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The Big Lift

  • 19501950
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Big Lift (1950)
  • Drama
  • War
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.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • George Seaton
  • Writer
    • George Seaton
  • Stars
    • Montgomery Clift
    • Paul Douglas
    • Cornell Borchers
Top credits
  • Director
    • George Seaton
  • Writer
    • George Seaton
  • Stars
    • Montgomery Clift
    • Paul Douglas
    • Cornell Borchers
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 35User reviews
    • 8Critic 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 MacCulloughas Danny MacCullough
    Paul Douglas
    Paul Douglas
    • Hank Kowalskias Hank Kowalski
    Cornell Borchers
    Cornell Borchers
    • Frederica Burkhardtas Frederica Burkhardt
    Bruni Löbel
    Bruni Löbel
    • Gerdaas Gerda
    O.E. Hasse
    O.E. Hasse
    • Stieberas Stieber
    Dante V. Morel
    • Dante V. Morelas Dante V. Morel
    • (as Capt. Dante V. Morel)
    John R. Mason
    • John R. Masonas John R. Mason
    • (as Capt. John R. Mason)
    Gail R. Plush
    • Gail R. Plushas Gail R. Plush
    • (as Capt. Gail R. Plush)
    Mack Blevins
    • Mack Blevinsas Mack Blevins
    • (as Capt. Mack Blevins)
    William A. Stewart
    • William A. Stewartas William A. Stewart
    • (as Capt. William A. Stewart)
    Alfred L. Freiburger
    • Alfred L. Freiburgeras Alfred L. Freiburger
    • (as 1st Lt. Alfred L. Freiburger)
    Gerald Arons
    • Gerald Aronsas Gerald Arons
    • (as 1st Lt. Gerald Arons)
    James Wilson
    • James Wilsonas James Wilson
    • (as 1st Lt. James Wilson)
    Richard A. Kellogg
    • Richard A. Kelloggas Richard A. Kellogg
    • (as 1st Lt. Richard A. Kellogg)
    Roy R. Steele
    • Roy R. Steeleas Roy R. Steele
    • (as 1st Lt. Roy R. Steele)
    James H. Blankenship
    • James H. Blankenshipas James H. Blankenship
    • (as S/Sgt. James H. Blankenship)
    Harold E. Bamford
    • Harold E. Bamfordas Harold E. Bamford
    • (as S/Sgt. Harold E. Bamford)
    D.R. Simmons
    • D.R. Simmonsas D.R. Simmons
    • (as S/Sgt. D.R. Simmons)
    • Director
      • George Seaton
    • Writer
      • George Seaton
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In 1948, the Soviet Union blockades the Allied sectors of Berlin to bring the entire city under their control. A semi-documentary about the resulting Berlin Airlift gives way to stories of two fictitious U.S. Air Force participants: Sgt. Hank Kowalski, whose hatred of Germans proves resistant to change, and Sgt. Danny McCullough, whose pursuit of an attractive German war widow gives him a crash course in the seamy side of occupied Berlin. —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
    • west berlin west germany
    • american abroad
    • cold war era
    • transport aircraft
    • berlin tempelhof airport
    • 44 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • From the Ruins came Hope and Despair
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • War
    • Certificate
      • Approved
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    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 reviews35

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Grainy Footage and Realistic Story
    Spooky airlift film in which the bad seem good and visa versa. This movie was made in 1950. As such, Berlin is accurately portrayed as a destroyed city. Portrayed is perhaps the wrong word. The reason is because the city was still a giant rubble pile. Great dialogue and excellent story make this the premiere film concerning the American and British airlift to save Berlin from the Soviets. The malevolent opportunism demonstrated by the German locals, lend a tragic, yet realistic touch to this movie. Lovelorn American servicemen eat up female German desperation, and thus the stage is set for tragedy.
    helpful•30
    10
    • sbox
    • Jan 6, 1999

    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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