The Section

Featuring the surviving black & white episodes of Callan which ran from 1967 to 1969.


Opening titles.
Callan (1967)

You Should Have Got Here Sooner
Written by James Mitchell
Directed by Piers Haggard
Callan - Edward Woodward
Hunter - Ronald Radd
Meres - Anthony Valentine
Lonely - Russell Hunter
Pollock - Jon Laurimore
Sue Lyall - Pinkie Johnstone
Mrs Lyall - Anne Blake
Loder - Derek Newark
Flat Porter - Bernard Stone
Secretary - Lisa Langdon
Police Sergeants - Philip Ryan
& Stanley Stewart

Opening titles.

Lonely is confronted in his own flat by a big, angry man.
You Should Have Got Here Sooner opens
with a lone intruder in Lonely's flat going
through Lonely's belongings, messing the
place up and breaking things in the process.
It's raining heavily outside and Lonely
arrives home. The intruder hides behind the
door as Lonely enters. Lonely stands and
looks over his messed-up flat, then the
intruder slams the door, shutting them
both in.
The big man demands of Lonely, "Where is it?"
At first Lonely thinks the man might be a
policeman and stands up to him unconvincingly.
The man flies into a rage and starts to
brutally beat Lonely, repeating the question
over and over.

Lonely is badly beaten by the intruder.

An injured Lonely lets Callan into the flat.
The man beats Lonely unconscious and
throws water onto his face to bring him
around. Just as he does this, Callan
approaches the front door and calls out
Lonely's name. Callan is stuck outside
in the rain and growls at Lonely to let
him in. The big intruder leaves by the
back window as Lonely somehow
struggles to his feet and opens the door.
He falls into Callan's arms and Callan
helps him to a chair.
Callan tends to Lonely's injuries and questions
him about the attacker, getting a description.
It transpires that Lonely has committed a burglary
but he tells Callan that the man who beat him
wasn't in the place he robbed. Callan wants
to know where the stuff stolen by Lonely is.
Lonely tells him it's at his aunty's.

Lonely tells Callan where the stolen goods are.

Callan warns Lonely the man who beat him will probably
come back.
Callan tells Lonely to get the stuff and bring
it back to Lonely's flat, that it might give
them a lead on who clobbered Lonely. Lonely
isn't keen, but Callan warns him the man will
probably be back as he didn't get what he came
for. As he's leaving, Callan asks Lonely to
get him some ammunition.
At the apartment Lonely unwittingly robbed,
Meres guards Pollock, gun in hand. Pollock
is a spy who has just been broken out of
jail by section operatives, but Pollock
thinks Meres is a Russian agent, and that
he is in Russian hands. Pollock has been
rattled by the burglary, but Meres assures
him they know who the burglar is and they
will get Pollock's belongings back. There
is something Pollock has that Meres wants.

Meres watches an agitated Pollock.

Meres reacts instantly upon hearing someone entering
the room.
There is the sound of someone coming into the
apartment and Meres reacts instantly, ready
with his revolver. The new arrival is section
operative Loder, the man who beat up Lonely.
Loder and Meres speak briefly in Russian (for
the benefit of Pollock), then Meres reports
that the burglar has been found. Pollock
wants his stuff back but Meres tells him it
has been destroyed.
Meres orders Pollock to go and lie down in
the bedroom to rest. Pollock is concerned
for his safety. Meres tells Pollock he will
keep watch while Pollock rests, and that
they are soon moving to a different location.
Reluctantly Pollock leaves the room.

Meres assures Pollock he is safe.

Meres questions Loder about his interrogation of Lonely.
Meres wants to know from Loder what happened.
Loder reports that he had to rough Lonely up
a bit, and complains that Lonely stinks. Meres
thinks it is just as well Lonely stinks because
it is this trait that identified him. Loder says
he will go back tomorrow to make Lonely talk
and get the stuff, but Meres has guessed the
person who interrupted Loder was Callan,
and he warns Loder that Loder still has a
thing or two to learn.
At Callan's flat, Callan examines the stuff
Lonely stole, looking for a clue to the
intruder. Lonely tells Callan about his
burglary of the apartment, which seemed
easy at first. However, just as Lonely was
getting ready to leave, a man came in and
switched on the light, catching him red-handed.
The man seemed scared, and Lonely made his
escape. Lonely said the man was big and looked
tough, so Callan can hardly believe he was
afraid of Lonely. Lonely is adamant the man
who caught him robbing the apartment was not
the same man who beat him up at his flat.

