One of Kirk Douglas's very few television roles was in this episode of Tales From The Crypt. He plays an American general in World War I who has the distasteful duty of dealing with his real life son Eric who plays a cowardly lieutenant who leaves Sergeant Lance Henriksen out in No Man's Land on a patrol. The dying Henriksen condemns him and Kirk has no choice but to order a court martial for his son.
At the beginning of the show it is emphasized that the company had been 49 straight days on the line in combat and World War I saw the futility and slaughter that was trench warfare. A stalemate of four years where gains were measured in yards. Eric who never wanted a military career and did it only to please his father now faces death.
One of Kirk Douglas's best films is Paths Of Glory also with a World War I setting and dealing with a whole division of French soldiers who've decided they just had enough. The parallels between that classic and this television episode are too obvious to ignore.
And in real life Eric Douglas predeceased his parents the most awful tragedy that any parent can face. Both Douglases, Henriksen, and Dan Ackroyd as a captain give fine performances in one of the best Tales Of The Crypt episodes ever done. No supernatural here, the hell created is war, a man made invention.
At the beginning of the show it is emphasized that the company had been 49 straight days on the line in combat and World War I saw the futility and slaughter that was trench warfare. A stalemate of four years where gains were measured in yards. Eric who never wanted a military career and did it only to please his father now faces death.
One of Kirk Douglas's best films is Paths Of Glory also with a World War I setting and dealing with a whole division of French soldiers who've decided they just had enough. The parallels between that classic and this television episode are too obvious to ignore.
And in real life Eric Douglas predeceased his parents the most awful tragedy that any parent can face. Both Douglases, Henriksen, and Dan Ackroyd as a captain give fine performances in one of the best Tales Of The Crypt episodes ever done. No supernatural here, the hell created is war, a man made invention.