The Young Lions (1958) on Netflix
Approved19582h 47mActionDramaWar
Three young men are caught up in World War II. Christian Diestl, a German ski instructor, joins the army, while Noah Ackerman faces antisemitism in America and Michael Whiteacre enters the Army.
- Watch on NetflixThis title is not on Netflix right now. Please check back later for updates.
- Watch on Prime
- Watch on NordVPN
- Netflix3.8/5
- IMDb7.1/109,705 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes75%
Trailer
Plot summary
Christian Diestl, a German ski instructor, believes Adolf Hitler will bring prosperity to his country and joins the army when war breaks out. In the United States, Noah Ackerman and Michael Whiteacre meet during their draft physical examinations. Noah is a department store clerk; Michael works in show business and is involved with socialite Margaret Freemantle. At a party Michael hosts, Noah meets Hope Plowman and wants to marry her. In Vermont, Hope reveals to her father that Noah is Jewish. In basic training, Noah faces hostility from his commanding officer and some men in his platoon, and he answers them with his fists. Michael is posted to London.
Cast
Show all 20 cast
- Richard Gardneras Pvt. Crowley
- Michael Smithas Draft Board Member (uncredited)
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Young Lions (1958)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Tony Randall was originally cast in the part Dean Martin plays, and was replaced when the agency MCA pushed director Edward Dmytryk to make the change. Montgomery Clift objected to Martin until he saw Randall in Oh, Men! Oh, Women!
- Coming off a flop, Dean Martin took $20,000 to appear in the film, less than he was earning in a single week of nightclub work at the time.
- Swapping Randall for Martin caused a minor scandal, with rumors that MCA, which represented Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift and Martin, had leaned on Twentieth Century-Fox by threatening to withhold Brando and Clift.
SPOILER
It is the only film Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift ever made together, and they never share a shot: even the scene over the body of Brando's character was filmed at a different time from his.SPOILER
The ending was rewritten. In Irwin Shaw's novel Christian ambushes the two Americans, shoots Noah dead and is then killed by Michael; in the film he has thrown his weapon away after seeing a concentration camp and is shot on sight.- The film's success made Dean Martin's second career: it was the key to his comeback after the break-up with Jerry Lewis.
