|
SYNOPSIS:
After (again) losing a superior officer in the field, Hanley goes alone to
locate a wounded intelligence officer in German-held territory. He is impeded by a French
boy who has returned to town for a missing dog. He then mistakes an incapacitated German
for his OSS contact.
REVIEW:
The episode title provides the first hint that the writers were lacking a theme
for their story — the best they could come up with was a street address. Usually a
title sets a mood, or gives the audience some idea of what the story is about.
Director Alan Crosland, Jr., when given strong scripts such as " Odyssey," knows how to pace an episode. In "9 Place
Vendee," he failed to rise above the script limitations. The stunt choreography on
the rooftops is inventive and dramatically filmed, but quite implausible considering that
the German racing across the French village's skyline had not the strength to leave his
room earlier in the episode.
NOTES, ODDITIES, AND BLOOPERS:
 | Uses footage shot in France for the long shot of
"Hanley" entering the town. |
| Same dog from "The
Walking Wounded." |
| The street where Hanley climbs over the metal fence is the same
set used for the orphanage in "The Furlough." |
| The German trucks used are American; the German command car is
authentic. |
| When the drinking Germans leave the shop, one puts his helmet on
backwards. |
| A great switch in the roof stunt: in a single shot, Rick Jason is
on a ledge crawling around a corner, just as he gets off camera, but still in the same
shot, his stunt double leaps across to another roof. The same trick is used moments later
in reverse. In a single shot, stunt double Walt Davis hangs from a ledge, pulls himself
up, then crawls into a corner that Rick crawls out of. |
| The credits say "Introducing Patrick Michenaud as
Jacques" but the boy first appeared in Combat! in third season's "The Steeple." |
CAST:
Rick Jason as Lt. Hanley
Vic Morrow as Sgt. Saunders [does not appear]
Introducing
Patrick Michenaud as Jacques
William Leslie as Captain Clinton
Mike Ragan as Pvt. Walsh
Mike Stroka as German Drunk #1 (aka Michael Stroka)
Chris Howard as German Drunk #2
Max Kleven as German Lt.
Paul Busch as German Soldier
Dick Raymond as German Soldier
Philip de Firmian as German Sgt. #1
Mark Russi as German Sgt. #2
Alf George as German at Chow Wagon
Geoffrey Norman as German in Truck
Lee Patterson as Captain Howard
and
Christopher Dark as German Agent
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Other season four Combat! episodes:
[ Season 4 : Intro ] [ The Linesman ] [ The Main Event ] [ Hear No Evil ] [ 9 Place Vendee ] [ A Sudden Terror ] [ Evasion ] [ Finest Hour ] [ Breakout ] [ The Farmer ] [ The Raider ] [ Crossfire ] [ Soldier of Fortune ] [ The First Day ] [ S.I.W. ] [ Luck with Rainbows ] [ The Flying Machine ] [ The Old Men ] [ The Casket ] [ The Good Samaritan ] [ Retribution ] [ The Mockingbird ] [ Hills Are for Heroes ] [ "Counterplay" ] [ Nothing to Lose ] [ Ask Me No Questions ] [ "Ringer (The)" ] [ "One at a Time" ] [ "Run, Sheep, Run" ] [ "Gitty" ] [ The Leader ] |
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Written by Kay Lenard and Jess Carneol 