The Chrysler Theater: "War of Nerves" (1964)

Season 1 episode 12 of the anthology series "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre", directed by Sydney Pollack, with Stephen Boyd, Monique LeMaire, Émile Genest, Louis Jourdan, Maurice Marsac, Jacques Roux, Bernie Hamilton et al. Original air date: 3 January 1964. (www.imdb.com/title/tt0528248/)

[@splattered63]

I wish I could go back to the 60's. I enjoyed it much more than today.

[@lesliea7394]

Great to see this Stephen Boyd gem. He does a great job portraying a lonely man. Think of him in Ben Hur and marvel at this performance. Under rated, unappreciated by the Hollywood mucky mucks and gone far too soon.

[@ilovecoffee12]

Boyd was fantastic in "The Man Who Never Was" (on DVD with Clifton Webb and Gloria Grahame.)

[@tinyvalentine13]

What a treat this is and I thank you so - this is a new one for me!

[@BigCarmine]

I remember these as small boy. What a treat to see them again!

[@Baskerville22]

I still haven't forgiven Stephen Boyd for what he did to Ben Hur's family

[@alpheratz9]

Amazing find! As a Stephen Boyd fan I was thrilled to see this!!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

[@MerleOberon]

+alpheratz9 So sad he died so young, a fan here also...

[@pervanvalkenburg8507]

Thanks GR this was a find.

[@scronx]

A gripping moral drama -- thank you! A miniature Casablanca -- it even 'quotes' 6 notes of As Tears Go By at the end.

[@fromthesidelines]

It was syndicated as "UNIVERSAL STAR TIME", but disappeared from local stations in the '80s. The only reason the series lasted as long as it did (1963-'67) was Bob Hope's monthly specials in the same time period....which always did better in the ratings than "CHRYSLER THEATER" did.

[@ThePiratemachine]

Paul Brickhill who wrote the book this is from wrote "The Great Escape" and "The Dambusters"

[@billb2479]

Blooper at 5:20. The assassin shoots him with a Mauser automatic, but when he runs away he holds a revolver!

[@kenlieck7756]

"Big deal! Fifty years from now who's gonna notice?"

[@BruceK10032]

I didn't notice a revolver, but he still has the Mauser toward the end.

[@adamnoman4658]

So it's a magic transformer pistol. Easier to believe than a magic bullet.

[@JaneFrieman]

The writing of this story held my attention. In a French cafe where people gathered to smoke and drink, romance and murder were on the near horizon. The story line began to unfold some more. McKay, who was ignorant of the OAS, stayed while the police investigated. At the police station, he unknowingly sees Simone but he does not identify her. Little does he know that she supports the OAS, which was a terrorist group. The plot moves on with interesting twists. This is a story which holds the viewers interest.

[@vincentmulier853]

There is an interesting history behind the plot of this teleplay. From Wikipedia: "The Organisation Armée Secrète (OAS, "Secret Armed Organization") was a far-right French dissident paramilitary organization during the Algerian War. The OAS carried out terrorist attacks, including bombings and assassinations, in an attempt to prevent Algeria's independence from French colonial rule. Its motto was L’Algérie est française et le restera ("Algeria is French and will remain so")."

[@philfletcher3434]

No happy ending folks.

[@javeediqbal5690]

Why would he mention about the girl and the call

[@Gabriela-Diana]

Do you have the episode “Deadlock”?

[@sawyer6264]

Black gentleman opening seen, Body the boxer in The Twilight Zone. Yah?

[@cotswoldcuckoo775]

Fiona Nieve Looks like Tom Jones.

[@Firebrand55]

Stephen Boyd; 'Ben Hur' as Messala........."it goes on.......it goes on Judah.....the race....the race is not over..." Perhaps the most hate-filled dying words in cinema history, delivered brilliantly by Boyd.

[@adamnoman4658]

The race goes on -- and does it ever!

[@rollingstopp]

frenchy

[@QuantumRift]

I was expecting to see Inspector Clouseau come in to investigate....

[@brianbavosa877]

I would have used a silencer with all those people in the room

[@adamnoman4658]

And what would that have accomplished?