To its credit, I can't tell if All the Brothers Were Valiant was shot with rear projection, using models, or if most of it was actually done at sea. That alone merits a Cinematography nomination even if this can't hold a candle to The Robe or Shane. The balance of interiors and exteriors is especially well-balanced.
The film itself is a bit of a lame disaster. There's certainly action, adventure, and romance, but this is plainly a crummy adaptation of a sprawling novel. A sizable part of the film's middle for instance, fills us in on back-story in seemingly endless flashbacks. Despite having the least similar accents ever, Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger attempt to play brothers; their effort is less than valiant.
