Heritage

"Heritage" is a story about scientific knowledge being put to great use in wartime.

Corporal Velasquez (played by Charles Bronson) is a geologist, dreamer, and demolitions expert. At the sight of a stone made hill currently used as a German observation post, Velasquez takes one look and immediately sees how to collapse it. He also sees what used to be a famous museum and wonders where all of its artifacts have gone. Lieutenant Hanley, Kirby, & Velasquez must get past the Germans near hilltop to set charges and collapse it as the lives of several thousand American troops depend on it. Once accomplished the dreamer side of Velasquez takes over.

Hanley, Kirby, & Velasquez have adequate dialog and the story flows, but the episode is missing the Combat essence - firefight & heavy artillery. A few banal machine gun & night flare scenes do not cut it. One can appreciate the scientific genius employed, but this is Combat, not Geology Today.

I've always appreciated Charles Bronson's acting talent; he's done many memorable movies. But the weak script of "Heritage" is enough to bring down even the very best actors. Very, very mediocre at best for Combat.

Charles Bronson guest starring elevates this "Combat!" episode single handedly, as he portrays an interesting character: a pre-war sculptor now a demolition expert who contrasts sharply with Rick and the squad with his expertised about art history. Rick can't stand distractions like this from their mission: to knock out a German observation post overlooking a key pass that thousands of American troops are poised to cross.

The script takes an unusual turn when Bronson is faced with the dilemma of completing the mission of detonating a hillside that would destroy all the great sculptures hidden in a cave there by the plundering Germans. Saving perhaps thousands of soldiers' lives would seem to be an easy choice, but he forcefully conveys that such decisions are not so cut-and-dried, though "by the book" RIck immediately overrules him.

Bronson, such a fine character actor prior to his breakout as an international superstar at the end of the 1960s, delivers dialogue in such a natural manner to carry the story without seeming like artificial spoon feeding of "plot". It's amazing how consistently fine his work was on so many TV assignments beyond his own series "Man with a Camera".

After a tough mission, Lt. Hanley and Kirby are assigned to guide the demolition expert Cpl. Velasquez to a German observation post on the top of a rock to blow up the spot since ten thousand Allied soldiers will be crossing the nearby valley on the next day. Along their journey, there is friction between Hanley and Velasquez that is more interested in examining the geology of the location. Velasquez identifies the ideal location to blow up the observation post in a vault dug in the mountain. But when he sees the treasure hidden in the vault, he refuses to blow up the place. What will Hanley do?

"Heritage" is another great episode of "Combat!". It is easy to understand the reluctance of the arts lover Velasquez in destroying the heritage of humanity and shows how stupid a war is. The conclusion is consistent with the situation of Velasquez. Guest star Charles Bronson has excellent performance. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Patrimônio" ("The Heritage")