The Cruel Day (Playhouse 90)

The Cruel Day was an American television play broadcast on February 24, 1960, as part of the CBS television series, Playhouse 90. It was the tenth episode of the fourth season of Playhouse 90 and the 127th episode overall.

"The Cruel Day"
Playhouse 90 episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 10
Directed byFranklin Schaffner
Written byReginald Rose
Original air dateFebruary 24, 1960 (1960-02-24)
Running time88 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

Plot

A French Army captain arrives with his wife and son at an outpost in a small town in Algeria during the Algerian War. Upon his arrival, rebels stage bomb a house, resulting in the massacre of a local family. The French forces capture a rebel courier, a handsome and intelligent 15-year old boy. When a lieutenant recommends torturing the boy to elicit information on the rebels, the captain faces a crisis of conscience. He debates the dilemma with himself, the prisoner, the prisoner's father, a priest, his wife, and his fellow soldiers. Frustrated at the captain's indecision, the lieutenant fails to act and allows a sniper to shoot and kill the captain.[1][2]

Production

Herbert Brodkin was the producer. Franklin Schaffner was the director, and Reginald Rose wrote the teleplay.[1]

The cast included Van Heflin as the captain, Cliff Robertson as Lt. Carvet, Phyllis Thaxter as Nicole (the captain's wife), Raymond Massey as Father Ruquoi, Charles Bronson as Sgt. Meras, Peter Lorre as a cafe owner, Nehemiah Persoff as the Algerian father, and Thano Rama as Yazid Boussena (the prisoner).[1]

The production was Lorre's first role after being away from television for a year due to a health incident that Lorre described as sun stroke.[3]

Reviews

Harry Harris in The Philadelphia Inquirer described it as "a stunning drama that helped regain for 'Playhouse 90' much of its onetime luster."[2] Harris also praised Schaffner's direction and Brodkin's overall production as "beyond reproach".[2]

Larry Wolters of the Chicago Tribune called it "a sensitive, moving, and suspenseful drama."[4]

Fred Danzig of the UPI praised the cast as excellent and opined that its treatment of profound questions made the play "one of unusual importance."[5]

References
  1. "Playhouse 90: The Cruel Day". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  2. Harry Harris (February 25, 1960). "'Playhouse 90' Regains Luster In 'Cruel Day'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Steven H. Scheuer (February 24, 1960). "Peter Lorre Says He's Very Well: Stars Tonight On Playhouse 90". Mansfield News-Journal. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Larry Wolters (February 25, 1960). "Miss Lillie Shines in Spoofery". Chicago Tribune. p. V-6 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Fred Danzig (February 25, 1960). "Television in Review". The Coshocton Tribune. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
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