User Reviews

Sgt. Saunders and his squad are assigned to bomb German oil tanks and they stumble upon a barefoot starving French orphan called Bijou on the ruins of a village. Caje and the other soldiers feed him with rations and chocolate and when they leave the village, the boy follows them. They hide from a German patrol and when the get close to their target, they a surprised by a heavy machine gun nest. They succeed to kill the Germans and when Bijou arrives wearing a pair of German boots, Kirby suspects that Bijou is an informer but Caje and the squad do not agree. Is Bijou only a survivor or an informer?

"The Little Jewel" is an episode that shows how cruel a war is with the children. Bijou is an orphan that fights to survive and Caje gives a moral and survival lesson to Kirby when they discuss Bijou's honesty in times of war. Bijou, in English, means the little jewel of the title but the Brazilian translator transformed Jewel in Jew (see the Brazilian title below). My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Pequeno Judeu" ("The Little Jew")

In "The Little Jewel" White Rook stumbles upon a starving war orphan Bijou (excellently played by Michel Petit) in a bombed out French village without food or proper clothing. "The Little Jewel" was forerunner to "The Little Carousel" and ironically, aired almost exactly 1 year to the day before.

Shirl Hendryx did an excellent screen writing job; the story was well conceived, thought out, and very believable. Excellent conflict is created between Bijou and the squad as we are forced to reason whether the young, wheeling & dealing kid is always acting in their best interests.

Hats off to Kirby (excellently played by Jack Hogan) who must play the antagonist role to an 8 year old child; it's always the most difficult role to play.

White Rook must destroy a refinery and with Bijou tagging along they become doubtful of his intentions. Bijou does a phenomenal job portraying his frustration as the squad becomes distrusting of him.

Director John Peyser uses flute music to highlight Bijou. The same music was later used to highlight Claudine in The Little Carousel; and it's very touching and befitting in both episodes.

I thoroughly enjoyed the episode because it addresses the war orphan issue and should remind the entire human population there's always a better alternative to war.

A tale of suspicion, as Vic's squad befriends a young French orphan named Bijou, and then does the same with a nearby German patrol. Vic is on a mission to blow up an enemy oil depot. Evidence points to the kid being a collaborator and the G. I.s turn against him.

A rather aimless episode which fixates upon this diminutive guest star and offers little else. Contrived appearances of the kid over and over become wearying, trying to build up suspense as to his actual motives. Eventually the oil depot mission takes center stage and Bijou heroically rescues Caje who has become a German prisoner. Result is squad apologizes to the kid for doubting him and even Vic cracks a smile (and Kirby too) in time for a dumb, sentimental ending. It's called toying with the audience.