Lonely tells Callan about the flat he robbed.

Callan notices something strange about a wallet stolen
by Lonely.
Callan notices something odd about a wallet
amongst the stolen property and rips open the
lining with a knife. Hidden inside he finds a
paper with a Sussex address written on it.
Callan says he will go and have a look
at the flat in Holland Park that was robbed
by Lonely. Callan tells Lonely he can stay
behind, and Lonely speaks of how Callan has
been a real friend to him.

Lonely points out what a real friend Callan has been.

Callan the Civil Servant dons a bowler.
As Callan is leaving, Lonely holds up Callan's
revolver, still in its holster, and asks will
Callan not need a gun? Callan puts on a bowler
and announces he is with the Civil Service.
Pretending to be a tax inspector, Callan
questions the porter about the robbed flat
and learns it belongs to a major who has
been away for six months.

Callan questions the porter about the flat Lonely robbed.

Callan cons the porter into letting him into the flat.
Callan cons his way into the flat. As far as
the porter is concerned, no one has lived in
the flat for the past six months. Callan learns
the porter was away the night Lonely robbed the
flat and found it occupied.
Callan returns home and tells Lonely the flat
has been unoccupied for six months. Lonely is
adamant it was occupied the night he robbed it.
Callan believes Lonely but can't imagine who
the occupant was or why he was there.

Lonely insists the flat was occupied when he robbed it.

Lonely speculates on the motives of the man who caught
him robbing the flat.
Lonely's brilliant idea is that the man who
caught him red-handed was there to rob the
place as well. Callan is not convinced. Why
would such a man send a thug around to beat
up Lonely over a few trinkets? Callan
announces he will go to the Sussex address
the next day to see what he can find out.
Lonely is tidying up and notices a photograph of
a man in the newspaper. The man is Pollock, the
escaped spy, and Callan, with a wry chuckle, says
he used to know Pollock. Lonely is beside himself
and tells Callan this is the man who caught
him in the flat, which shocks Callan.

Lonely sees a picture of an escaped spy in the newspaper.

A displeased Hunter asks Meres how the flat came to
be burgled.
In Hunter's office, Hunter is displeased and
wants to know how the Major's flat came to be
burgled. Meres doesn't really have an explanation
except to say Lonely is a very good burglar.
Meres confirms that Lonely saw Pollock but that
he will not talk as he has been given a "warning".
This brings up the subject of Callan, and Hunter
tells Meres he does not want Callan involved,
that Callan knows Pollock from when Callan
worked on the Pollock case. At that time Callan
posed as a police officer from Special Branch
and also met the Lyalls who now live in Sussex.
All Meres has so far been able to find out from
Pollock is that he left information about the
formula sought by Hunter with the Lyalls.

Hunter says he does not want Callan involved.

Meres reports on Pollock's emotional state.
Hunter orders Meres to pose as a Special Branch
officer as well and visit the Lyalls with a search
warrant, to see if he can find the formula.
Hunter wants to know how Pollock is and Meres
reports that he is restless and has been moved
since the burglary and is now being kept isolated.
Hunter wants to warn Callan to stay out of it,
but the secretary cannot get him on the phone.
Callan has driven to Sussex, to the address
written on the hidden paper. He watches the
house, something of a mansion, from the car.

Callan watches the Lyall house.

Meres emerges from the house with Susan Lyall.
Callan is somewhat amused to see Meres emerge
from the house, accompanied by a young woman.
Meres leaves and Callan recognises the girl
from his time on the Pollock case. She is Susan
Lyall, Pollock's girlfriend, and at that time
she knew Callan as a police officer.
Callan rings the doorbell and poses as the
policeman again. With a little prompting
Susan remembers him and is puzzled as to
why Callan has arrived when another policeman
has just been and gone regarding the same
matter. Callan talks his way inside.

