Combat! (TV Series) The Little Carousel (1964) User Reviews

Heartbreaking Episode

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 5 November 2017]

After liberating a French village from the Germans, the exhausted Sgt. Saunders grieves the loss of two men that did not follow his orders. The French girl Claudine dressed like a nurse offers her medical support to the American soldiers since her father was the doctor in the village and she was studying to be a nurse but Saunders orders her to go away since she is too young.However Claudine follows him and while he rests in a little carousel park, she prepares a picnic for him. Saunders forgets the wars and plays with her in the little carousel. Then he lets Claudine be the nurse of his squad. But the scattered Germans counter-attack the village and Saunders and his squad are assigned to patrol the nearby area. They stumble upon a German squad and they engage in combat. Saunders is wounded in the flank and is saved by the brave Claudine that followed his team. While returning to the village, something happens that will deeply affect Saunders.

"The Little Carousel" is a heartbreaking and one of the saddest episodes of "Combat!". The story of the free-spirited and brave aspiring nurse Claudine is one of those episodes that stay in the heart and mind of the viewer and sensible people will certainly be affected by its conclusion. The performances are top-notch and the screenplay is magnificent. "The Little Carousel" is one of the episodes that brings emotions and sadness to the fan of this series. My vote is nine.

Title (Brzil): "O Pequeno Carrossel" ("The Little Carousel")

Superb Acting, Screen Writing, and Directing in a Combat Episode

[jmarchese · 10/10 · 14 May 2014]

The Little Carousel is an excellent masterpiece of World War 2 drama which portrays a wide range of raw human emotions. Joy, courage, anger, romance, sorrow, and acceptance are highlighted by authentic German heavy artillery fire and realistic combat scenes.

Sylviane Margolle puts on an absolutely superb performance of a 13 year old French girl (Claudine) aspiring to serve the Americans as a nurse after they liberate her home town. When Little Carousel was made, Sylviane was not quite 14 years old in reality. A youngster 13 years of age putting on this caliber of performance makes The Little Carousel very, very special.

We also see the total humanity of Vic Morrow as Sergeant Saunders the likes of which are not seen in any of the other 151 Combat episodes.

Gene Levitt wrote an absolutely brilliant screenplay; from the carousel scenes, to the flower scenes, to the significance of the German POW at the end.

A very, very moving episode !

We See Saunders As A Human Being!

[ShelbyTMItchell · 9/10 · 14 May 2012]

A French town is liberated. As everybody wants to celebrate but Saunders after losing two men, is in no mood. And even Lt Hanley backs off him. Meanwhile a nurse named Claudine, wants to shows her support to the US troops that saved their lives and helping the men.

However fearing for her safety and in a bad mood over the loss of two men. Saunders gets Caje to tell her that the town is not cleared yet and she is not welcomed yet. With regrets, Caje has to tell her. This hurts her feelings.

But she is drawn to Saunders as Saunders is wanting to rest and lay down. He then wakes up to a pot of coffee and a picnic. And sees that the little nurse has made this all for him. He finally warms up and really is amused and driven to her.

He pushes her in a carousel and he for once, does not have to play soldier. As they have fun.

Meanwhile, there is a bomb after they return from a day of fun. After seeing that she won't go away, Saunders makes her the troops nurse. After she treats Kirby she disobeys an order to go to the front line with the men.

Saunders is furious and orders her to go away, so that she won't get hurt. But when she does, she sees Saunders gets hurt along with a dead Kraut. She takes Doc's bag and goes to heal up Saunders.

After they win again, Saunders holding Claudine's hand as she goes and picks up some daisies for him.

But then that is when sadness comes in. Won't tell you the ending but Saunders breaks down and cries. The first and only time he does that as he was drawn to little Claudine, who is a 13-year old only.

How the pain of war can tear a person's heart apart! Really beautifully written and really acted by Morrow and company.

Tragic Story of An Incredible 13 Year Old Herorine

[directorgene · 9/10 · 7 March 2018]

An fantastically wonderful story about a courageous and loving 13 year old aspiring French nurse in a combat zone named Claudine. When the American GI's clean up a French town of Germans, the young female student nurse runs in to meet them. She is warmly welcomed by all, except Sgt. Sanders who has just lost two men when they failed to obey his orders during a recent bombing. He rudely rejects her and orders his men to have her to leave town.

