General Electric Theater (TV Series) A Question of Survival (1957) User Reviews

His job is to save lives, not take them, and their nationality does not matter.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 18 January 2022]

It's a battle not only between the white man and Comanches but right and wrong as Captain Ronald Reagan and doctor Kevin McCarthy over ethics when it comes to the United States battle with natives. According to Reagan, the Comanches have broke a treaty which has led them once again into battle, but when the chief shows up with captives, an agreement needs to be made to ensure the safe return of other soldiers and officers. But the agreement is not to Reagan's liking, meaning the surrendering of the fort, and it's in revenge for the chief's son for being shot. That's where doctor McCarthy steps in, and there's only Reagan and the fort gates to keep him from leaving to go tend to the chief's son. Great conflict and an intense stand-off makes for an interesting episode of the General Electric Theater, with nice contradictions between the two leading characters. The ethics of the plotline are also well explained, and the natives are given a bit more fair treatment then many other westerns from the big screen and TV. Well done classic TV gets directly to the point and there's enough character development for everyone, including the non-speaking natives, to make an impact. It's not only a question of survival. It's a question of humanity.