Susan admits Callan to the house.

Susan's political affiliations are called into question.
Callan asks Susan about presents Pollock had given
her, a ring in particular. Susan is concerned about
having to go over everything again, but Callan is
very authoritative and convincing in his role.
Susan believes the Russians wouldn't hurt Pollock
as he is on their side. Callan wants to know if
Susan still attends Party meetings. Susan sees
herself as harmless, despite her communist leanings.
Susan and Callan discuss Susan's mother. Susan says
her mother is very good to her.
After Pollock's trial for treason, Mrs Lyall
moved Susan away to the country, from their
very modest dwelling in the city to the mansion
in Sussex. Callan wants to know if they came
into money and Susan confirms her mother did,
inheriting it from an uncle.

Callan notices that Susan and her mother have come up
in the world financially.

Callan faces off against the imperious Mrs Lyall.
Mrs Lyall overhears part of the conversation
and comes in to tell Callan the money is none
of his business and that it had nothing to
do with Pollock.
Mrs Lyall tells Callan her daughter hasn't had
any contact with Pollock for years. She tells
Callan to leave Susan alone, and then implies
he should leave.

Mrs Lyall insists that Susan has had no contact
with Pollock.

Meres reports on his visit to the Lyalls.
Back at Hunter's office, Meres reports that the
Lyalls do not seem to have anything of interest,
just some jewellery Pollock gave Susan, even
though Pollock has told Meres the formula is with
the Lyalls, although he won't say how or where.
Even though he dislikes how messy the business
is getting, Hunter instructs Meres to take Pollock
to the Lyalls' house to get to the bottom of it.
In a roundabout way, Hunter gives permission
for Meres to make sure Lonely keeps his mouth
shut about seeing Pollock.

Hunter gives permission for Meres to lean on Lonely.

Callan sticks his nose in where it doesn't belong.
Meres leaves and the secretary announces over the
intercom that Callan has arrived. Callan is frisked
in the outer office before being allowed to enter
Hunter's office. Callan is very offhand and taunts
Hunter with mention of Pollock. Pressing on with
blatant insubordination, Callan picks up Pollock's
file from Hunter's desk and starts looking through
it. Pollock worked as a biochemist in the United
States perfecting a nerve gas. Pollock disappeared
with the formula, and it turned out he had been
selling information for two years. Pollock was
captured and sent to prison but the formula was
never recovered.
Callan reveals he has seen the Lyalls and that
he saw Meres with them. Hunter informs Callan
the affair is none of his business. Callan tells
Hunter not to involve him, and Hunter says he
has no wish to; Callan tells him to lay off
Lonely then. Callan says if Hunter leaves Lonely
alone, Callan will stay out of it, and Hunter
agrees not to touch Lonely. Callan goes to leave
but sees a section operative at the shooting
range on one of Hunter's closed-circuit
television monitors and recognises him from
Lonely's description of his attacker.

A section operative appearing on Hunter's closed-circuit
television catches Callan's eye.

Hunter seems resigned to what is about to happen.
Something in Callan's manner as he leaves the
office tips Hunter off, and Hunter watches
Loder on the monitor. He makes a remark of
resignation at what is about to happen, and
he makes no move to prevent it.
Callan enters the shooting range and stands
alongside Loder while Loder is shooting. With
seemingly idle chitchat Callan confirms that
Loder is his man, then his conversational tone
takes a downward turn. Loder smells danger,
but too late, and Callan brutally assaults
him with barehanded strikes. Loder disappears
below the counter top and Callan glares
defiantly into the monitor at Hunter.

Callan approaches Loder at the section's shooting range.

Loder tries to recover from Callan's brutal assault.
Callan leaves, and an injured
Loder struggles in vain to get
to his feet. Hunter is prompted
to use the intercom to make
derogatory remarks to Loder.
Asleep in his flat, Lonely is woken up and
is terrified to see Meres at his bedside. As if
for protection, Lonely invokes the name of
Callan, but Meres is scornfully unimpressed.

