that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.