review for All the Young Men on AllMovie

All the Young Men is fortunate to have a cast of very fine actors, because they provide most of the interest in this clichéd exploration of men operating in a high pressure situation. The set-up feels artificial, even though it's the kind of thing that can and does happen in real life; and after the initial premise is set in place, the rest of the film unfolds in a similarly artificial style. We've all been here before, whether in a World War II film or a Western; two men, each with a commanding ability, have to overcome their differences in order to save not only themselves but those who depend upon them. Hall Bartlett, who wrote, directed and produced Men, has crafted a screenplay which gets from A to B nimbly but with absolutely no surprises. He's even populated the cast with all of the expected character types one usually finds in such films. As a result, the film becomes boring, even when there should be considerable tension and excitement. Fortunately, the cast helps to overcome some of the film's flaws. Sidney Poitier and Alan Ladd have both done better work, but they're quite valuable here simply for their screen presence and ability, and there's also some nice work from Mot Sahl, James Darren and others.