The Strike (Westinghouse Studio One)

Last updated

"The Strike"
Westinghouse Studio One episode
The Strike (Studio One).jpg
James Daly as Major Gaylord
Episode no.Season 6
Episode 38
Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner
Written by Rod Serling
Original air dateJune 7, 1954 (1954-06-07)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
Next 
"A Letter to Mr. Gubbins"
List of episodes

"The Strike" was an American television play broadcast on June 7, 1954, as part of the CBS television series Westinghouse Studio One . Written by Rod Serling and directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, the drama is set during the darkest period of the Korean War, focusing on the stress of command in sacrificing troops in combat. The running time was 59:21, including breaks hosted by Betty Furness, promoting Westinghouse refrigerators, stoves, room air conditioners, and dehumidifiers.

Contents

Plot

The play is set in North Korea in January 1951, after China intervened in the Korean War and forced the United Nations forces into retreat.

Part One

Major Gaylord (played by James Daly), a professional soldier who also served in World War II, commands the 29th Regiment, a 500-soldier infantry unit that is pinned down on a river bank after sustaining heavy casualties. They lack transportation to evacuate their wounded and have gaps in their perimeter and only three remaining machine guns. The regiment receives an order to retreat in three hours.

The previous day, Gaylord had deployed a platoon of 20 soldiers on a patrol to assess the enemy's strength and location. The patrol has failed to return. The lieutenant in charge of the missing patrol presses for a rescue mission. Gaylord declines to put more men at risk by crossing the river in pursuit of the missing patrol.

Part Two

A radio communication is received from the missing patrol, conveying their location and planned route of escape. However, the patrol's radio is not fully operational, and they cannot receive incoming communications.

Gaylord receives word that the Air Force will conduct an air strike with bombs and napalm on the enemy's artillery on the other side of the river to protect the regiment from attack during the retreat.

The proposed strike creates a dilemma as the lost patrol last reported its position in the same location as the proposed air strike. The air strike puts the lost patrol at risk, but failure to take out the enemy artillery puts all 500 men at risk.

Part Three

The time for the strike approaches, and Gaylord must decide whether to proceed. One of the other officers advises Gaylord to sacrifice the 20 to save the 500: "We're gonna have to cross them off ... 20 for 500 .. that's not a bad price." Gaylord refuses to accept the cold logic and arithmetic of sacrificing 20 to save 500. Gaylord wants to strip off his conscience and "inject something into my immortal soul to make me numb so that I'll quit feeling, so that I'll be a commanding officer instead of my brother's keeper."

A soldier from the lost patrol is spotted swimming across the river. He is shot and killed by enemy fire as he reaches the shore.

As the time for the strike gets closer, Gaylord breaks down, unable to give a command that will kill 20 men. Gaylord's subordinate officers urge him to take command.

Helicopters arrive to evacuate the injured, and the time for the strike has arrived. Gaylord decides to give the order: "These gold leaves give me the power of god. To give, take, and trade lives. Tonight, I'm trading ... lives ... 20 boys across the river for all of ours. That's a pretty fair numerical exchange ... Inside my gut I'm gonna ache from this second on. .... These are the responsibilities of command you don't read in the West Point manual."

The regiment moves out, and the strike proceeds as Gaylord and chaplain watch the bombs drop. Gaylord offers a final thought: "God rest their souls and God, forgive me." The chaplain assures Gaylord that God will do both.

Cast

[1] [2]

Production

The play was produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, and written for television by Rod Serling. It was broadcast on June 7, 1954, as part of the CBS television series, Westinghouse Studio One . [1]

The teleplay was staged at least three other times. In December 1955, it was produced for Lux Radio Theatre in Australia. In February 1960, it was produced as part of Great Britain's Armchair Theatre under the title "Come In, Razor Red". In May 1964, it was produced for Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre under the title, "The Command". [2]

Serling was pleased with the work and wrote a feature-length screenplay under the title The Cold Day in Hell. In July 1956, he wrote: "Quite immodestly I'll state that I think it's a power house and should make a corker of a movie." However, it was not produced. [3]

