The Young Lions
The lives of three young men, a German and two Americans, during WWII.
Critics Sentiment
Christian screams in rage and destroys his machine pistol
Noah faces anti-Semitic bullying from fellow soldiers in training
The film reaches its emotional peak when Christian discovers the concentration camp horrors and breaks down completely, representing the culmination of his character's journey from idealistic Nazi to horrified witness.
The Young Lions builds gradually through three interwoven character arcs, with Christian's German storyline consistently praised as more compelling than the American threads. The film reaches its dramatic and moral climax with the concentration camp discovery sequence, which critics universally highlight as the most powerful and important part of the movie. While some find the ending rushed and certain performances uneven, most reviewers appreciate the film's ambitious scope and serious treatment of war's human cost.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 75
Marlon Brando
Lt. Christian Diestl
Montgomery Clift
Noah Ackerman
Dean Martin
Michael Whiteacre
Hope Lange
Hope Plowman
Barbara Rush
Margaret Freemantle
May Britt
Gretchen Hardenberg
Maximilian Schell
Capt. Hardenberg
Dora Doll
Simone
Lee Van Cleef
1st Sgt. Rickett
Liliane Montevecchi
Françoise
Parley Baer
Sgt. Brandt
Arthur Franz
Lt. Green
Hal Baylor
Pvt. Burnecker
Richard Gardner
Pvt. Crowley
Herbert Rudley
Capt. Colclough
Michael Smith
Draft Board Member (uncredited)
Paul Comi
Pvt. Abbott (uncredited)
John Alderson
Cpl. Kraus (uncredited)
John Banner
German Town Mayor (uncredited)
Milton Frome
Draft Board Physician (uncredited)
Crew
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