User reviews

"Interpol Calling" is a more obscure series from "ITC." Nevertheless it is pretty good and deserves to be better known. The stories are quite simple. A man from Interpol is summoned to investigate various crimes which are committed throughout Europe. It works to the shows advantage to have a running time of 30 minutes. Otherwise, the plots might have become overstretched. Altogether, good value for money.

Interpol Calling tends to be one of the more neglected of the I.T.C. crime/adventure series, and having watched it all, was pleasantly surprised, and would recommend it. A partnership between Rank and the Jack Wrather Organisation, the latter were no doubt influential in casting Charles Korvin as Inspector Duval. He proved an excellent choice, bringing a touch of European sophistication to a highly intelligent, perceptive official with a congenial sense of humour, but whom is also able to look after himself when faced, as he often is, with violent desperate criminals. These include protection racketeers and other extortionists, heroin traffickers, blackmailers and many others whom have either killed for gain or to cover up incidents in the past. His cases take him all over the world, while, by contrast, his invaluable assistant, Edwin Richfield's bow-tied Inspector Mornay rarely leaves the Paris office. Who needed databases when Mornay's filing cabinets seemingly held records of every known criminal and unsolved crime in existence? There are also one or two attempted 'impossible crimes' such as the driver who murders his wife while contriving to be seen in a car rally miles away at the same time, and the case of the body, verified gone overboard in the Mediterranean, which turns up shortly afterwards in the English Channel.

Doubtful if Interpol really bore much resemblance to this, yet many of the plots seem more realistic than in some comparable series' of the time and the briskness of pace aids in the suspension of disbelief. It goes without saying that as with similar British shows it had the huge benefit of superb character actors, though in this case many go strangely uncredited. One example is future Bond Girl Zena Marshall, previously high in cast lists for over a decade and Duval's assistant in a couple of early episodes, but whom is not given a name, never mind a credit.

Charles Korvin was a real 'action man' in this series, using chops to the back of the neck! It's strange how the Interpol organisation is virtually unknown to the general public. I must say the episode supposed to be in Australia was way off beam. Not one person had an Aussie accent, and the plot was more like the wild west of America.

What a brilliant series. I have to admit I was a little uncertain about going into it, but I'm so glad I did. The stories are consistently excellent, the acting superior, and the camera work great, with location shots wherever practical. The 25 minute format ensures that there is never a dull moment and the stories move along at a brisk pace. Add to that the appearance of various guest stars, often in very early roles, and you have a recipe for brilliance that is rarely matched. It's such a shame that it's almost forgotten now. I highly recommend this series to anyone. You won't be disappointed.