Critical reception

Producer Felix Jackson rated the script as the best Serling had written to that point. [4]

Gore Vidal included the script in his 1956 published collection, Best Television Plays. It was the first Serling teleplay to be published. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Night Gallery</i> American anthology TV series (1970–1973)

Night Gallery is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, The Twilight Zone, served both as the on-air host of Night Gallery and as a major contributor of scripts, although he did not have the same control of content and tone as he had on The Twilight Zone. Serling viewed Night Gallery as a logical extension of The Twilight Zone, but while both series shared an interest in thought-provoking dark fantasy, more of Zone's offerings were science fiction while Night Gallery focused on horrors of the supernatural.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Serling</span> American screenwriter (1924–1975)

Rodman Edward Serling was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator/on-screen host, best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen, and helped form television industry standards. He was known as the "angry young man" of Hollywood, clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues, including censorship, racism, and war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Longewala</span> Major battle of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War

The Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements in the western sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan state in India. The battle was fought between 120 Indian soldiers accompanied by four Hunter fighter aircraft and 2,000–3,000 Pakistani soldiers accompanied by 30–40 tanks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Imjin River</span> Major confrontation during the Chinese Spring Offensive of the Korean War

The Battle of the Imjin River, also known as the Battle of Solma-ri or Battle of Gloster Hill in South Korea, or as Battle of Xuemali in China, took place 22–25 April 1951 during the Korean War. Troops from the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) attacked United Nations Command (UN) positions on the lower Imjin River in an attempt to achieve a breakthrough and recapture the South Korean capital Seoul. The attack was part of the Chinese Spring Offensive, the aim of which was to regain the initiative on the battlefield after a series of successful UN counter-offensives in January–March 1951 had allowed UN forces to establish themselves beyond the 38th Parallel at the Kansas Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Lang Vei</span> 1968 battle in the Vietnam War

The Battle of Lang Vei began on the evening of 6 February 1968 and concluded during the early hours of 7 February, in Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam. Towards the end of 1967, the 198th Tank Battalion of the People's Army of Vietnam's (PAVN) 202nd Armored Regiment received instructions from the North Vietnamese Ministry of Defense to reinforce the 304th Division as part of the Route 9–Khe Sanh Campaign. After an arduous journey down the Ho Chi Minh trail in January 1968, the 198th Tank Battalion linked up with the 304th Division for an offensive along Highway 9, which stretched from the Laotian border through to Quảng Trị Province. On 23 January, the 24th Regiment attacked the small Laotian outpost at Bane Houei Sane, under the control of the Royal Laos Army BV-33 "Elephant" Battalion. In that battle, the 198th Tank Battalion failed to reach the battle on time because its crews struggled to navigate their tanks through the rough local terrain. However, as soon as the PT-76 tanks of the 198th Tank Battalion turned up at Bane Houei Sane, the Laotian soldiers and their families retreated into South Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Ia Drang</span> 1965 battle of the Vietnam War

The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), as part of the Pleiku Campaign conducted early in the Vietnam War, at the eastern foot of the Chu Pong Massif in the central highlands of Vietnam, in 1965. It is notable for being the first large scale helicopter air assault and also the first use of Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers in a tactical support role. Ia Drang set the blueprint for the Vietnam War with the Americans relying on air mobility, artillery fire and close air support, while the PAVN neutralized that firepower by quickly engaging American forces at very close range.

<i>Playhouse 90</i> American television series

Playhouse 90 was an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of the mid-1950s usually were hour-long shows, the title highlighted the network's intention to present something unusual: a weekly series of hour-and-a-half-long dramas rather than 60-minute plays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Mindanao</span>

The Battle of Mindanao was fought by the Americans and allied Filipino guerrillas against the Japanese forces on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines as part of Operation VICTOR V. It was part of the campaign to liberate the Philippines during World War II. The battle was waged to complete the recapture of the southernmost portions of the archipelago from the Imperial Japanese Army.