Lonely is rudely awakened by a nocturnal visitor.

A sadistic Meres torments Lonely.
Meres torments Lonely over his burglary
of the flat, insults him, then proceeds
to torture him to ensure his silence about
the whole matter of Pollock and the burglary.
At the Lyall house, Mrs Lyall is indulging in some
mother-daughter manipulation of Susan, playing martyr
to the wayward child. Mrs Lyall says she hates Pollock.
Susan wonders about what Meres was looking for.

Susan ponders the visits of Meres and Callan.

Susan takes a call from Pollock.
Mrs Lyall tells Susan it would be a good thing
if the Russians killed Pollock as he is a spy.
Susan answers the telephone and it is Pollock.
Susan tries to cover up that she is talking to
Pollock. He asks her if she still has the ring
he gave her.
Mrs Lyall demands to know who is on the phone.
Pollock asks if the police have been around
asking about him, and Susan tells him yes,
Turner (Meres) and Callan.

Pollock asks Susan if she still has the ring he gave her.

Mrs Lyall hangs up the telephone.
Mrs Lyall comes straight over and snatches
the phone off Susan. She listens to Pollock's
voice for a moment then hangs up on him.
Callan has found Lonely and helps him to lie
on the bed. Lonely is very badly hurt. Callan
tries to find out who hurt him, but Lonely
has been scared silent. Callan, however, has
a fairly good idea that Meres is responsible.
Lonely's condition is so bad that Callan is
forced to call an ambulance for him.

Callan calls an ambulance for Lonely.

Callan tells Hunter he is coming to get Meres.
Callan is seething with suppressed rage.
He rings the section and demands that the
secretary get Hunter out of conference.
The ambulance team takes Lonely away on
a stretcher as Callan waits for Hunter's
call. Hunter rings and Callan says he is
coming for Meres because of the beating
Meres gave Lonely. Callan is furious with
Hunter as well, as Hunter promised
Lonely would not be touched.
Hunter orders him to leave Meres alone, but
Callan refuses. Callan insists he is coming
for Meres, but Hunter, flanked by other section
operatives, tells Callan he has three men with
him who would kill Callan. Callan puts the phone
down and decides three is too many. Deducing
Meres must be out at the Lyalls, Callan decides
to go to Sussex to screw up the job for him.

Hunter threatens Callan.

Susan and Pollock are reunited.
At the Lyalls, Meres is at his smarmy best,
and is infuriating Mrs Lyall. She orders him
to leave the house. Pollock and Susan have
been reunited and are sitting together in
the background. It is plain their feelings
for each other are genuine, and Pollock is
angry with Susan's mother for not letting
her write to him while he was incarcerated.
Pollock says he is leaving the country and
Susan agrees to go with him. Meres reminds
Pollock about the ring he gave Susan, and
Pollock asks Susan to get it for him.

Meres restrains Mrs Lyall.

Callan arrives at the house.
Callan arrives by car and sneaks into
the house. He hides from Susan as she
comes back downstairs with her
jewellery box. He eavesdrops with
the aid of a stethoscope.
Susan hands the jewellery box to
Pollock, and Meres insists Pollock
recover the microfilm from the ring.
Susan knows nothing of the ring's
secret, and when Meres tells her
about the formula for the nerve gas,
she is horrified. Pollock prises
the gem from the setting but the
formula is not there.

Susan fetches the jewellery given to her by Pollock.

Meres leans heavily on Susan.
Pollock and Meres look accusingly at Susan.
Pollock tells Susan this is not the ring he
gave her, but she insists it is. Pollock says
the ring he gave her held a ruby; this gem is
glass. Callan has heard enough and stops
listening. Meres grabs Susan's arm and threatens
her, with Pollock and Mrs Lyall looking on.
Meres tells Susan to get the real ring. Mrs
Lyall says Susan hasn't got it, that she
doesn't know anything about it. Susan is
plainly frightened and confused.

Susan is frightened and confused.

