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The Big Lift

  • 1950
  • Approved
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
The Big Lift (1950)
DramaWar

Experiences of two Air Force sergeants during the 1948 Berlin Airlift.Experiences of two Air Force sergeants during the 1948 Berlin Airlift.Experiences of two Air Force sergeants during the 1948 Berlin Airlift.

  • Director
    • George Seaton
  • Writer
    • George Seaton
  • Stars
    • Montgomery Clift
    • Paul Douglas
    • Cornell Borchers
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • George Seaton
    • Writer
      • George Seaton
    • Stars
      • Montgomery Clift
      • Paul Douglas
      • Cornell Borchers
    • 39User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos42

    The Big Lift (1950)
    The Big Lift (1950)
    Montgomery Clift, Paul Douglas, Cornell Borchers, and Bruni Löbel in The Big Lift (1950)
    The Big Lift (1950)
    The Big Lift (1950)
    Montgomery Clift and Cornell Borchers in The Big Lift (1950)
    Montgomery Clift in The Big Lift (1950)
    Montgomery Clift and Cornell Borchers in The Big Lift (1950)
    Montgomery Clift and O.E. Hasse in The Big Lift (1950)
    Montgomery Clift in The Big Lift (1950)
    Montgomery Clift in The Big Lift (1950)
    Cornell Borchers in The Big Lift (1950)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Montgomery Clift
    Montgomery Clift
    • Danny MacCullough
    Paul Douglas
    Paul Douglas
    • Hank Kowalski
    Cornell Borchers
    Cornell Borchers
    • Frederica Burkhardt
    Bruni Löbel
    Bruni Löbel
    • Gerda
    O.E. Hasse
    O.E. Hasse
    • Stieber
    Dante V. Morel
    • Dante V. Morel
    • (as Capt. Dante V. Morel)
    John R. Mason
    • John R. Mason
    • (as Capt. John R. Mason)
    Gail R. Plush
    • Gail R. Plush
    • (as Capt. Gail R. Plush)
    Mack Blevins
    • Mack Blevins
    • (as Capt. Mack Blevins)
    William A. Stewart
    • William A. Stewart
    • (as Capt. William A. Stewart)
    Alfred L. Freiburger
    • Alfred L. Freiburger
    • (as 1st Lt. Alfred L. Freiburger)
    Gerald Arons
    • Gerald Arons
    • (as 1st Lt. Gerald Arons)
    James Wilson
    • James Wilson
    • (as 1st Lt. James Wilson)
    Richard A. Kellogg
    • Richard A. Kellogg
    • (as 1st Lt. Richard A. Kellogg)
    Roy R. Steele
    • Roy R. Steele
    • (as 1st Lt. Roy R. Steele)
    James H. Blankenship
    • James H. Blankenship
    • (as S/Sgt. James H. Blankenship)
    Harold E. Bamford
    • Harold E. Bamford
    • (as S/Sgt. Harold E. Bamford)
    D.R. Simmons
    • D.R. Simmons
    • (as S/Sgt. D.R. Simmons)
    • Director
      • George Seaton
    • Writer
      • George Seaton
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Even though this was only his fourth film, Montgomery Clift already had a reputation for being difficult on set. Paul Douglas arrived in Berlin having been told by John Wayne (who had worked with Clift on "Red River" (1948) that "this kid is a little shit." During the filming of their first scenes together, Douglas realized that Clift was deliberately leaning into the scene, hogging his space. He stamped on the younger actor's foot and said, "Do that again and I'll break your fucking foot." Douglas and Clift didn't speak to each other for the rest of the shoot.
    • Goofs
      The "Russian fighter" that approaches one of the airlift C-54s is actually a US Air Force Republic P-47 "Thunderbolt."
    • Quotes

      Frederica Burkhardt: When you live in a sewer, you soon discover that the sewer rats are best equipped to survive.

    • Crazy credits
      At the end of the movie, the "Hollywood" stars (Clift, Douglas etc.), are not credited, however a panoramic coda does credit the principal military service members who portrayed themselves in the film. It shows them standing at attention in front of a C-54, with their names and ranks scrolling across.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Woman on the Run (1950)
    • Soundtracks
      Aloha Oe
      (uncredited)

      Music by Queen Liliuokalani

      Played when leaving Honolulu

    User reviews39

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    A Strange Mix
    Found this one recently on DVD at my local market. Have mixed feelings about it. On the negative side there is the picture quality with too high a contrast, plus an abysmal and tinny-sounding soundtrack. Storywise, the first 27 minutes were superfluous and my interest as a spectator was only aroused from minute 28 onwards. I reckon the whole gamut could have been locked into a 1h 35m stint instead of the two hours it took in reality.

    On the positive side, however, the film is a very interesting insight into the Berlin under blocade of the 1950's. Filmed on location with the Berliner people, you couldn't ask for a greater dose of realism. Some of the scenes are overlong, notably those within aircraft, which gets boring. What interested me were the character developments of the four main protagonists, plus the "russian spy". I found Montgomery Clift's character too weak and passionless and was more interested by the character portrayed by Paul Douglas, as well as that portrayed by Cornell Borchers ( I was most unpleasantly surprised when I realised what her real intentions were ). A most impressive moment in the film is when Clift confronts Borchers on her past in front of the house in rubble. As he leaves her, disgusted, a great part of wall comes tumbling down ! I don't know whether it was done on purpose, or whether it was just a coincidence during the filming. Whatever the hypothesis, it was most impressive.

    My appreciation of the film on balance is definitely positive in relation to its plot and character development but oh how I wish they could have given it a clear stereo soundtrack !!!
    helpful•9
    6
    • nicholas.rhodes
    • Aug 1, 2004

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 14, 1950 (Mexico)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
    • Also known as
      • The Quartered City
    • Filming locations
      • Airport, Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,300,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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