The movie, directed by Edward Dmytryk, is based on the novel of the same name by Irwin Shaw. It stars Marlon Brando as Christian Diestl, a dedicated and patriotic lieutenant in the German army. Montgomery Clift plays Noah Ackerman, a sensitive and idealistic Jewish American who joins the army after his wife leaves him. Dean Martin portrays Michael Whiteacre, a suave and cynical Broadway performer who enlists for the publicity and glamor.
The film traces the paths of the three men as they navigate the realities of war. Diestl rises through the ranks and becomes a hero to his men, but begins to question the morality of the Nazi cause. Ackerman faces discrimination and anti-Semitism from his fellow soldiers, but finds solace in a romance with a French woman. Whiteacre initially struggles to adapt to army life, but discovers a talent for leadership and earns the respect of his comrades.
Their stories intersect briefly towards the end of the war, when Diestl encounters Ackerman and they engage in a tense standoff. However, the film's central focus is on the individual journeys of the three protagonists and how they are shaped by the upheaval of war. The Young Lions is often cited as one of the earliest Hollywood films to address the complexity and moral ambiguity of World War II.