The Young Lions Blu-ray Review

"The Young Lions" arrives on Blu-ray with an exceptional AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1, which exemplifies what a black-and-white CinemaScope production should look like. The restoration work is impeccable, leaving no room for nicks or blemishes to mar the viewing experience. The grain is rendered naturally and blends seamlessly into the film’s texture. Contrast is superb, supporting a nicely balanced gray scale that enhances visual depth. The sharpness is remarkable; you can even spot minute details such as a stray thread on Marlon Brando's epaulets. While the film does incorporate stock footage that appears more worn with baked-in damage and less refined grain structure, these moments are the exception rather than the norm.

The 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer executed by Twilight Time is, from beginning to end, a visual delight. Exceptional clarity and contrast deliver a vibrant image packed with detail and depth, free from any speck, mark, or splotch on the pristine source material. Joseph MacDonald's Oscar-nominated black-and-white cinematography is showcased to its fullest, presenting a lusciously rich visual experience even in harsh settings. The wide gray scale adds texture and nuance, highlighting subtle background elements and the intricate textures of clothing and upholstery. Close-ups, though restrained by CinemaScope conventions, offer satisfactory detail and shadow delineation, keeping crush at bay. Importantly, the transfer remains free from any digital imperfections or enhancements, allowing the film’s natural beauty to shine through in this superior presentation.

"The Young Lions" features a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that, while not entirely immersive, offers its various elements with superb fidelity and prioritization. Dialogue is exceptionally clean and clear, despite occasional challenges presented by Brando's distinctive mumbling and some actors' foreign accents. Hugo Friedhofer's score injects sonic vitality into key sequences, displaying excellent tonal depth. Although discrete surround effects are occasionally present, the mix primarily anchors the sound upfront with distinct stereo separation.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track pays homage to the film's 1958 Academy Award-nominated sound mix. Subtle surround effects can be detected sporadically, while the battle sequences deliver crisp gunfire and sharp shell explosions. However, the bass frequencies lack the potency needed to match the on-screen visuals; the bomb detonations shake the camera but not the listening room. Notably, any age-related imperfections, including hiss, pops, and crackles, have been meticulously removed, resulting in a pristine audio track that complements the superior video quality.

The extras on the Blu-ray edition of "The Young Lions" provide a rich collection for film enthusiasts, preserving not only the film's distinguished score but also a wealth of historical context and insightful commentary. The Isolated Score Track in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 allows viewers to appreciate Hugo Friedhofer's Oscar-nominated work independently. The audio commentary is a standout, featuring engaging discussion from Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo, and Nick Redman, elucidating various aspects from differences between Irwin Shaw's novel and the film adaptation to anecdotes about the cast, including Dean Martin's transition to serious roles and Maximillian Schell's language barrier during casting. Despite the challenge of sustaining such a lengthy commentary, the trio’s lively dialogue adeptly covers substantial thematic and historical ground, ensuring viewer engagement.

Extras included in this disc:

• Original Theatrical Trailer: The film's preview.
• Isolated Score Track: Preserves Hugo Friedhofer's score.
• Audio Commentary: Features insightful discussions with Lem Dobbs, Julie Kirgo, and Nick Redman.

"The Young Lions" offers a compelling exploration into the psyches of its multifaceted characters amidst the backdrop of World War II. Marlon Brando delivers a poignant portrayal of Christian Diestl, a German soldier who grapples with his early fervor for the Nazi ideology and the subsequent disillusionment as he witnesses its brutal reality. Brando's improvisations, including the much-talked-about snowball scene, add a layer of authenticity to his performance, though some may find it distractingly pretentious. Dean Martin as Michael Whiteacre provides a surprisingly nuanced performance, shedding his comedic roots to convincingly embody a Broadway star-turned-soldier struggling with cowardice and moral responsibility. Montgomery Clift's transformation into Noah Ackerman, a fragile yet principled Jewish American soldier, is both physically and emotionally resonant, enhanced by Clift's real-life post-accident insecurities.

Screenwriter Edward Anhalt’s adaptation of Irwin Shaw’s novel masterfully transitions between the Axis and Allied perspectives, facilitating a more profound understanding of the personal philosophies that drive each character. The film, though lengthy at over three hours, crafts in-depth character studies rather than focusing solely on the war itself. The nuanced depiction of anti-Semitism—both within Noah’s barracks and the broader societal context—and the moral ambiguities faced by Christian Diestl thoughtfully address the era’s complex dynamics.

Despite criticisms from Shaw concerning the film's softer portrayal of Christian’s Nazism, Brando's depiction aids in rendering a character that might be more palatable to modern audiences. Director Edward Dmytryk's restrained approach allows the acting prowess of Brando and Clift to shine through, notwithstanding some disjointed pacing and underdeveloped narrative threads. "The Young Lions," while not as celebrated as contemporaneous war films like "From Here to Eternity," stands out for its intricate character portrayals and the stark human realities of war it unflinchingly presents.

"The Young Lions" Blu-ray release by Twilight Time showcases a complex, character-driven war film that transcends conventional genre boundaries. Adapted from Irwin Shaw's bestselling novel, Edward Dmytryk directs this World War II saga with a focus on the psychological impact of war, delivering intertwining personal stories from both German and American perspectives. With exceptional performances from Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Dean Martin in his first dramatic role, and strong support from Barbra Rush, Hope Lange, and May Britt, the film is elevated to a compelling narrative despite its extended runtime.

The Blu-ray presentation excels technically, offering a superior video transfer that captures the film's nuanced cinematography and a solid audio mix that enhances the immersive experience. An engaging audio commentary adds depth to the viewing, providing context and insights that enrich the narrative. Though Marlon Brando’s performance occasionally verges on self-parody, it does not detract from the overall quality of the film. Edward Dmytryk's unobtrusive direction keeps the focus on character development and underlying themes, though some viewers may wish for a more briskly paced storyline.

In conclusion, "The Young Lions" is, like "The Night of the Generals" (another recent Twilight Time release), a war movie at a surface level only. This film is much more interested in the psychological ramifications of the battle on various characters rather than the battle itself, and as such, there's relatively little action in the way that many war movies provide. The performances are uniformly excellent, even if Brando inches toward self-parody a time or two (or three). Edward Dmytryk directs unobtrusively, and if one at times wishes he could have moved things along a bit more briskly, ultimately the film succeeds based on the strength of its performances and the redolence of some of its underlying ideas. Technical merits are first rate, and "The Young Lions" comes Recommended.