Hermetico - Die unsichtbare Region

2 episodes of the classic series sewn together for a UK cinema release. Simon Templar is mistaken for a writer of clever thrillers by a group of fanatics hell bent on robbing an impregnable strongroom.

Whether a parody or a straight copy, the similarities to Goldfinger are pretty blatant. Accepting this, this remains a fun enough piece of hokum if you like the tv series, helped considerably by the presence of Sylvia Syms.

"The Fiction Makers" was originally aired as a two-part Saint (TV series) adventure in 1968 (episodes #109 and # 110). Later it had theatrical and TV release as a feature film. This time famous Simon Templar (Roger Moore) has to face sinister Warlock (Kenneth J. Warren) , whose crimes are based on ideas taken from the books of a well known writer - Amos Klein (Sylvia Syms). Well, it's a typical Saint adventure which includes: grotesque villain, beautiful women, the chase, the fight and of course the one and only Roger Moore (the last real gent) , who proves that he's the best Simon Templar ever. The film was made in 60s and it can be rather funny than exciting but it doesn't matter. You don't watch this film because of its thrilling plot but because it's different than all those lousy "shoot n' run (and don't think much on your way)" films done these days. "The Fiction Makers" can be found as a very good documentary of what was popular in the 60s and how the films for TV were being made. But the greatest attribute of the film is, as I wrote before, 40-year old, but still looking good, future lord Brett Sinclair and James Bond - Roger Moore, his world famous Saint haircut (wow) and his perfect manners. My grade is 8/10, because the second Saint feature with Moore - "Vendetta For The Saint" (1969) is indeed much more thrilling.

The stage curtains open ...

Before Roger Moore was James Bond 007, he was Simon Templar, "The Saint". This 1968 film, "The Fiction-Makers", is such a fun movie to watch. It really is escapism that is campy, intelligent, and memorable. Originally shown on TV in two different episodes, they were combined for a cinema release and is now commonly packaged as a full-length movie.

Simon is asked to protect and look after a best-selling adventure novelist, a recluse woman who writes under the pseudonym of Amos Klein. And he arrives not a moment too soon as they are both abducted and taken to a veritable fortress under the control of a man who calls himself Warlock. Warlock is an obsessed fan of Klein's work, and has taken every idea she has written in her novels and brought them to life. Thinking that Templar is Klein, he forces them to assist him in planning and executing a daring heist that only his favorite novelist would be able to pull off.

For having been made in the late 60's, this film actually holds up pretty well. Moore shows off his usual wit and charm, and it is easy to see in this film why he was considered to fill the shoes of 007 after Connery and Lazenby. There is plenty of humor here as well that will generate a laugh or two along the way. And at the end of it all, you will be smiling ear to ear. "The Fiction-Makers" is a guilty pleasure - a lost gem.

I highly recommend this one. It took me a long time to find it again for my own personal collection, but now that I have it, I'll never let it go.

Funny, entertaining, suspenseful, in a smiling way. Thoroughly enjoyable fun. Not as overly ridiculous as some Bond films, fortunately.

Adventurer Templar, known for cocking his eye upwards at his animated halo, agrees to do a favour for a publisher friend (Peter Ashmore) to look after best-selling thriller writer Amos Klein - who writes macho Ian Fleming-type books but is actually scatty, cute, short-sighted Sylvia Sims, who is being targeted by criminals who want their expertise to pull off an impossible crime.

A wacky, spoof of the James Bond franchise, this a fun two-part series made into a feature film which benefits from its two stars - Roger Moore and Sylvia Sims. Their interactions is what makes this all so enjoyable. The Saint regular Justine Lord is beautiful as ever. It's a nice way to pass the time, even though the wackiness can be tiring at times.