Susan answers a telephone call from Callan.
Callan leaves the house to make a call from a public
telephone. Pollock is pleading with Susan to give him
the real ring. The phone rings and Meres tells Susan
to answer it. Pollock accompanies her to the phone
while Meres stays with Mrs Lyall. Callan is on the
line and says he wants Pollock to listen in as well.
Callan tells the pair that Meres is from British
security, which is news to them both. Their whole
demeanour changes and Meres wants to know what is
wrong. They won't tell Meres who called, and, as
Meres reaches for Susan, Pollock hits him from
behind with a heavy object. Meres is badly hurt
and knocked unconscious.
Pollock and Susan decide to leave immediately. Mrs
Lyall doesn't want Susan to go. As they are arguing,
Pollock opens the door to leave but Callan is
in his way. Pollock recognises Callan right away.
He makes an aggressive move towards Callan but
Callan warns him not to try it and presents a gun.

Pollock tries to leave but he runs into Callan.

Pollock is knocked down by Callan.
Callan orders Pollock back inside, and to put
his hands up against the wall. Callan starts
giving Pollock a lecture about how stupid he is,
and Pollock makes a grab for Callan's gun. He
is no match for Callan, and after Callan knocks
him to the ground with a couple of hand blows,
Susan runs to him. Callan is somewhat apologetic.
All the while, Mrs Lyall stands tensely in the
background. Callan phones Hunter's secretary
and leaves a little bait to entice Hunter himself
out to the Lyalls' house. Callan hangs up the
phone and looks wistfully at Meres' prostrate form.
Hunter and some men arrive in a police car. As Hunter
enters the house, he is greeted by the sight of Meres
stretched out on a table like a body at the morgue.
Hunter examines Meres while Callan looks on, amused.
Hunter orders a policeman to take Meres and Pollock
away, but the policeman says that Meres needs an
ambulance. Hunter tells him to get one. Another man
begins to roughly escort a groggy Pollock from the
house, with Susan protesting. Pollock tells Susan he
is sorry and Susan says, "I love you." They drag
Pollock away and Mrs Lyall restrains Susan. She
breaks free but Hunter orders her not to leave.

Pollock is taken away by the authorities.

Susan begins to realise the extent of her mother's
manipulation.
Hunter wants to know if the microfilm is here, but
Callan says no. In a very irreverent manner, Callan
also denies he is the one who battered Meres. Susan
is coming to a realisation about her mother. Hunter
suggests that Callan finish the business at hand,
but first Callan makes a strange request regarding
Meres, and Hunter agrees to it. Callan doesn't even
have to explain what has been happening regarding
Susan, for she is figuring it all out for herself.
There never was a "rich uncle" who left
Mrs Lyall money. Without Susan's knowledge,
Mrs Lyall sold the ruby ring Pollock had given
her and put a worthless replica in its place.
Mrs Lyall tells Susan she did it all for her.
Susan is working up a head of steam, but Hunter
calls a halt to it. He tells Susan to wait outside.

Mrs Lyall tries to justify her machinations.

Hunter tells Mrs Lyall to leave the house.
Hunter wants to know who Mrs Lyall sold the ring to.
The answer is a jeweller in Kensington. Mrs Lyall
still has the receipt, which she is forced to hand
over to Hunter. Hunter tells Mrs Lyall to wait
outside. She informs him that "this is my house"
and he replies, "Hardly." Mrs Lyall has met her
match in Hunter and she leaves the house. The ring
was sold two years ago, and Hunter has to get it
back in order to recover the microfilm.
Hunter gives Callan the jeweller's receipt
and suggests there may have to be a burglary.
Callan taunts Hunter, telling him he will need
Lonely for that, and Lonely is in hospital.
Hunter says that he wants Callan to do it.

Hunter needs Callan to commit a burglary.

Callan demands payment for the job be given to Lonely.
Callan says, "It'll cost you." He wants
"top rate". Hunter is most displeased, and
angry with Callan, but he is forced to
agree. Callan's final, perverse demand is
that the cheque be made out to "Lonely".






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