The Equalizer (TV Series)

The Defector (1985)

Edward Woodward: Robert McCall

Quotes 

• Larry Kelly : [scepticism]  The Equalizer?

  [McCall nods] 

  Larry Kelly : Oh, maaaan...

  Robert McCall : You were possibly expecting Clint Eastwood?

• Lt. Jefferson Burnett : Well I'm surprised to see you here McCall. Thought you were retired.

  Robert McCall : Yeah that's what I thought. Apparently the rest of the world doesn't agree.

• Robert McCall : [Irate]  You hung me out to dry on this.

  Control : I told you minimum backup.

  Robert McCall : Minimum? I didn't get any backup. Your fair haired young man, cut and ran as soon as the noise started.

  Control : He was operating to my instructions.

  Robert McCall : Your instructions to him were to bungle the cross over?

  Control : He was instructed to minimise his exposure. I wasn't going to blow his cover or the cover of any East Coast operative for a worthless defector.

  Robert McCall : Worthless?

  Robert McCall : [Stock enters the room]  Stock! There's your worthless one.

  Jacob Stock : You have any complaints about me McCall?

  Robert McCall : Mister!... McCall. You are just a common garden variety coward, you're not even worth discussing.

  Jacob Stock : I was acting under orders.

  Robert McCall : Yes, orders. The famous excuse for brutality and cowardice.

• Robert McCall : I'm a retired civil servant. I should keep my nose out of agency business, is that it?

  Control : There is nothing you can do about it.

  Robert McCall : Why do we do with this dirty job?

  Control : I don't know Robert, I'm not a philosopher.

  Robert McCall : Well we want to help people. Some of us. I know I did. And that is why I resigned. I felt that I'd become trapped in some dirty little game that no body ever really won. And so I went into private life. That's a laugh.

• Lt. Jefferson Burnett : What went down here?

  Robert McCall : Well I dear say there will be an explanation. Polite telephone call to your people.

  Lt. Jefferson Burnett : To hell with polite phone calls. I don't like people playing cloak and dagger games in my sector. An innocent person could have been killed in that cross fire.

  Robert McCall : An innocent person was killed.

  Lt. Jefferson Burnett : Look McCall you can't hide behind that security clearance anymore. You're just a private citizen now.

  Robert McCall : Yeah. Well there's a thing called the constitution I can hide behind now, isn't there. You have any further questions Jefferson?

• Robert McCall : Why do we do this dirty job?

  Control : I don't know - I'm not a philosopher.

  Robert McCall : Oh, we want to help people. Some of us. I know I did. And that is why I resigned. I felt that I had become trapped, in some dirty little game, that nobody every really won. And so I went into 'private life.' That's a laugh.

  Control : McCall, I AM sorry.

  Robert McCall : How many times old friend have you and I been sorry?