The film was made in occupied Germany. All scenes were photographed in the real locations associated with the story, including episodes in the American, French, British and Russian sectors of Berlin.

With the exception of Montgomery Clift and Paul Douglas, all military personnel in the film were actual members of the US military on duty in Germany at the time.

When shooting at the Brandenburg Gate, which was inside the Russian zone of occupation, authorities there erected a large loudspeaker that blared communist propaganda. The scenes were shot without sound and voices were dubbed in later.

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.

During the filming, the production got waivers signed by those who were in a shot and thought would be in the finished film, and paid them $500. Some men appeared but were never paid, and some who were paid had their appearances end up on the cutting-room floor.

Continuity

Throughout the film, Montgomery Clift's army uniform has sergeant stripes, then it doesn't, then it does, etc.etc.

When the aircraft is over Germany it is flying parallel to the Rhine but in the next shot from the cockpit it is crossing the Rhine.

When the airmen are leaving Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, they take off in the dark; however, when they see Diamond Head below, it's broad daylight.

When the white paint is first spilled on "Danny" (Montgomery Cliff) it splashed mostly on the lower part of the front of his uniform, from the chest down. Later, almost his entire uniform, front and back, had some paint from the shoulders down.

When Sgt, McCullough (Monty Clift) is talking with reporter O"Malley at the 29 -30 min mark, the heights of the two men change depending on the camera angle, from one angle O'Malley appears to be taller, from another angle they appear to be of similar height, compare their side by side scene at the 35 min mark.



Factual errors

Throughout the movie enlisted men, when saluting officers, fail to hold their salutes until after the officers have returned it--a violation of military protocol.

When the Navy transports show up to join the Airlift, the Air Force men shout about the "Navy C-54's." Actually, the Navy called their cargo plane R5D's.

The "Russian fighter" that approaches one of the airlift C-54s is actually a US Air Force Republic P-47 "Thunderbolt."

Danny's rank is noted as a T/SGT which is a technical sergeant and the correct sleeve insignia would have capital T under the three Chevrons but Danny's uniform during the film does not have the T.



Miscellaneous

In an early scene the USAF guys and USN sailors are singing, teasing each other. At the end of the scene some of the sailors in the truck stand up and at that moment the truck starts moving. So suddenly that at least two of them appear to fall off the back of the truck.

Paul Douglas is giving a brutal beating to his former German military prison guard, but the military police don't arrest him, but chase after Montgomery Clift.



Anachronisms

The Airlift was in 1948. Paul Douglas's character (an ex-POW who wears an 8th AF shoulder patch) says that for the past seven years he'd sought revenge against the former German prison guard who'd mistreated him. The US bombing campaign against targets in Nazi-occupied Europe didn't begin until 1942, meaning that Douglas could not have been shot down and captured in 1941.