Combat! (TV Series) The Walking Wounded (1963) User Reviews

Moral Integrity in the War

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 19 June 2017]

While in the front, a bullet grazes Sgt. Saunders' leg and he is sent to Orre to a hospital. He gets a lift in the ambulance in a military convoy that is transporting a wounded soldier. Saunders meets Captain August, a doctor that lost the motivation of his profession; the gorgeous nurse Lt. Ann Hunter, who is his lover; and the coward driver Jones. When the convoy is bombed by the Germans in Orre, August, Ann and Jones leave the patient behind to seek protection. The bitter Saunders is bothered with the situation and decides to drive the ambulance to the closest hospital in a town under siege of the Germans since the soldier is in critical condition. His attitude changes the behavior of August and Jones in the end.

"The Walking Wounded" is a film with a story of moral integrity in the war. The stubborn and bitter Saunders is a veteran soldier that sees the wounded soldier could be any of his comrades in the squad or himself as he highlights to Captain August. His action driving through the German troop while the Allied artillery is bombing is at least reckless, but shows his strong character and will. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Morto Vivo" ("The Undead")

A Lesson In Character

[jmarchese · 9/10 · 17 July 2014]

In "The Walking Wounded" our ever persistent Sergeant Saunders gives a lesson in character to ambulance driver Jones (well played by Stephen Joyce), and Captain August (well played by Gary Merrill.)

After an abandoned aid station in Orre is re-bombed by the Germans, Captain August and his subordinates Private Jones and Lieutenant Ann Hunter (well played by Geraldine Brooks) abandon dying Private John Lee in the back of the ambulance. Upon his return, Saunders finds Lee in the ambulance and continues the journey to the nearest field hospital, which is right into German territory. Knowing they abandoned Private Lee, Saunders picks up Captain August, Lieutenant Hunter, and Private Jones along the way.

One could visualize Captain August in contemporary times telling Saunders his behavior is "unacceptable." Saunders is anything but politically correct. Yet, he does the right thing because it's the right thing to do and risks court martial in the process. Beautifully done!

Burt Kennedy wrote and directed this excellent episode. Dialog and character development are outstanding among the group such that the story holds up without many Combat scenes. One major scene however involves a German patrol and is very memorable featuring a pragmatic Saunders.

Again we learn why persistence and determination are everything. The ending sequence crossing the valley is what Americans are all about - Priceless! Dialog between the group just prior to this sequence is memorable showing Saunders' great leadership ability.

Hats off to Sergeant Saunders' stunt double in the opening sequence - it took a lot of guts.

Excellent Battle Scenes

[dukeb0y · 8/10 · 6 April 2009]

The summary is: Army doctor and driver abandon ambulance during battle. Naturally, Sgt. Saunders (Vic Morrow) riding in the ambulance gets them all back. As the driver makes excuses, he calls him an outright liar.

Very strong words for a TV show, in this setting.

As they rest in a village, the bombing starts, and the battle scenes are as good as 'Saving Private Ryan' only much shorter. Very realistic setting.

Some Germans come along, and Saunders waits and shoots kills four. So now the doctor is wondering how can a man kill so easily, while doing all he can to rescue one man in an ambulance.

The doctor and driver both redeem themselves, but I won't give that away.

Vic can do anything

[lor_ · 5 August 2023]

Writer-director Burt Kennedy fashioned something of a showcase for Vic, as he at times is putting on a one-man show. With a minor wound he's headed for an aid station but encounters soldiers he thinks are cowards, and perhaps breathes a new sense of purpose into them.

Cowards include a young ambulance driver, plus world-weary army doctor Gary Merrill. Vic even gets to befriend a little doggie and have a brief romantic interest (unfulfilled) with nurse Geraldine Brooks, who loves Gary.

The story is a bit much, especially as Vic keeps talking in such a high-handed fashion to officer Merril, and when Vic single-handedly mows down four German soldiers with his machine gun. But for us Vic fans it works, however far-fetched.