SYNOPSIS:
Saunders is threatened with charges, being accused of
incompetence that caused the death of two men. Hanley defends a Saunders reluctant to
defend himself. Distracted by the fate of a wounded squad member and angry over the
charges, Saunders' bitterness leads nearly to insubordination and causes him to abandon
Hanley when Hanley most needs his help. In flashbacks, the squad tells the story of taking
and holding a hill against a tank.
REVIEW:
 The scenes in
"Point of View" in the familiar French village are moving and well enacted,
especially the scene on the bridge Saunders rebuffs Hanley. This is the best moment for
showing both the professional and personal relationship between Saunders and Hanley C and
how the two are sometimes at odds.
But Combat's takeoff on the Rashomon theme falls short during the flashbacks.
The battle scenes do not match the emotional intensity of the drama in the artist's
studio. Bernard McEveety has amply proven able to match action scenes against dialog
scenes. But this time, he fails to deliver. When the audience sees Saunders through Sgt.
O'Neill's eyes, Saunders looks the same as he did through Saunders' own eyes. McEveety
provides no variety in the different viewpoints, just different camera angles.
Still, because of the town scenes and the great ending, this is among my favorite
episodes. Paul Burke, who later starred in "Twelve O'Clock High," performs well
as the sergeant-with-the-attitude du jour.
NOTES, ODDITIES, AND BLOOPERS:
· This episode, entitled "Point Of View," has
surprisingly few POV shots.
· Bad harp music going in and
out of the flashbacks.
· H. M. Wynant (Lt. Collins)
appears in fourth season's "Counterplay ."
 CAST:
Vic Morrow
as Sgt. Saunders
Rick Jason
as Lt. Hanley
Guest Star
Paul Burke
as Sgt. O'Neill
Jack Hogan
as Kirby
Pierre Jalbert as Caje
Dick Peabody as Littlejohn
Gerald
Trump as Howie Parker
Seymour Cassel as Doctor
Richard Schuyler as Medic
Horst Ebersberg as German Corporal
Anthony Jochim as French Farmer
and
H.M. Wynant as Lt. Collins
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