The Rat Patrol "The Life Against Death Raid" #1.2 (1966)

Hey, that's Lou Grant!, 6 July 2017

Pvt Hitchcock is injured in one of the Rat Patrol's raids. His wounds are such that he won't make it to the nearest medical facility. Instead, the decision is made to take him to a German field hospital just a few miles away. It's risky, but it's the only chance they have to save Hitchcock's life.

Again, I'm not going to get into the historical accuracy of The Rat Patrol. I really can't be bothered. What I can be bothered with, however, are tires squealing on sand. I'm not sure what the sound guys were thinking.

Overall, there might not be as much action in The Life Against Death Raid as there was in the first episode, but there is more drama. For a while, I really wasn't sure which way the German doctor would go – would he help the wounded American or call for help? The addition of the disturbed German officer who sees Americans everywhere was a nice touch. The character really upped the tension.

The supporting cast in The Life Against Death Raid is interesting. Ed Asner plays the German doctor. It's not a huge role, but he's quit good and, as I indicated, really adds to the episode's drama and tension. The cast also features Christa Linder. While certainly not as well known as Asner, she appeared in enough genre films that I easily recognized her.

6/10