Sgt. Sander goes to a quiet peaceful section just outside of town to get some good sleep. When he wakes up, the nurse has followed him and prepared a hot meal and wine for him. He enjoys it and they have fun together playing on a damaged carousel (merry-go-round).

After that he goes back to town with her and respectfully tells her to go return home. She leaves. Soon more bombing takes place before she gets far. Claudine quickly returns and right in the middle of shells falling finds Kirby wounded and bleeding badly. Using her nursing skills she is able to stop the bleeding and save his life. When the squad finds her treating him, the Sgt. slightly softens a bit and allow her to stay as nurse, but only if she remains in town.

Sgt. Sanders men then get orders to go outside the perimeter of the town to meet some possible incoming Germans. When they leave Claudine follows them. When they get in a firefight, she arrives at the squad. Sgt. Saunders is furious and starts shouting and demanding for her to leave for good.

Claudine is very hurt by theSgt's actions and leaves but decides to return when she hears heavy gunfire and finds Sgt. Sanders badly wounded and unconscious in the woods and no one knows it. She gives him limited help with her small first aid bag. Then goes back to the Squad to get more help. She finds the medic is shot in the leg and they are under fire so they can't move. Claudine snatches the medics bag full of supplies and runs off back to Sgt. Saunders, where she gives him an injection that saves from going into deadly shock, saving his life. Sgt. Saunders is forever grateful towards student nurse Claudine.

On the way back to town, Claudine decides to pick some daisies near the same carousel they were playing on earlier, but nestled among the flower bushes is a trip wire leading to a German grenade bobby trap. When she hits that cord, it blows up killing her instantly. The men help Sgt. Saunders over to her body and tells him... "She's dead Sargent". Sgt. Saunders totally breaks down and starts fully crying.

It's the most heartbreaking and saddest episode of "Combat!" in most viewers opinions.

Wonderfully emotional episode

[grantss · 10/10 · 14 June 2022]

Many of Combat's writers' plots around civilians, especially kids or women, as sentimental devices fell flat as they felt contrived and overly sentimental. This one absolutely hits the mark. Wonderfully sentimental and emotional and thoroughly engaging.

A French influence

[lor_ · 13 August 2023]

A different type of "Combat!" episode, this story provides heartwarming entertainment for a wider audience than the he-man male demographic for which the hit show was targeted. Perhaps representing an influence, there is a romantic aspect to the story of gruff and cynical Vic versus the idealistic young teen played by newcomer Sylviane Margolee (in a superb performance) that recalls the classic art house hit (and Academy Award winner) from France "Sundays and Cybele", that played in America widely the year before this "Combat!" episode.

Visually, the idyll for Vic with an underage girl has the same timeless quality of the Hardy Kruger/Patricia Gozzi classic Gallic romance. Sadly, that movie, a favorite of mine in the 1960s, is forgotten today.

Ironically, I doubt if broadcast TV could handle this topic today, in this age of censorship, Vic's character might be called a pervert or "groomer", hanging out with a 13-year-old girl, and the powerful antiwar message and story of human aspiration would have been lost.

The theme of a young French child tagging along with the American squad has been done before on the series, but this one is exceptional.

A little contrived, but...

[robert-259-28954 · 9/10 · 26 February 2022]

... I still cried like a baby at the end. Anyone who has ever watched this series in the sixties knows how good it was. No one who has seen it ever forgets these marvelous episodes. Watching them all over again on You Tube brings back wonderful memories. Sadly, nothing like this on TV anymore :(

One of 'Combat' most depressing episodes!

[brunocaronte234 · 10/10 · 14 October 2021]

BUT not because it was 'bad', on the contrary because we see why so many people HATE wars! The young nurse trying to be helpful yet she became a victim & tragedy of what Gen Sherman once said, 'war is hell'. Highly recommended & I see a powerful anti war message in this episode. As a kid I remember a female teenage cousin of mine started to cry when I saw it back in the late 1960s. Watch it but have some napkins if you can't stand the end.

Great episode / horrible episode

[mico07022 · 1/10 · 29 October 2021]

This is an excellent episode in acting , writing and directing. It also brings home the real tragedy of war. Saunders breakdown at the end just shows that these men were constantly tested and pushed to their li its both physically , mentally and emotionally every minute of every day.