Callan

You can never go wrong watching Edward Woodward as the tortured but oh-so-capable assassin - and using a proven TV storyline for expansion was a savvy move as well. The big problem with 1974's Callan appear to come from a shoe-string budget that caused some real problems. The worst is the fifth-rate musical score that frankly steps all over the scenes in which it is used. The inappropriate harmonica is particularly grating and you cheer for the sequences without the ill-fitting music. The sets seem pretty squalid too with a 3rd-rate school gym housing the training ground for England's top assassins. But stick to the acting and story and it's a fairly diverting yarn. The film is tough and diverting as Callan wrestles with his conscience and the demands of his section. Fun to see Peter Egan playing against type as a psycho-bully as well as David Prowse from Clockwork Orange and Star Wars. Finally, the film features a rare chance to see tabletop wargaming on screen - a hobby both for Callan and Woodward.

This 1974 film of "Callan," lets itself down due to a screenplay that is thinly plotted and the sense of intrigue and tension being diluted. The film is on for too long, about 15 minutes should have been edited from the final version. "Callan" is a remake of the play that started it all, "A Magnum For Schneider." Whilst that latter production was filmed entirely in the studio, the suspense and tension never let up. Every scene counted for something. This 1974 movie has a lot of location shooting but so what? It doesn't compensate for a slack narrative. The story is very good at 55 minutes on television but at 100 minutes on film, it becomes tiresome and irritating. There are a few scenes that are OK but that's about all. The scene where Callan deals with Darth Vader himself - Dave Prowse - demonstrates a bit of the tension from the series. It was the right decision to have Edward Woodward and Russell Hunter reprise their respective characters. Who else would we fans want? Eric Porter is effectively cast as Hunter but he's no match for Ronald Radd. Peter Egan is bloody terrible as Meres!

The music is all wrong for the film. That harmonica noise soon grates on my nerves.

A disappointing experience.

I thought the film was very good. I like others at first approached the film with a jaundiced view, specifically the totally different effect of the music. However once viewed several times ones' view changes and accepts the film / music / different "Hunter" etc. afresh. No one else could play Callan other than Edward Woodward, the effect of Eric Porter as the new "Hunter" also becomes part of the whole fabric. I have seen the film many times now and to change anything or to try to align it with the way Callan was presented for TV would be detrimental.Enjoy it as it stands without prejudice. One weak spot, the scene where Callan is located with Lonely in a pub by one of Mears' henchmen; you could never jam a kiosk door with a piece of folded up card!

"Callan" (Edward Woodward) was retired from his top secret job after his boss "Hunter" (Eric Porter) thought he'd lost his edge, but now that very man is courting him to return for one very special task. That will involve him killing a man called "Schneider". If he does this, then he will be reinstated no questions asked. Thing is, though, "Callan" isn't just an hit man, he wants to know a little bit more about his quarry and so sets about getting to know this man (Carl Möhner) who loves replaying Napoleonic battles using hand painted, cast-iron, armies and who shares a seemingly innocuous life with his wife (Catherine Schell). His employer isn't convinced with these methods, so decides to let his replacement "Meres" (Richard Egan) make up a plan B - in which it is quite possible that "Callan" could end up being collateral damage. What now ensues is a decently paced, if slightly confusing, thriller replete with just about everything save a poisoned umbrella tip. Woodward and his fixer "Lonely" (Russell Hunter) have reprised their roles from the successful ATV television series from the late 1960s and in many ways this is just one feature-length episode from that. It works fine, with solid production values and it's even got a little bit of soul.

There's alot of things I wish happened on this film adaptation of Callan. The main one is casting. I would have loved to see Ronald Radd or William Squire reprise the role of Hunter and Anthony Valentine return as Toby Myres. Valentine didn't play the character during the original Aemchair Theater teleplay (Peter Boyles did) so this would have been new. The casting is still good as are the performances and if one is not so initiated with the tv series, would not mind these actors at all. Some familiar faces do return like Russell Hunter as Lonely (no one else can bring that role to life), and Clifford Rose as Snell, the Section's doctor with a chillingly indifferent aire about him.

This is a very small budget film but like the show, the strength is in the story and performances. The story which was the initial teleplay that started the serie is expanded to include some action sequences like Callan training to return to the service and a well shot action sequence involving an interesting car chase in the English countryside.

To me, this is about on par with the TV show, the difference is how James Mitchell expanded the story and not too much else. There is a difference with the movie from the TV show that can't be helped and that's how claustrophobic the TV show made everything seem. All these characters caught in this world of intrigue, very few places to hide. That added to the strength of the stories. Here, things are out in the open, it's all shot on film and that gives it some space. The viewer is not so drawn into it all.

If you don't mind limitations (this certainly doesn't have the budget of a Bond film) and like the genre, this film would be something you like. If you are a fan of a show but never got around to this, you might be a little disappointed for the reasons I mentioned but maybe not so much after a second or third viewing.