A Magnum for Schneider

Colonel Hunter, head of one security section, needs to be able to re-employ one of his best operatives, David Callan, who had been ‘retired’ from the service owing to his concerns over the people he was ordered to kill. Callan arrives at Section headquarters, an old school building, where he meets with Hunter in the firing range, and is told he can come back into the Section if he can prove himself with another killing.

Hunter brings out a red file, the colour red signifying that the person it concerns is dangerous, and marked for death. That person is a German business man, Rudolph Schneider (Joseph Furst), who ‘coincidentally’ has an office down the corridor from where Callan works as a bookkeeper. No help will come from the Section; Callan must get his own gun, though no information as to why Schneider must be killed is forthcoming.

Before Callan leaves, he notices a hand gun he has never seen before, and shoots at a target. Impressed with the gun, he learns that is a Noguchi magnum. Once Callan has left, Hunter informs his current top operative, Meres, who has never met Callan, that if Callan won’t kill Schneider, then he must do it, framing Callan in the process.

On the way back into his office, Callan literally bumps into Schneider, who is carrying a box of model soldiers, spilling the contents onto the floor. Schneider, it seems, shares Callan’s passion for model soldiers and war games, and the two hit it off straight away. Shortly after, Callan hears two plain clothes policemen, Pollock (Martin Wyldeck) and Jones (John Scarborough), knock at Schneider’s office.

He eavesdrops as they question Schneider about their suspicions of gun running activities. Later, at a Soho pub, Callan meets with an odorous little acquaintance of his known as Lonely. Lonely is asked to supply a gun, with twenty bullets, for which Callan pays him there and then. Watching this is Meres.

Making a search of Schneider’s office, Callan comes across two items of significance: a key which seems to fit nothing, and which he pockets, and a pencil which is embossed with the name ‘Noguchi’.

Having taken delivery of the gun he paid Lonely for, Callan’s next step is to get into Schneider’s flat. This he manages with the key from Schneider’s office. He opens the safe with ease, finding it full of cash, and newspaper clippings concerning the deaths of servicemen who have been killed in Malaysia. As Callan leaves, he narrowly escapes being caught as Schneider returns home with his Chinese girlfriend Jenny (Francisca Tu).

Lonely’s services are required again, this time for another gun, a Noguchi Magnum 38.

Callan is invited that evening to Schneider’s home to play a war game, which Callan recognises as his opportunity to kill his victim. Before that, Callan attempts to record a confession on tape, including all details of Hunter and the Section, which he intends for Inspector Pollock to hear should things go wrong. However, Meres is listening at his door, breaks into the flat, coshes Callan, and wipes the tape.

When Hunter learns of this tape, he makes a call and asks for Pollock to show up at Schneider’s place, at the time that Callan has agreed to make the execution. That night, Callan wins the first game, and a start is made on the second. Meres has scaled the outside wall and breaks into the bedroom.

The police arrive, but Schneider is still alive to send them away. Jenny is tired, and goes to bed, only to be knocked out by Meres, who is discovered by Callan. Soon after, Schneider is alerted by a noise in the bedroom, and pulls a gun on Callan. He finds Meres behind the door, at which point Callan is able to retrieve his Noguchi. Just as Schneider is about to shoot Meres, Callan kills him.

As revenge for being coshed earlier, and for the policemen that Hunter sent round, Callan clubs Meres to the ground, then phones Hunter to tell him that the deed is done, and that Meres will be left at the scene for the police to find. Hunter buzzes his secretary (Judy Champ - voice only), and tells her to put Callan’s details in a red file.