User Reviews

Lee Marvin didn't achieve superstardom for a long period of time, but he's still remembered as one of classic television's most iconic tough guys. Since Combat has such a wealth of gunfights and stressful situations, it should come as no surprise Marvin was featured on it. His time in the Marines must have helped him a lot, because this episode in particular is one of the best in the series. The Bridge at Chalons begins with Saunders and the squad being introduced to Sergeant Turk (Lee Marvin), a no-nonsense demolitions expert who is described as one of the best explosive handlers in the service. Problem is, he's very abrasive and treats everyone he comes across with disdain, acting like he's better than them in some way. Almost immediately, Turk and Saunders' men start butting heads, but Saunders defends them and says he's in charge of the squad. If Turk has any complaints, they'll be made to him alone. Not only is Turk confrontational and argumentative, he also seems to bring bad luck to everyone surrounding him. While on their way to blow up a certain bridge behind German lines, Saunders and the others hear an enemy patrol coming down the road. Everyone dives for cover, but one squad member leaves a demolition cable on the road. The germans notice it, identify it as American, and deduce that someone must be hiding nearby. Turk can't stand the tension and opens fire, killing the germans, but not before one of them shoots and wounds Little John. Saunders is irate because Turk shot at the enemy when he didn't have to, and if he just waited for them to pull away, nobody would have been hurt. Later on, Caje and Kirby are also wounded during a shootout with a german machine gun in a cemetery. Kirby lies and tells Saunders he isn't hurt, but when Saunders finds out he is, Kirby doesn't want to be sent to hospital because Turk would see him as a quitter. Soon, Turk and Saunders are the only men left who are uninjured. Saunders inquires as to why Turk seems to hate everyone he comes across, and he says he's spent a long time in the military and doesn't want to get killed now because some idiot couldn't do his job correctly. With the bridge in sight, it appears that Turk has made it to his objective, but he gets stabbed in the abdomen when trying to subdue a german silently. His vitality fading, Turk tells Saunders he's going to have to blow the bridge instead. After putting the line of explosives together and planting it, Saunders sends the barely alive Turk out on a raft before blowing the bridge to pieces. Turk didn't want to be rescued, but Saunders carries him to safety anyway. Even while recuperating, Turk is as disagreeable as ever, and tells Saunders to stop coddling him. Saunders then confronts the rest of the squad members (every single one of them hurt in some way) and starts berating them for their past mistakes. This is a strange episode. It's really well made, and the part at the end with Saunders angry was unexpected and humorous, because I don't think he's yelled at a squad member who's not Kirby until this point. The best part of this installment is definitely seeing Vic and Lee go face to face. In a previous Combat episode review, I wrote how it's not everyday where Saunders meets someone as stubborn as him, but this is definitely one occasion. Turk and Saunders go at each other constantly, and it's made even more engaging by the fact that they're both the same rank. If Saunders was a higher rank than Turk (or vice versa) he could just accuse him of being insubordinate and possibly court martial him, but because they're neck and neck, they have no choice but to clash. As with any good Combat episode, Bridge at Chalons features a large amount of gunfights, and are actually more realistic this time around considering the squad members aren't immune to being hit. In all, it's my belief that Bridge at Chalons is one of the best examples of a Combat episode, due to its great performances from Marvin and Morrow, intense gunfights, and of course, the particular scene where Morrow destroys the bridge and the footage repeats like 4 times. It blows up so dramatically.

Sgt. Turk (Lee Marvin) is a demolitions expert with a huge chip on his shoulder. He' also been on the line too long. He's the guy Saunders and his men have to escort to a bridge that Turk has to blow up to cut off the German retreat. Along the way, he fends off anyone's attempts to be friendly or even human. He cuts the good natured Little John to pieces with anger and threatens to have Kirby court martialed. Despite Turk's annoying behavior, Saunders is determined to complete the mission.

Lee Marvin is one of the few actors that can make Little John (Dick Peabody) look normal sized. He is a physical presence, and a worthy adversary for Morrow, whom he towers over. This was still before Marvin broke through to stardom with "Cat Ballou" and "The Dirty Dozen", but he'd played a lot of heavies in westerns and was a very solid actor if not yet quite the star. Still, having him would seem to have been quite a coup for the first episode of he second season. And Marvin does not let anyone down wit his performance. Without him, this just would have been another "gotta blow the bridge" episode (not to be confused with the "gotta hold the bridge" episodes).

Before stardom in films like "The Dirty Dozen and Cat Ballou." Lee Marvin played a tough guy or heavy, but he is a Sgt in the episode. As he and Vic Morrow's Saunders don't like one another. But the two men are forced to rely upon one another. Despite Turk's annoying and at times, jerky behavior.

Saunders lets him know who is boss. And that Marvin's Turk is very condescending towards his men. But despite their dislike of one another, Saunders men gets picked off one by one. Until it is down to the two men left.

Turk in a sense, we see a brief side of him being a little softy about being too long on the line and being a soldier. As he says to Saunders, hate is the way to go. But Saunders sees otherwise.

Despite a grudging respect for one another, and as Marvin's Turk is injured leaving Saunders to blow up the bridge himself nearly. Turk goes back to his jerky ways but not before Saunders tells him, "Hurt my men, I will go after you." And as he leaves, Turk tells a medic he will put Saunders up for a Silver Star.

Turk's attitude would work in the military. But in real life, it could get him fired from many jobs. And make him more and more enemies. Not just in the military. In a sense, despite him being a jerk, you have to feel bad for him. And his attitude.