  
Combat! reviews by Jo Davidsmeyer •
Episodes rated from 0 to 4 bayonets
(144) Decision
(Conlan Carter and guest star James Franciscus)
RATING: 1/2 bayonet
Teleplay by Esther and Bob Mitchell and Paul
Playdon
Story by Peter Barry
Directed by Georg Fenady
First aired 15-Nov-66
Episode 9 of Season 5
SYNOPSIS:
Saunders is tasked with knocking out a
radar and communication setup with help from a demolition expert, Harris. He is a doctor
who has turned his back on his profession. Though he has given up saving lives, Harris
cannot bring himself to take life with his own demolitions. He must re-evaluate his career
decisions when the life of an officer depends on his using his medical skills.
REVIEW:
James Franciscus plays Harris, a man
so afraid that he cannot live up to his father's legacy that he abandons it. He has a
crippling fear that he might do something that will kill somebody, both as a doctor and as
a demolition man.
Franciscus and Morrow are both good. Morrow shows that incredible intensity that makes
Saunders so memorable. But the Harris character comes off as whiney.
The resolution is simplistic. Franciscus comes to the realization that, "It's not
easy when you've been afraid of something as long as I have, but, I'm going to give it a
try." The moral of this story is, just try.
NOTES, ODDITIES, AND BLOOPERS:
· Same cave as in "Entombed."
· As the squad marches during
the opening credits, one soldier's M1 gets caught in the camoflage netting and is knocked
from his shoulder.
· McCall's flesh wound required
a tourniquet.
· Doc runs to help McCall when
he's hit, but ignores Adams.
· An incredibly long and
uninteresting firefight, with much repeated action. The sequence contains fifteen
instances of Caje jumping around the same tree and firing his rifle.
· Littlejohn is only in the
opening sequence. He was on crutches and could not film the action sequences.
CAST:
 Rick Jason as
Lt. Hanley
Vic Morrow as Sgt. Saunders
Guest star
James Franciscus as
Pfc. Charles Harris
(pictured right)
Jack Hogan as Kirby
Pierre Jalbert as Caje
Conlan Carter as Doc
William Bryant as McCall
Maurice Marsac as Elderly Frenchman
Louis Elias as Adams
David "Buddy" Pantsari as G.I.
Wes Bishop as Wounded Soldier
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