Ilusão Perdida

Part docu and part drama--it's a look at life in post-war Germany. It's entertaining and educational. Clift made this and "The Search" while in Germany in the late 1940s. Seeing Berlin as it was then-is shocking and eye opening. Then look at Syria, among other places today, and see how far we haven't come....

The shooting of the film on location in Germany is what makes the whole film work and memorable. The story in itself is not really that great, but probably it grasps our attention because of the surroundings: the ruins, the gloomy statues and the simple and down-to-earth life of the common people. Had it been a Hollywood stage production, there wouldn't have been much to it, but once the movie enters Berlin it gets to another level. The same goes for the acting. Acting among the local population with only two brought-in American actors in the cast ( the main characters ) must have been an inspiration.

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 !!!

Just saw The Big Lift. Bought the DVD for 3 dollars. Out-dated since it was filmed on location in Berlin in 1950 at the beginning of the Cold War. However, the camera work, the on-location shots, the use of real military people as actors, and the out-standing performances by Monty Clift and Paul Douglas make this an entertaining night at the movies.

The acting is so good, it doesn't seem like a film at all. Somewhat slow in parts, but overall pretty good. Even a surprise ending. Paul Douglas steals the movie & there is one very disturbing scene in the film in which he is fantastic. Also, you get to see how really handsome Monty Clift really was before the car accident and party-life style aged him way before his time.

To say that a film is dated because it was shot on location in 1950 (which, I suppose, is history for most of us now) is pretty inadequate. If anything makes this film still interesting it is BECAUSE it was shot on location in 1950. As a young German who only knows a wealthy comfortable democratic Germany I find the very setting the most intriguing, as is the case with the more serious "Germania anno Zero" by Rosselini. The film has its values, however, but is, admittedly, more on the entertaining side. Nice to spot later Haimatfilm and TV favourites in a Hollywood production. If you like Berlin and don't mind an "old" look, watch Billy Wilder's "One, Two, Three", shot 10 years later. To me as funny as "Some Like it Hot", and that means VERY funny.