1918. The 49th day of continuous combat against the Germans in France. Craven Lt. Martin Kalthrob (a fine performance by Eric Douglas) chickens out and deserts his men during a crucial mission. Martin's hard-nosed father General Kalthrob (a superbly steely portrayal by Kirk Douglas) has no choice but to execute his own son by firing squad after he's found guilty of cowardice. Director Robert Zemeckis, working from a smart and absorbing script by Jim Thomas, John Thomas, A.L. Katz, and Gilbert Adler, builds a tremendous amount of tension, offers a gritty depiction of the horrific reality of war, and delivers a vivid and credible evocation of the period setting. The ace acting from a tip-top cast rates as a major asset: The intense and utterly convincing chemistry between the senior Douglas and his real-life son keeps things cracking throughout, the always dependable Lance Henriksen contributes a stand-out turn as angry and profane ramrod Sergeant Ripper, and Dan Aykroyd excels in a refreshing straight dramatic part as the pragmatic Captain Milligan. Moreover, there's a good deal of graphic carnage, the opening battle set piece is staged with real skill and brio, and the inevitable grim ending packs a potently chilling emotional punch. The slick and agile cinematography by Don Burgess gives this episode an impressively lavish look. Alan Silvestri's robust'n'rousing score does the stirring trick. A worthy closer to the third season.
Review of Yellow
