Combat! (TV Series) The Good Samaritan (1966) User Reviews

The Survivor

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 14 April 2019]

While protecting a bridge, Caje sees a soldier, Pvt. Marsini, arriving exhausted. He brings Marsini to his squad and he explains that his Love Company was trying to take a nearby hill when they were all killed by the Germans. Marsini says that he asked for help to another squad that refused to go and Saunders explains that he received the message, but could not leave the bridge since he was assigned to protect it from the Germans. Marsini does not accept the excuse and when Lt. Hanley arrives, he sends Saunders in a recon mission to see the best place to assault the hill. Marsini volunteers to go with Saunders. Soon Saunders finds that Marsini´s real intention is to show his dead squad but they stumble upon a German outpost. Saunders and Marsini attack the Germans, but Saunders in trapped in a room with a piping of large diameter pinning his legs. What will Marsini do?

"The Good Samaritan" is a touching episode of "Combat!", with the great participation of Tom Simcox in the role of Pvt. Marsini. The realistic story is well written, with good moments of tension and friction and a sad and never corny conclusion. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Bom Samaritano" ("The Good Samaritan")

A Very Moving & Heartfelt Episode

[jmarchese · 10/10 · 24 October 2014]

"The Good Samaritan" is a story about Private Marsini (superbly played by Tom Simcox) who refuses to leave Sergeant Saunders alone after a solid steel 12 inch water main pipe falls across his legs pinning him to a steel grating beneath.

Tom Simcox played his role to the hilt in this excellent dramatic episode. From the beginning sequence where he's at odds with The Sarge, to the middle sequence where he's fiercely loyal to him, to the ending sequence where he's in agony, Tom shows the viewing audience what great acting is all about. I'd nominate him for an Emmy for this role. In addition, Vic Morrow returned the great dramatic efforts in this memorable ending sequence.

Shirl Hendryx wrote a fine script and was very fortunate to have Tom Simcox cast in the Private Marsini role. It's a beautiful transition watching Saunders go from cold, unemotional "just following orders" to complete absolute, empathetic respect and compassion for Marsini.

As usual, Director McEveety did a fine job with all of the combat scenes, especially late in the episode when King 2 is advancing. Camera angles in conjunction with the sun backdrop were outstanding; scenes were painfully realistic.

I wish they'd create a "Best of the Combat Guest Star" DVD. "The Good Samaritan" would easily be on it. All in all a very moving and heartfelt story.

Contrived, but well-performed

[lor_ · 15 September 2023]

Vic and his squad are working in tandem with Fox Company to take a hill and bridge, when a soldier named Marsini (played by Tom Simcox) from Love Company appears -his troops were killed earlier trying to take the hill. He's still angry that nobody came to back them up -a contact on the radio even turned him down.

It turns out to be Vic who answered the phone, and the soldier's carrying a grudge against White Rook! The sarge admits that he's that guy -uh oh!

Even when Vic explains how he was under orders and had to protect a bridge, Marsini isn't buying it. Rick arrives and assigns Vic to take a man and go on recon. Marsini volunteers to go along with Vic to show him the way, and Rick assigns them to go, but of course that grudge is hanging over them.

Marisini takes him to see the bodies of his dead comrade, but Vic doesn't stand for any nonsense and is intent on completing their mission and reporting back to Rick. The Germans are setting up an operating post on the hill and Vic's out to stop them.

Wouldn't you know it, Vic is injured and trapped under a heavy pipe that's fallen, and Marsini heroically struggles to save him. Vic insists that Marsini must immediately report back to Rick with the info about the new information post to save the rest of the men. Marsini valiantly insists on saving the sarge anyway and overrules him.

More hardships ensue and a highly contrived role reversal occurs when Marsini is shot and now Vic is forced to abandon this unlikely good samaritan in order to save everyone else.

It's a gripping segment despite the tough to swallow script twists and turns and unknown to me guest star Simcox, a journeyman actor, does a good job in basically a two-hander.