<i>Studio One</i> (American TV series) Television program (1948–1958)

Studio One is an American anthology drama television series that was adapted from a radio series. It was created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. It premiered on November 7, 1948, and ended on September 29, 1958, with a total of 467 episodes over the course of 10 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Plei Me</span> 1965 engagement of the Vietnam War

The siege of Plei Me was the beginning phase of the first major confrontation between soldiers of the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. The lifting of the siege by South Vietnamese forces and American air power was followed by the pursuit of the retreating North Vietnamese from 28 October until 12 November, setting the stage for the Battle of Ia Drang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army of the North</span> One of the armies of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata

The Army of the North, contemporaneously called Army of Peru, was one of the armies deployed by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in the Spanish American wars of independence. Its objective was freeing the Argentine Northwest and the Upper Peru from the royalist troops of the Spanish Empire. It was headed by Hipólito Vieytes (1810), Juan José Castelli (1810–1811), Juan Martín de Pueyrredón (1811–1812), Manuel Belgrano (1812–1814), José de San Martín (1814), José Rondeau (1814–1816), Manuel Belgrano (1816–1819) and Francisco Fernández de la Cruz (1819–1820).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Taegu</span> Engagement between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces early in the Korean War

The Battle of Taegu was an engagement between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces early in the Korean War, with fighting continuing from August 5–20, 1950 around the city of Taegu, South Korea. It was a part of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter, and was one of several large engagements fought simultaneously. The battle ended in a victory for the UN after their forces were able to drive off an offensive by Korean People's Army (KPA) divisions attempting to cross the Naktong River and assault the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaplain–Medic massacre</span> War crime during the Korean War

The Chaplain–Medic massacre took place in the Korean War on July 16, 1950, on a mountain above the village of Tuman, South Korea. Thirty unarmed, critically wounded United States Army (US) soldiers and an unarmed chaplain were murdered by members of the Korean People's Army (KPA) during the Battle of Taejon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Krechowce</span>

The Battle of Krechowce took place on 24 July 1917, during World War I. Polish uhlans of the Russian Army were ordered to halt Imperial German Army forces advancing on the city of Stanisławów, located in Galicia in Austria-Hungary. The battle between the Polish and German forces took place near the village of Krechowce. The Polish uhlans managed to check the Germans for an entire day, then retreated to Stanisławów.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Silver City</span>

Operation Silver City was an operation conducted by the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Biên Hòa Province, lasting from 7 to 23 March 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UN September 1950 counteroffensive</span>

The UN September 1950 counteroffensive was a large-scale offensive by United Nations Command (UN) forces against North Korean forces commencing on 23 September 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of West Saigon</span> Battle in the Vietnam War

The Battle of West Saigon took place from 5–12 May 1968 during the May Offensive of the Vietnam War as South Vietnamese and United States forces countered the main thrust of the offensive against the western suburbs of Saigon.

In the Presence of Mine Enemies (<i>Playhouse 90</i>) 16th episode of the 4th season of Playhouse 90

"In the Presence of Mine Enemies" was an American television play broadcast on May 18, 1960. It was the 16th episode of the fourth season of the CBS television series Playhouse 90, and also the final broadcast in the show's four-year run.

A Town Has Turned to Dust (<i>Playhouse 90</i>) 38th episode of the 2nd season of Playhouse 90

"A Town Has Turned to Dust" is the 38th episode of the second season of the American television play broadcast live on June 19, 1958, as part of the second season of the CBS television series Playhouse 90. Rod Serling wrote the teleplay, and John Frankenheimer directed. Rod Steiger and William Shatner starred.

References

  1. 1 2 "Studio One: The Strike (TV)". The Paley Center. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Chrysler Medallion Theatre, Motorola Television Hour, Studio One. p. 77.
  3. Chrysler Medallion Theatre, Motorola Television Hour, Studio One, pp. 77–79.
  4. 1 2 Chrysler Medallion Theatre, Motorola Television Hour, Studio One, p. 78.