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You should check out, "The Big Lift" which is about the Berlin Airlift. A unique film, almost a mockumentary. Basically, there are only two or three actual actors in it, Montgomery Clift being one of them. The rest of the cast are actual Allied Service Personel as well as German civilians. Filmed on location as it was happening in war torn Berlin, yet there is a "plot" of sorts.
It pops up on both the History Channel as well as PBS. I found it on VHS in a used book store.
As for Berlin 2008, you would not recognize it although it remains a great city. Did you ever go to Steinstuckern during the division?
I actually have a personal connection to the whole East Berlin situation. Around 1960 my dad - who was in the US Air Force - was stationed at Etain AFB near Verdun in France. He was then transferred to Frankfurt Germany. Normally the waiting list for base housing was from 6 months to more than a year, but upon arrival at Rhein-Main airport we were taken by car to immediate base housing. Though he was in the Air Force, during our 3 year stint at Frankfut, my dad never wore a uniform. He worked with a small group of similar folks - all in the military, all with considerable priviledges, none of them in unform. None of them spoke about what they did. All of them went away for various periods of time without any explanation of where they were going or when they would come back. They did everything together. Though young, I remember it was a time of many parties and much socialization among this small group of men and their wives - socialization that never included others.
Mom says she never asked what he was doing, but she had pretty good idea (as probably did all the wives). Dad - though born in Lancaster County Pa (as one of the Pennsylvania "Dutch" (actually derived from "Deutch")) moved to the Black Forest region of Germany when he was 3 or 4 and was raised by his grandparents so he grew up speaking German as a German does, not moving back to America until he was 16 in 1948. Being raised in German he knew everything about Germany - things a visitor might not pick up on - so he fit right in among other Germans, with no indication that he was actually an American.
Years later I found out that he made many visits to East Germany - work he says was largely boring surveillance - except for the time he was shot at by the East German police. When I asked what he did in response, he said simply "I ran".
When the time came for his assignment there to be up and he was to be transferred back to the States (Fort Custer, near Battle Creek Michigan), he was offered many incentives to remain - including trips back to the US once a year, and twice a year back to England (where my mother was from). My Mom tells me my Dad left it up to her and that she was tempted, but had grown to love the States and wanted to return so that's what we did.
Year's later I found out that at the time the East German Police had indentified him and were looking for him - so I guess it's a good thing he quit when he did.
Many years later my Dad still had a few photos laying around of the Berlin wall (these shot from the Allied side) that were taken by his partner - whom he simply called "the Photographer". Haven't seen the photos in probably 20 years though I assume he still has them somewhere.
... Many years later my Dad still had a few photos laying around of the Berlin wall (these shot from the Allied side) that were taken by his partner - whom he simply called "the Photographer"...
Thanks for your intersting story. Serendipity, just got The Spy Who Came In From the Cold from Netflix. I am a child of the Cold War. And Burton, when he is good - he is very, very good.
I also recommend "The Bedford Incident" - a very taunt, Cold War thriller - this time told from the point of view of a US destroyer tracking a Soviet sub rather than from the point of view of the sub.
PS - Have to say that the climatic moment in the film (when James Macarthur's character does what he does (don't want to give away what that is in case someone here intends to see the film and hasn't yet)) made my jaw drop and I though "OH Sh*t!"). Definitely a devasting moment and the way the incident develops is so totally believable and understandable. Everyone on the crew is so totally focused on what they are doing they are aware of nothing else.
I'm afraid I don't recall an "advisor" (been a long time since I've seen the film). I take it you are NOT referring to the reporter (right?).
Ken
Pretty sure they had Submarine tatics advisor on board as well as the reporter, Spoke with a heavy German accent..... Ja und now he vell do .......
Todd
BTW - I don't know if you are a Star Trek fan, but one of the episodes - called "Balance of Terror" was patterned from the plot of The Enemy Below. One of the original series best episodes. It was where the Romulan cloaking device was first introduced.
Ken
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