SWEENEY, THE: FACES (TV)
Summary
One in this series of police dramas about Detective Inspector Jack Regan and London's "Flying Squad," an elite unit that specializes in solving and preventing crimes committed by shady and ruthless underworld figures. In this episode, a gang of crooks robs a truck and shoots a security guard, then stealing another car when their van breaks down. Carter talks to his informant, Milligan, about the "blag," and updates Regan on his hints. Later, Regan and the others spy on the junk shop used by the criminals as their hideout and take photos, unable to recognize one of the men. "The German," Otto Schmidt, arrives and pays the men their shares, and they begin to plan their next heist. Tober objects to doing another robbery so quickly, worried that "Old Bill" will be onto them, but Schmidt reminds them that he is working for "the movement" and the others are just his hired thugs. The cops discuss Schmidt's criminal past, noting that the others are just "headline-grabbers" and small-time crooks. Noting Schmidt's involvement in "extreme politics," he wonders if the case is too big for them, but Regan orders him to ask Major Carver for information. Carver is unhelpful, however, denying knowing the criminals and offering only to "root around" for further details.
Carter and Ingram stake out the junk shop again, and when Ingram asks Tober for directions, Tober recognizes him as the policeman who arrested him in the past. He enters his shop with a knife drawn, and Carter narrowly manages to escape. Regan is annoyed at the mistake and removes Ingram as their driver, and Haskins orders Regan to stop his stake-outs and simply arrest Tober, Schmidt and "Doc" Boyd if they are seen all together again. Tober tells the other crooks that the criminals are onto them and that he will not continue, but Schmidt reminds him that he is contracted for four jobs and, when Tober still refuses, threatens his young daughter's life. Carter seeks out Milligan again and threatens to arrest him, and Milligan finally admits that the next heist is at 3:30 the following day, though he is unsure of the location. The cops narrow down the possibilities and plan to surprise the criminals at the scene, but Carver finds Regan and tells him that it is in "national interest" for them to allow the robbery to go off as planned, though he declines to explain further. Regan refuses, however, saying that innocent lives are at risk.
The following day, both sides prepare and Schmidt tells the others that he is not afraid of Regan's men. He then privately tells Jenkins that the robbery is in fact merely a ruse to root out the "stool pigeon" in the group and that he intends to stop it at the last second. At the same time, Haskins tells Regan to abort his mission, explaining that Carver has an undercover agent within the group and that the job is just a "tryout," saying that they cannot blow the man's cover yet. Thorpe finally recognizes Jenkins as a former cop, revealing that he is the informant, but when "Evil Willie" Sanders recognizes Thorpe, the cops and robbers begin shooting at one another. The police attempt to capture the criminals and end up in a brawl with them, and they are eventually all arrested. Tober explains to Regan about his daughter and makes a deal to ensure her safety, and Regan explains to Carver how he protected Jenkins and did not out him as the spy. Carter calls and admits that Jenkins got away after beating him up, and is bemused when Regan seems glad of the news. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ITV (United Kingdom)
- DATE: September 8, 1975 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:54:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T86:1024
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/detective; England
- SERIES RUN: ITV (United Kingdom) - TV series, 1975-1978
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Lloyd Shirley … Executive Producer
- George Taylor … Executive Producer
- Ted Childs … Producer
- Mary Morgan … Associate Producer
- William Brayne … Director
- Ian Kennedy-Martin … Created by
- Murray Smith … Writer
- Harry South … Theme Music by
- John Thaw … Cast, Det. Insp. Jack Regan
- Dennis Waterman … Cast, Det. Sgt. George Carter
- Garfield Morgan … Cast, Det. Chief Insp. Frank Haskins
- Collin Welland … Cast, Tober
- Barry Stanton … Cast, The German, aka Otto Schmidt
- Jeffry Wickham See also: Jeffrey Wickham … Cast, Major Carver
- Keith Buckley … Cast, Jake Jenkins
- John Cording … Cast, "Evil" Willie Sanders
- Martin Read … Cast, Jimmy Thorpe
- Grahame Mallard … Cast, Ingram
- John Vyvian … Cast, Albert Milligan
- John Bardon … Cast, Doc Boyd