[.ca] The Young Lions

From Amazon.com:
One of the most thoughtful films about World War II, this 1958 Edward Dmytryk (The Left Hand of God) drama, based on a novel by Irwin Shaw, tells parallel stories of two American soldiers (Montgomery Clift and Dean Martin) and one German officer (Marlon Brando), whose war experiences we follow until they intersect outside a concentration camp. Martin plays what he calls "a likable coward," Clift is intense as a Jewish GI, and Brando experiments with the limits of his part as a Nazi reevaluating his beliefs. Legend has it that Clift accused Brando of bleeding-heart excessiveness. Interestingly, the two Method actors share no scenes together. --Tom Keogh

different kind of war storey:
although a bit long, this storey of 3 soldiers in ww 2, is a good one, dean martin bascially plays himself...., (...)actor mongomery clift plays a sulky character, and marlon brando plays a german officer diillusioned by his country's war machine. cameo appearance at the end by" sgt shultz" of hogan'shero's fame- actor john banner. made in 1958, this would have been a real gem if filmed in color.

World War II: In the eyes of realism:
This movie is complete realism and achieves a more realist look or world war 2. Very few movies made in post world war 2 times had the confidence as a film to transcend the nationalistic influences felt by the nation, but this film does. Brando is stunning in his role as a young german lieutenat who realizes the horrors and fallacies of the NAZI feelings. Clift and Martin represent typical American soliders and the tragic death of Brando (being shot down a mountain by Martin) is essential for the feel of this movie. If you enjoy WW2 films this is a must see.

the young lions:
I love this movie...Very well done and a great cast

book to screen adaptation:
The film is very enjoyable. The music score is one of the best dramatic pieces ever composed for a war film. My article focuses on the real events of the transition from novel to screenplay. Marlon Brando was active in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950's. With THE YOUNG LIONS, he wanted to pursue a "can't we just get along?" approach to a different issue: American/German relations in the wake of WWII. To this end, he changed the character of Christian Diestel from Irwin Shaw's original portrait of a sadistic, sex-crazed thug into an idealistic Tutonic knight, whose purity of action is destroyed by the reality of the Nazi system. Brando was actually apologizing for the average German's participation in Hitler's war. Brando's vision is epic, attempting to rise above petty squabbles. He was trying to see the "larger historical impact" of war in general, and how idealism can be led so tragically astray. Brando met Shaw in France during location shooting and was surprised to find out that Shaw didn't even know his novel was being filmed. Shaw hated the Germans and wanted to keep them down with stern military occupation. Brando disagreed and wanted to debate the topic on television, but this never came about. Shaw's Christian Diestel isn't even an officer, just a sargeant. He possesses no lofty idealism. He probably wouldn't know what the word meant. When we first meet him, before the war, he is arranging for a local man to peep in on Margaret Freemandle, an American tourist, as she changes her clothes in her Alpine hotel room. Hardly the charming ski instructor that Brando represents. The ending of the novel was so drastically changed on screen as to be unrecognizable. In the film, Brando's character is finally demoralized, his ideals shattered. He decides to turn himself in to the Americans and face his own, and his country's, crimes (he has just come from a Nazi concentration camp on the verge of being captured by American troops). He breaks his machine gun on a tree and stoically marches down the hill. He is spoted by Michael (Martin) who shoots him. Brando falls down the hill and eventually falls into a pond and drowns. Noah (Clift) is unharmed and returns to wife and child as the film ends. In the novel, Christian is hiding in a foxhole as Michael and Noah wander through the forest. Christian shoots and kills Noah. He would do the same to Michael, except that his machine gun jams. Michael walks up to him and puts his rifle to Christian's head. All Christian can do is grin and say, "Welcome to Germany." Michael kills him. Which version is better? Shaw's novel is a personal memoir. The Germans were the bad guys - totally evil and without redemption. The film is Brando's vision of tolerance for all races and creeds. Brando was a major star in 1958 and his vision dominated. Take the film story as is or leave it. The DVD is a good, widescreen presentation of the movie. Yes, a commentary track is definately in order.

Slow, boring, disappointing.:
My husband and I are always interested in WWII movies. So when Mom, an ardent Brando fan, recommended this, we watched it. It's a long time since we did - perhaps as long ago as a year - but the impression is still with me that this movie had very little to do with The War - it was more about interpersonal relationships and character development. So in the way of being a War Movie, it was not so good. I think it was a rather long movie, too, which didn't help. We just kept waiting for 'something to happen' - and it never did.