SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

classicsoncall For a war film, perhaps the most compelling element of the picture has to do with the three protagonists remaining true to their personal codes of honor and integrity. That they were presented doing so with the backdrop of World War II was probably immaterial, though for Marlon Brando's character, the senselessness of war was repeatedly underscored by way of confrontations with his superiors and behavior on the battlefield. An anti-war sentiment resonates throughout but doesn't get in the way of patriotism. Perhaps to emphasize the futile nature of war on it's combatants, the picture occasionally meanders along disjointedly as well, scenes changing abruptly between the battlefields of Europe and North Africa with images and street scenes of New York and Brooklyn.You know, I often marvel at the way continuity in a movie is sometimes completely overlooked when the finished product is released. This one had a couple of examples that seemed glaring to me. When Noah (Montgomery Clift) meets Hope (Hope Lange) at Michael Whiteacre's (Dean Martin) party she's wearing a low cut evening gown, but when they step out for a walk along the river, she's wearing a dress with a collar. A similar scene occurs later on the first time Lt. Diestl (Marlon Brando) visits Gretchen Hardenberg (May Britt) at her Berlin apartment. Leaving her apartment for a prior engagement, Gretchen leaves wearing only her evening dress, but returns with a coat on. How is it no one caught those errors? Regarding the principal players, Marlon Brando stands out as the disaffected Nazi soldier, unable to reconcile his personal feelings about war with the mentality of the Nazi machine as personified by his commanding officer Hardenberg (Maximillian Schell). With no room for individualism, Diestl's loyalty to the Nazi cause erodes over the course of the War, and results in outright refusal to follow orders when he fails to shoot an opposing soldier upon Hardenberg's command. I thought more would come of that scene relative to his disobeying a commanding officer, so that left me a little puzzled.With Montgomery Clift's character, you had a Jewish retail clerk fighting bigotry both on the home front and among his fellow soldiers. The scene with Hope's father was done quite effectively to change the older man's feelings of prejudice, just as the overall tenor of the picture attempts to present every day Americans and Germans as people simply trying to make their way in life dissociated from the ideological extremes that make their countries war with each other.As for Dean Martin, this was the second movie I've seen him in within a short period of time in which he basically portrays himself; the other was 1960's "Ocean's Eleven". He comes across as a relatively happy-go-lucky kind of character, a singer and performer who likes to have a good time and with little regard for responsibility or authority. To his character's credit, he was a stand up guy for sticking by Noah against the barracks bullies who beat him to a pulp. One thing I hadn't seen before, Dino goes for a beefcake shot during the induction physical. I don't recall seeing him in anything similar in any other picture.The picture's finale offers contrasting scenarios - Brando's character comes to an untimely and inglorious end at the hands of Private Whiteacre, while the movie closes on Noah Ackerman's joyous return home to his wife and new baby. One wonders whether Mrs. Ackerman's name was written specifically for the intended effect of having a battle hardened soldier return to a new life filled with Hope.

wes-connors After the opening credits, we begin with New Year's Eve, 1938 in Bavaria, Germany. Blond shoemaker Marlon Brando (as Christian Diestl) is working part-time as a ski instructor. He enjoys a romance with American beauty Barbara Rush (as Margaret Freemantle). They break up when Mr. Brando joins the Nazi army. She is suspicious of German chancellor Adolf Hitler's political intentions, but Brando is not. He hopes Hitler will bring prosperity to Germany. World War II begins. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, American men are drafted as the country prepares for a war. At the draft board in New York City, Jewish store clerk Montgomery Clift (as Noah Ackerman) surrenders a cigarette to nightclub and radio singer Dean Martin (as Michael Whiteacre) and the men become fast friends. At a party, Mr. Clift begins a romance with pretty blonde Hope Lange (as Hope Plowman) while Mr. Martin dates Ms. Rush..."The Young Lions" was based on Irwin Shaw's 1948 best-selling novel. The 1958 adaptation does not really work – in this particular case – as it really plays out like two different films, weightlessly edited together. Brando and director Edward Dmytryk appear to have cooperated on changing his character to appear more sympathetic. Perversely, this strengthens Brando's portion of the film, giving his characterization more depth; however, it does little for the film as a unit. The most interesting role is portrayed by Clift, who is engaging in a role which recalls his classic appearance in "From Here to Eternity" (1953). Heralded as the third lead, Martin is good as a supporting player in Clift's half of the story. The three men may be little old for the parts, but are plausible...Rush is an underrated actress and she shows that here, especially in her scenes with Martin. Now appearing without comic partner Jerry Lewis, Martin remains appealing. Rush is a tenuous link between the US and German men. She, Ms. Lange and a seductive May Britt (as Gretchen Hardenberg) are distinctly beautiful – but the story is not about them. Brando's half benefits by contrasting his character with more loyal Nazi soldier Maximilian Schell (as Hardenberg). Filmmakers would have been wise to increase Mr. Schell's role and parallel him – through cinematic trickery – with Clift's character. Brando and Martin are also parallels. For reasons unfathomable in hindsight, there is no real scene for Brando and Clift to play, together. They do cross paths at one point, but do not really interact like you may be hoping. That someone could not write a small scene, at least, for the two highly regarded actors is a major disappointment.******* The Young Lions (4/2/58) Edward Dmytryk ~ Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Dean Martin, Maximilian Schell

edwagreen Highest rating to this 1958 film with an all-star cast once again proving their mettle.Didn't Montgomery Clift remind you of his brilliant Pruitt five years before in "From Here to Eternity?" Dean Martin had a fabulous 1958 year proving his worth in dramatic acting with this film along with "Some Came Running."This is definitely a film of moral conviction with Marlon Brando outstanding as a German, caught by the Hitler lies and promises to the German people only to see the hell of war. In America, Dean Martin is an entertainer, a pacifist, who will use any means possible to evade military service. Montgomery Clift as Ackerman views for himself religious prejudice in the military.

JasparLamarCrabb Edward Dmytryk directs this film version of Irwin Shaw's novel and it's not particularly good. That's a shame because at nearly 3-hours long, one would expect something beyond a well polished soap opera. It's the story of WWII told from both the American & German perspective. On the American side, there's Broadway entertainer Dean Martin and lost soul Montgomery Clift. On the German side, there's Marlon Brando as a disillusioned army captain. The film follows their trials and tribulations as well as their love lives. Brando plays his part like an actor afraid to go all out. His German is made into an idealistic saint. Clift, however, is a complete disaster. He's woefully miscast and about 10 years too old for his part. He's also clearly infirm, this being some of his first acting following his near catastrophic car accident in 1957. Martin comes off best, as he's playing a less comic version of his own persona. Dmytryk does a dis-service to the entire proceedings by relying heavily on war-time stock footage. The supporting cast is large and includes Lee Van Cleef, Hope Lange, Barbara Rush, Dora Doll (as Simone), and French chanteuse Liliane Montevecchi as Brando's strong-willed love interest. Maximilian Schell gives a fine performance as Brando's commanding officer. Hugo Friedhofer contributes a rousing score, but it's largely lost on this snail-paced epic.