Callan (film)


Callan is an 1974 British thriller film directed by Don Sharp and starring Edward Woodward, Eric Porter and Carl Möhner.
It was based on the ITV television series Callan which ran from 1967 to 1972.

Plot

David Callan, a leading intelligence agent/assassin in the employment of the S.I.S., was forced into retirement when he lost his nerve. Now, he is called back into service to handle the assassination of Schneider, a German businessman. Colonel Hunter, his former employer, promises Callan that he'll be returned to active status as long as he follows his orders. But Callan refuses to act until he knows exactly why Schneider has been marked for death...

Cast

The only actors to reprise their television roles in the film were Woodward, Russell Hunter who played Lonely and Clifford Rose who played Snell. Apart from the three, all the other recurring characters were played by different actors and actresses.

Production

The script by James Mitchell is based on his original TV pilot "A Magnum for Schneider" and the novelization thereof, Red File for Callan, although only the novel is listed in the film's credits. The film was based more on the novel than on the original television script.
Callan's boss Hunter is played by Eric Porter, and Meres too is re-cast, this time played by Peter Egan. The only recurring actors from the TV series were Edward Woodward as Callan, Russell Hunter as Lonely, and Clifford Rose as Dr Snell.
Callan was the first film with a Dolby-encoded optical soundtrack.

Reception

The film's original reaction was mixed to positive.
The Observer called it "surprisingly enjoyable".