'A Magnum for Schneider' is a taut 55-minute TV play produced for ABC's 'Armchair Theatre' in 1967 and starring Edward Woodward. David Callan is a sharp-shooting British spy who has been sidelined to a humdrum desk job after displaying too much sympathy for his victims. However, when his spymaster requires the speedy disposal of a German arms-dealer in the next-door office to his, it seems as if Callan may literally have a shot at redemption.
The play delivers all you might expect from its lone-wolf spy-with-a-conscience premise. No one trusts anyone, and no one is to be trusted. Callan's boss wants that old chestnut, deniability, and so Callan must achieve the kill unaided and unarmed. Enter Russell Hunter as 'Lonely', an unsavoury acquaintance of Callan's adept at acquiring black-market guns but less skilled at the art of washing. Lonely was to become a regular in the 'Callan' series which followed.
Peter Bowles, a staple of 'Armchair Theatre' and many other TV dramas of the period, plays Callan's self-confident replacement, while the magnificent Joseph Furst portrays his target, with whom Callan unexpectedly finds he has something in common. You may recognise Furst's distinctive face - his film appearances include 'The Brides of Fu Manchu' and 'Diamonds are Forever', and both he and Hunter also boast Doctor Who appearances on their CVs, Hunter as Uvanov in the classic Tom Baker serial 'The Robots of Death' and Furst as Professor Zaroff in the now largely lost Patrick Troughton serial 'The Underwater Menace'.
The inevitable showdown manages to raise genuine life-or-death tension, and the intriguing plot is given space to breathe plus a satisfying resolution in a phone-box coda. In fact, the whole production impresses, bearing in mind that it is entirely studio-bound and recorded more-or-less as live with minimal editing and re-shoots. The sets are well designed and allow for a couple of scenes with business outside windows, while the acting is uniformly strong.
'A Magnum for Schneider' is available in the UK from Network on the DVD compilation 'Callan - The Monochrome Years'. The transfer shows plenty of film dust and dirt as well as the odd video flicker, but although it's had a hard life it still provides clear picture and sound.
Don't expect the slicker production values of the 1970s colour era and you'll be well rewarded. Woodward is excellent in what would become a signature role for him, and this rates well both as a one-off 'Armchair Theatre' and as the introduction to the 'Callan' series. If you have a taste for tales of the lonely life of a misunderstood spy, then this is just the fodder for you.
The play delivers all you might expect from its lone-wolf spy-with-a-conscience premise. No one trusts anyone, and no one is to be trusted. Callan's boss wants that old chestnut, deniability, and so Callan must achieve the kill unaided and unarmed. Enter Russell Hunter as 'Lonely', an unsavoury acquaintance of Callan's adept at acquiring black-market guns but less skilled at the art of washing. Lonely was to become a regular in the 'Callan' series which followed.
Peter Bowles, a staple of 'Armchair Theatre' and many other TV dramas of the period, plays Callan's self-confident replacement, while the magnificent Joseph Furst portrays his target, with whom Callan unexpectedly finds he has something in common. You may recognise Furst's distinctive face - his film appearances include 'The Brides of Fu Manchu' and 'Diamonds are Forever', and both he and Hunter also boast Doctor Who appearances on their CVs, Hunter as Uvanov in the classic Tom Baker serial 'The Robots of Death' and Furst as Professor Zaroff in the now largely lost Patrick Troughton serial 'The Underwater Menace'.
The inevitable showdown manages to raise genuine life-or-death tension, and the intriguing plot is given space to breathe plus a satisfying resolution in a phone-box coda. In fact, the whole production impresses, bearing in mind that it is entirely studio-bound and recorded more-or-less as live with minimal editing and re-shoots. The sets are well designed and allow for a couple of scenes with business outside windows, while the acting is uniformly strong.
'A Magnum for Schneider' is available in the UK from Network on the DVD compilation 'Callan - The Monochrome Years'. The transfer shows plenty of film dust and dirt as well as the odd video flicker, but although it's had a hard life it still provides clear picture and sound.
Don't expect the slicker production values of the 1970s colour era and you'll be well rewarded. Woodward is excellent in what would become a signature role for him, and this rates well both as a one-off 'Armchair Theatre' and as the introduction to the 'Callan' series. If you have a taste for tales of the lonely life of a misunderstood spy, then this is just the fodder for you.