All the Young Men

All the Young Men is a 1960 Korean War feature film starring Alan Ladd and Sidney Poitier dealing with desegregation in the United States Marine Corps. Poitier plays a Korean War sergeant commanding a small, isolated and decimated platoon of American Marines. The film explores the racial integration of the American military, centering on the African-American sergeant's struggle to win the trust and respect of the men in his unit. When the platoon commander is mortally wounded in an ambush, he passes the role of platoon leader to the next highest ranking man, Sergeant Towler . Towler initially... feels the role should be taken by the combat experienced former Sergeant now Private Kincaid who has eleven years of service as a Marine. However, Ladd lost his former rank through misconduct and doing things his own way. Ladd's prowess as a hero is demonstrated in the opening battle scene where he picks up a M1919 Browning machine gun and fires it from the hip into charging North Korean hordes. Before he dies, the Lieutenant reminds Towler that he is next in line for command, not Kincaid.
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