PLAYHOUSE 90: THE TUNNEL (TV)
Summary
One in this dramatic anthology series.
This story presents a dramatized account of the Battle of the Crater during the American Civil War and the weeks leading up to it. The Siege of Petersburg drags on during June of 1864, and both sides have reached something of a stalemate and are heavily entrenched. One of the units of the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pleasants, is joined by Lieutenant Jacob Douty, a volunteer from Washington D.C.'s JAG office. Pleasants and Douty dislike each other immediately. While showing him around the trench, Douty notes the proximity of the Confederate artillery line. One of the men, Sergeant Reese, suggests at several points that their unit could dig a tunnel beneath the artillery and destroy it with an explosive charge, but Pleasants refuses to comply on the grounds that it would never be approved by his superiors.
However, Douty is intrigued by the idea and discusses it further with Reese in private. Reese points out that many members of the regiment are miners and that the tunnel would be relatively easy to excavate. Furthermore, Pleasants is an expert mining engineer who could oversee the operation. Douty decides to propose the idea to Pleasants's superior, Major General Ambrose E. Burnside. He is interested in the idea and orders Pleasants to go through with it. Pleasants soon discovers that Douty is to blame for the tunnel being approved and is angry about it. Nevertheless, the tunnel excavation begins.
Soon Douty and the men run across several problems in the excavation, including unsuitable equipment and a struggle to prevent dirt from refilling the tunnel. The plan of attack is to destroy the enemy artillery and then send infantry to attack the breach in the defenses, thus allowing the army to advance to Petersburg. The fourth division, made up primarily of African-American troops, begins training for the assault. One of Pleasants's men is trapped in the tunnel during a cave-in and barely escapes with his life. Burnside's immediate superior, Maj. General George S. Meade, demands that the tunnel be completed in one week's time or else he will order a full frontal assault on the Confederate defensive line.
Pleasants attempts to get Douty to give up on the tunnel. Douty argues with Pleasants; Pleasants retorts that war is "helplessness" and that he was once idealistic like Douty. Douty hears reports about the tunnel's poor ventilation and goes inside to investigate, but he ends up suffocating. Pleasants rushes in and pulls Douty out, managing to revive him. Using a series of hollow beams and a crude "chimney" system, Pleasants devises a way to provide adequate air to the deeper part of the tunnel. Pleasants visits Douty, who expects to make a full recovery. They talk about their personal lives, and Douty discovers that Pleasants is married, although Pleasants is not forthcoming with details.
Burnside puts Pleasants through some "red tape" concerning his construction of the tunnel. He elaborates on how he was once Meade's superior, but a devastating loss at Fredericksburg caused him to be demoted below him. Now he believes that Meade is deliberately setting him up to fail, as Meade believes the tunnel will be unsuccessful. Pleasants believes all the inquiries and political maneuvering are a waste of time. Burnside doesn't want Meade to receive credit should the tunnel prove successful, so he opts to play along for the time being. Pleasants makes final preparations for the tunnel's use.
A Confederate soldier is captured and it is believed he has knowledge of the tunnel. Douty and Pleasants interrogate him, and soon Pleasants becomes violent with the prisoner, much to Douty's shock. Pleasants cows Douty into compliance and threatens the prisoner with his pistol. The prisoner confesses that the Confederates have discovered the tunnel and are in the process of digging a countermine. Pleasants reveals to Douty that he was only bluffing that he would kill the prisoner. Pleasants determines that the Confederate countermine will not intercept the tunnel.
As preparations for the attack commence, Meade announces that he will not allow the fourth division to lead the assault; he is concerned that if the mostly African-American unit were to perish, it would cause political tensions. Pleasants discovers this and pleads with Burnside to somehow circumvent his orders, but Burnside feels as though there's nothing he can do. He calls a meeting the other three division commanders, none of whom have troops fit to lead the assault. Burnside decides to determine which of them will lead their units by drawing straws; the undermanned first division is chosen.
While Pleasants is laying the fuse for the explosives, Douty brings in a correspondent for the Washington Post to ask him about the upcoming attack. The reporter has been assured of the operation's impending success and is focused on the political significance of the attack, but Pleasants occupies himself only with the mechanical particulars of his work and drives the reporter away. Early the following morning, the troops are in readiness and the fuse is lit, but soon they realize that it has gone out and Pleasants is forced to re-light it, causing a delay in the attack. Finally the artillery is destroyed and the signal is given for the attack, but without ladders the troops are unable to get out of the trenches. Pleasants improvises a ladder by digging rifles into the trench sides by their bayonets.
Douty joins the infantry as they make their way to the crater left by the explosion and is horrified by the scene of devastation he witnesses. The Confederates are able to launch a counterattack, pinning the Union troops down. Burnside is able to send the third and fourth divisions in to join the assault, but he is too late to turn the tide of the battle. With the first division commander too drunk to issue orders, Pleasants runs in after Douty, who is hovering over the body of Wocziki, one of the men under his command. Douty seems dazed before suddenly springing forward at the enemy, remarking that Pleasants is not affected by the deaths of his comrades. Pleasants replies that it isn't true and tries to get Douty to understand the nature of war. He also reveals that his wife died two months into their marriage, and that he joined the army believing he would die. He admits that despite his dislike for Douty, his plan to dig the tunnel provided him with something resembling motivation.
The Union assault is repulsed and the Battle of the Crater becomes known as a colossal failure. The Union army suffers over 3,800 casualties as a result of the battle. Ultimately, the United States Senate blames Meade for the assault's failure. The Union manages to take Petersburg ten months later, at the cost of many more thousands of lives. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: December 10, 1959 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:23:06
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:43694
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1956-1961
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – Allstate insurance
- TV – Commercials – American Gas Association
- TV – Commercials – Camel cigarettes
- TV – Promos – "Playhouse 90"
- TV – Promos – "The Big Party"
CREDITS
- Fred Coe … Producer
- Robert Goldman … Associate Producer
- Russell Stoneham … Associate Producer
- Delbert Mann … Director
- David Shaw … Writer
- Jerry Goldsmith … Music by
- Eddie Albert … Host
- Richard Boone … Cast, Lt. Col. Henry Pleasants
- Rip Torn … Cast, Lt. Jacob Douty
- Onslow Stevens … Cast, Maj. General Ambrose E. Burnside
- Jack Weston … Cast, Wocziki
- Ken Lynch … Cast, Sgt. Reese
- Robert Carson … Cast, Maj. General George S. Meade
- Sandy Kenyon … Cast, Martinson
- Bartlett Robinson … Cast, Captain Handley
- Sam Edwards … Cast, Confederate Corporal
- Frank Killmond … Cast, Gorcey
- Jason Wingreen … Cast, Blair
- Oliver McGowan … Cast, Brig. General James H. Ledlie
- Tom McKee … Cast, General Potter
- Stephen Chase … Cast, General Wilcox
- James Gavin … Cast, Brig. General Edward Ferrero
- Jean Paul King … Cast, Wade
- Ed Faulkner … Cast, Litter Bearer
- Jay Overholts … Cast, Litter Bearer
- Fletcher Allen … Cast, Orderly
- Stan Young … Cast, Soldier
- Hal Needham … Cast, Soldier