Warren Stevens gives a bravura performance as a Korean War vet whose mind snaps, thrusting him back into an imagined extension of that war with him in charge, ordering around his co-workers in a Philadelphia office in this highly theatrical episode of "The Richard Boone Show". While other anthology programs, notably "The Twilight Zone", ventured into such territory, it's hard to top this drama by writer John Haase (later known for his novel that was adapted as Richard Lester's acclaimed -but largely forgotten- 1967 movie "Petulia"), written specifically for this series, in stretching the commercial television medium so powerfully as this segment does.
Stevens commands the small screen, ordering around the set of co-workers whose trivial pursuits and life styles are set up concisely in the brief introductory scenes. Mostly all are looking forward to getting off work at 5 p.m. To relax with family, but even though he's gone starkravng mad in reliving his wartime experiences, Stevens is intent on rubbing their faces in the reality of war. Using practical stagecraft and FX the office is converted into a prop-filled little battlefield, overseen by Stevens with his machine gun and live grenades, literally putting his colleagues into actual life and death situations.
Haase's dialogue is to the point, setting up and explaining the action carefully, balancing the mad vision of Stevens in control with the believable reactions of the ordinary civilians trying to survive. He also contrives a logical climax and denoument to round off the one-act play for television.
Supporting Stevens' utterly convincing performance are troupe members including Harry Morgan, Lloyd Bochner, Guy Stockwell, Ford Rainey and especially in a small part, Jeanette Nolan as their telephone operator -oddly presaging the outlandish character created by Lily Tomlin for SNL a decade later -I wouldn't be surprised if Lily used this show for some inspiration. Boone has a cameo as an elevator operator, while guest artists Michael Constantine and James Callahan also contributing to the ensemble.
Stevens commands the small screen, ordering around the set of co-workers whose trivial pursuits and life styles are set up concisely in the brief introductory scenes. Mostly all are looking forward to getting off work at 5 p.m. To relax with family, but even though he's gone starkravng mad in reliving his wartime experiences, Stevens is intent on rubbing their faces in the reality of war. Using practical stagecraft and FX the office is converted into a prop-filled little battlefield, overseen by Stevens with his machine gun and live grenades, literally putting his colleagues into actual life and death situations.
Haase's dialogue is to the point, setting up and explaining the action carefully, balancing the mad vision of Stevens in control with the believable reactions of the ordinary civilians trying to survive. He also contrives a logical climax and denoument to round off the one-act play for television.
Supporting Stevens' utterly convincing performance are troupe members including Harry Morgan, Lloyd Bochner, Guy Stockwell, Ford Rainey and especially in a small part, Jeanette Nolan as their telephone operator -oddly presaging the outlandish character created by Lily Tomlin for SNL a decade later -I wouldn't be surprised if Lily used this show for some inspiration. Boone has a cameo as an elevator operator, while guest artists Michael Constantine and James Callahan also contributing to the ensemble.
