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Poster for The Big Lift (1950)

The Big Lift (1950)

1950 · Feature film · 102 min · dir. George Seaton

From the Ruins came Hope and Despair

  • Drama
  • War

Synopsis

The Big Lift is a 1950 American drama war film on location in the city of Berlin, Germany, that tells the story of "Operation Vittles", the 1948–49 Berlin Airlift, through the experiences of two U.S. Air Force sergeants played by Montgomery Clift and Paul Douglas.

Synopsis from Wikipedia

Details

Director
George Seaton
Writer
George Seaton
Composer
Alfred Newman
Cinematography
Charles G. Clarke
Studio
20th Century Fox
Released
1950-04-26
Running time
102 minutes

Cast & crew

Reviews on the Internet Archive

★★★★★ · Old memories. · Budro · 2009-07-11

I was stationed in Japan with the 11th Airborne Division when the airlift started. I remember well how we were wondering if WWIII was about to start. I saw this movie when it came out in 1950. My Division had left Japan and was stationed at Ft. Campbell, Ky. At about that time the Korean War started and I was on my way back to the orient. In February of 1951 I was wounded near the city of Wonju and that ended my military career. This movie brought back so many memories of those days. It is a very good movie and quite true to the times. Definitely worth watching.

★★★★ · About good and bad, beauty and ugliness · Peter Schuttevaar · 2007-07-03

This move is just very well made. The scene's are very well thought of. There is a intriguing story-line with a nice tempo and some surprises in it. But best of all is that meanwhile it has the feel of a documentary. You are constantly aware that you are witness to this pecular moment in time. And most of the actors aren't actors at all. Yet they act naturaly. As does Montgomery Clift (who shows that he can act). In a way, this movie reminds me of Italian movies from the same era. New realists i believe they are called. Like Russelini. The Big Lift is not entirely on the same level, but it is…

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