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No Hallelujahs for Glory

1.5 bayonets

First aired: 03-19-63
Syndication order: 26
Season: One, Episode 24

Teleplay by Luther Davis and Mort R. Lewis
Story by Luther Davis
Directed by Paul Stanley
Produced by Paul Stanley

Review

I grit my teeth through much of this episode: the portrayal of Eleanora Hunt, a professional female journalist, is so condescending and negative. She's grating, bitchy, ignorant about her assigned topic (the military), and difficult to believe as a realistic character. Incompetent as a reporter and uncooperative with her sources, I don't understand how she achieved her high level of success in her chosen profession. She's looked down upon by all the men in the show, who do everything short of saying that what she needs is a good roll in the hay. The moral of the story seems to be that if women would just remember their place and stop trying to prove they're better than men, then innocent people won't get killed.

We can blame this story on Luther Davis, who brought us the lackluster episode "The Quiet Warrior." Paul Stanley, as director and producer, salvages this episode with some stark visuals and memorable images. The opening sequence showing Eleanora's photos of men on the front is charming. The final sequence showing Saunders reading her photo-article is devastating. And in be- tween, Stanley lets us be more horrified by our imaginations than by anything he can show us. We do not see the corpses in the room after the S.S. has finished their interrogation, only the reac- tions of Saunders and Hunt to seeing them. The shadow of the gallows with its three victims and the anguished reactions of the crowd speak volumes more than any graphic shot of corpses dangling by their necks.

Jason and Morrow interact nicely in this episode. Both also have strong scenes with Elizabeth Allen (Eleanora): in the town Hanley is forceful with her, about to throw the uncooperative reporter over his shoulder and carry her off. Saunders is partic- ularly abusive (verbally) with her. No PPT, just derision. Of course, the stupid character as written deserves the abuse.

Notes, Oddities, and Bloopers

• Saunders is introduced as Hanley's platoon sergeant. Must have been a temporary assignment (obviously the platoon sergeant de jour had been recently killed)
• Morrow caught in the act in the first briefing scene! I've often noticed how in two-shots with Saunders and Hanley, or Saunders and any number of taller guest stars, and even two- shots with Saunders and Littlejohn, Saunders seems to manage to be on eye-level with the other actor. You almost never catch him in the act, though. In the briefing scene in the woods, however, you can clearly see him walk to his mark and step UP on a rock (and later step down when the scene is over).
• Another Canadian character spotted! That makes two. Not much to represent the efforts of the Canadian forces in WWII.
• Some unusually graphic one-on-one killings as the squad re- enters the town, except for Billy, who we don't see commit the act.
• Times change, Caje mentions that Eleanora would have gotten 10 years back in the states for stealing the jeep. Now you get a slap on the wrist for grand theft auto.
• Caje appears wounded when the jeep is attacked (he's sprawled forward and not firing when poor Kirby is alone trying to fight off the Germans). But he's perfectly fine in the next scene.
• Kirby with that darned M1 again.
• I like Hanley trying to hide his laughter at Saunders' crack to Captain about "No submarines around here."
• a very annoying "flashback" in the final scene. Were they afraid we weren't paying attention and had to have the message beat into our heads?

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Cast Credits

Rick Jason
as Lt. Hanley

Vic Morrow
as Sgt. Saunders

Guest Star
Elizabeth Allen as Eleanora Hunt

Jack Hogan as Kirby
Dick Peabody as Littlejohn
Pierre Jalbert as Caje
Steven Rogers as Doc
Tom Lowell as Billy

Angela Clarke .... Mme. Michelin
George Petrie .... Captain Smith
Charles McDaniel .... Bearded Correspondent
Garry Walberg .... Thin Correspondent
Maurice Marsac .... Jacques
James Goodwin .... Mike