The Human Jungle (TV Series) A Friend of the Sergeant Major (1963) User Reviews

This was terrific.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 25 May 2023]

Sergeant Major Bennett runs amok in a bar, six weeks before his retirement, smashing up the joint, along with his men and ignoring curfew, Corder is called in as a witness, and pushed into supporting Bennett and the old boy's network.

Fantastic, this wonderful Series seems to get better and better, and this was the best yet, this has to be the most original episode, and one of the most impressive dramas I've seen for some time, this show truly was qah ahead of its time.

It was so interesting to see Corder pushed into giving evidence against the grain as it were, it really was a stitch up, and interesting to see just how smart he was, and whether he'd risk telling the truth and upsetting the story.

Two genuinely superb central performances from Alfred Burke and Tim Seely, both were genuinely first rate in their respective roles, Herbert Lom delivered yet another marvellous performance as Corder, what a brilliant actor, such a convincing character.

First class.

9/10.

A Friend of the Sergeant Major

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 27 October 2021]

There is dirty games being played in a British army base in Germany.

Sergeant-Major Bennett is a veteran soldier who is due to leave the service soon. He and his soldiers rough up a bar owner and smash the place down.

His commanding officer Lieutenant Grey gets an anonymous tip and rushes down. He is upset that Bennett broke the base curfew.

Bennett a decorated soldier has little respect for Grey who has court martialled several people already. Bennett is next.

Dr Corder is press ganged to be an expert witness for Bennett's defence. They will argue that Grey is psychologically unfit to command as he is paranoid.

Corder is unhappy about the whole affair. He has never medically assessed Grey and Grey is not the one on trial. Corder has concerns when he realises that he once treated Bennett for amnesia. That the army are playing games due to the negative publicity in the press.

Corder is also concerned that the whole affair is a set up. Bennett was used by enemy agents to generate bad publicity.

A story with a few twists that shows a thuggish side of the veteran soldiers. As for medical ethics there is a lot wrong with it something Corder refers to. Essentially the army brass conspire to put Grey in the spotlight.