As members of two combined
squads await orders in a battered chateau, a sarcastic, poker-playing G.I. creates
tension. Mike Kellin guests as Jackson, the embittered veteran of too many battles.
Jackson's caustic behavior bothers everyone but a young soldier named Thomas, who
willingly suffers Jackson's insults and commands. When Thomas takes Jackson's place on
patrol with Caje, he dies saving Caje and proving, to himself and Jackson, that he isn't a
coward.
REVIEW:
Vic Morrow takes another turn
behind the camera in this story about an overbearing soldier with an unnatural control
over a young G.I. "Losers Cry Deal" is not Morrow at his directorial best. He
offers too many confusing images. The shots of Morrow in front of the swastika banner are
disturbing. The swastika is too powerful a message in-and-of-itself to be used effectively
for artistic statements. And why would an American squad would leave a Nazi banner
dominating their rest area, instead of just ripping it down (as Caje does in "Beneath
the Ashes.") The episode is heavy-handed with symbolism, including the moody passover
of the bombers.
Vic Morrow puts in his usual
strong performance in front of the camera. Jalbert is especially powerful in this episode,
portraying Caje in charge of a squad and suffering the first casualty under his command.
The cast enjoyed working on the large set, which had originally been constructed for one
of the big MGM musicals. "We filmed on that huge set for nearly a week," says
Conlan Carter. "Big. If you look at it, we're up at the top of the stairs and we're
down at the bottom and that whole room is humongous when you look at the depth and breadth
of it."
NOTES, ODDITIES, AND
BLOOPERS:
The squad usually travels
light, but in the opening segment, they are carrying almost full field gear, looking like
real soldiers.
German soldier who charges
out of the building carries an MP40, but wears K98 rifle ammo pouches on his belt.
After several seasons of
incidental parts, often uncredited, Tom Skerritt guests in a featured role.
Caje carries the adapted
Reising MP40 in one scene.
Fletcher Fist (Brockmeyer
from season one) returns in a small role.
ABOUT FILMING THE EPISODE:
"Vic was one of the most
deep, insightful actors, and as a director he was even probably more so, that I ever
worked with," says Conlan Carter. "He was incredible. He had an intensity and a
kind of underlying, volatility I guess is the best word for it. It was like he was going
to explode at any minute and by keeping it contained he was so incredibly interesting to
watch. He paid me probably the best compliment I've ever had in my career, and I say this
with absolutely no humility. He said, "You give me more with a look than most actors
give me with three pages of dialogue." We were not close friends in a personal sense,
but I had tremendous respect for his talents and I will always remember him for
that."
CAST:
Vic Morrow as Sgt. Saunders
Rick Jason as Lt. Hanley
Guest
Mike Kellin as Jackson
Jack Hogan as Kirby
Conlan Carter as Doc
Dick Peabody as Littlejohn
Pierre Jalbert as Caje
Tom Skerritt as Hicks
George Murdock as Marcus
Fletcher Fist as Johnson
Paul Hampton as Kelly
Paul Todd as Costello
John Bedford as Burton
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