The Big Lift is a dramatisation of real events during the Soviet blockade of Berlin in 1948, using real footage of the airlifts, making the film a historical document as well as an entertaining flick starring Montgomery Clift and Paul Douglas. The film is also populated by real servicemen, rather than actors or extras, adding another layer of authenticity. The love story is pure Hollywood, though, but it sits well within the confines of the limited scope of the main focus of the story. All round good performances, and the added interest of seeing part of actual history makes this film a pleasant 120 minutes to spend on the weekend.
Watch or download the full movie on archive.org.
