The Duel

You've undoubtedly had some difficulties and challenges in your life and have faced them resolutely and bravely, and for that I salute you. But I am certain of one thing. You have never had to take on a tank all by yourself. One guy did just that. Hero of American TV. Tough guy, smart guy, gritty guy, and experienced guy. He was Sgt. Saunders!

Strangely enough, I just watched a movie called "Duel" that was directed by Steven Spielberg. Great little movie. That movie doesn't have a tank, but it does have one of the wickedest trucks ever to take the open road. Please do see it if you haven't yet.

But back to our show. Combat! They called it that for a reason. It's a show about battle and the effect of battle on the men doing the fighting. Sgt. Saunders did the fighting. He would not call himself a hero. But he was. As so many men (and women) were in WWII.

Sgt. Saunders takes the concept of hero to another level in this episode. He essentially takes on the suicide mission of taking on a tank all by himself. You and I would be wise to stay away from tanks. Even Saunders would be wise to stay away from tanks. But Saunders really had no choice. His truck had broken down with a flat tire on a muddy road and to give his driver time to change the tire he had to distract and battle the tank. Good luck, Sergeant!

I won't go into all the details of what happens there's no need to do that in a review. Rest assured this is a memorable and captivating episode that should not be missed.

BTW, as I am writing this in late January of 2023, President Biden has promised to send tanks to Ukraine to help them fight the evil Russians. May Ukraine win this evil war and the evil Russians be defeated. They are the bad guys no question about it. They are bombing women and children in apartment buildings. They must be stopped.

During a massive attack of the Germans, Sgt. Saunders is walking to meet his squad at a nearby French village. He gets a lift from the truck driver Mickey Shay, who is delivering fuel and supplies in the village. However, a truck tire blows after a curve on a muddy road and Saunders overhears a German tank approaching on the same road. He asks Shay to repair the tire while he creates a diversion to the tank. Using only his machine gun and grenades, Saunders distracts the crew inside the tank that has a damaged track and kills two German soldiers that are following the tank. Begins the duel between Saunders and the German tank.

"The Duel" is a suspenseful episode of "Combat!". Sagt Saunders steals the show in a cat-and-mouse game with a German tank. His movements to call the attention of the German crew are fantastic and there are subtitles for the first time when the Germans speak. The guest star Bobby Ryddel was an American singer and teenager idol in the 60's. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Duelo" ("The Duel")

The Duel is a suspense laden episode of our ever persistent Sergeant Saunders trying to divert an already crippled German tank away from a bend in the road beyond which sets a large American munitions supply truck with flat tire issues. The tank has tread trouble and is taking it easy to avoid the wheels coming off of the tread.

With the truck driver (Bobby Rydell) attempting to change the right front tire in several inches of mud, the duel begins with Saunders precipitating it. Immediately the tank swings to the left to try to pinpoint Saunders' location - but it's not that easy. Sometimes you see him and sometimes not.

It's fun to watch the tank commander's facial expressions as the duel unfolds; he did an excellent piece of acting in this episode. Also, we get an excellent feel for what it's like to be at the tank's controls as a significant amount of footage is filmed inside the tank.

I'm critical of the petrol can scene for obvious reasons.

Bobby Rydell's dialog at the end is hilarious.

Again, excellent screen writing, directing, and stunt work in a Combat episode !

Teen heartthrob Bobby Rydell guest stars playing a supply truck driver crucial to delivering needed gasoline for the extrication of G. I.'s before a German assault.

Extreme heroics are performed by Vic to defeat single-handedly a German tank, while Rydell fixes a blown tire on the truck. It's a tense, lopsided standoff, though Vic's resourcefulness is never in doubt. "Combat!" reduced to its most basic elements makes for exhilarating action. And tension becomes excurtaiting when Vic also has to save Bobby, trapped under the truck.

Rydell is fine in a rare dramatic role, and Vic fans get an amazing dose of him as a superhero.

Fantastic episode. The cat and mouse between Saunders and the tank, Saunders's resourcefulness in taking on a tank single-handed, the stakes that they're playing for. Very gripping and entertaining.