Le Saint: les créateurs de fictions

Naturally, I was aware of Roger Moore having been Simon Templar aka The Saint (a character created, complete with instantly recognizable theme, by Leslie Charteris) before he was Agent 007 aka James Bond, but I’d never actually watched him in the role (other than catching bits and pieces from the TV series when it was broadcast on Italian TV or the Bravo Cable channel).

Anyway, a number of episodes from “The Saint” (the series began shooting in black-and-white, then switched to color) were compiled to make up two individual features (the other being VENDETTA FOR THE SAINT [1969], which is to follow) and released to theaters. However, there was no mistaking the flat TV style (despite employing a veteran film-maker who had even worked in Hollywood), the full-frame ratio, or the studio-bound look (the big-budgeted James Bond adventures clearly could afford to be a great deal more elaborate); nevertheless, the cinematographer of this one – Michael Reed – went on to lens the very next 007 outing i.e. ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (1969)!

The film, as a whole, emerges to be mildly enjoyable and serves up a fairly ingenious plot: Templar is mistaken for a popular pulp fiction novelist (actually a woman, played by Sylvia Syms) and kidnapped by a gang – hiding under the aliases of the criminal organization (complete with an H.Q. built to specifications) and characters ‘he’ had himself created – in order to plan a heist from an impregnable site! The leader of the villains is played by a flustered Kenneth J. Warren, who has fun with the role; his associates, then, include Nicholas Smith (later to be seen in the ARE YOU BEING SERVED? comic TV series!) and the engaging Justine Lord (who would prove a memorable femme fatale, literally “The Girl Who Was Death”, in the episode of that name from what was possibly the cult TV series of the era i.e. THE PRISONER).

As I said, the film suffers most from its ultra-modest budget – allowing for thrills and action highlights which, while not disagreeable in themselves, are decidedly bland and predictable, especially when stacked alongside what was being delivered in similar vein on the big screen…

But much better than the one made a year later, "Vendetta for the Saint"(1969). Kenneth J. Warren is funny as Warlock. But the main attraction is Justine Lord as Galaxy Rose.

Granted, I've never seen Rififi or Grand Slam, but this one-time TV two-parter of The Saint that was later given a theatrical release is to me, the best heist movie I've ever watched. Roger Moore stars, in his pre-Bond days, in a sendup of James Bond pictures, as Simon Templar, he is sent to protect the identity of a fictional Ian Fleming named Amos Klein, who prefers to remain anonymous to the public. It turns out that Mr. Klein is actually a girl, and she and Templar are kidnapped by a gang who take their identities from the baddies in Klein's book and Klein is asked to produce a real-life device to break into an actual fortress of a bank.

The comedy is hilarious, and the spoof of Bond works on so many levels: it's a Bond movie that spoofs Bond played by a James Bond. Roger Moore may only be able to play one thing, but he plays it wonderfully with effortless charm, Sylvia Syms is terrific as Klein, and Kenneth J. Warren outstanding as the Klein devotee/gang leader Warlock. This is a sadly lost piece of work and one of the most underrated movies in the world. And I never fail to laugh when Moore scolds Ken Warren for behaving "like a mentally deficient buffalo." 4 **** out of 4

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.

A British spy adventure; A story about a a Robin Hood-like figure known as the Saint who is asked to act as a bodyguard to a best-selling adventure author, a young woman who uses a male pen-name. This feature length film dovetailed with the successful british TV series of "The Saint". It showcases the light comedy talents of stars, Roger Moore and Sylvia Sims. Technically, it has a flat TV look with full screen ratio because of its release previously as a two-part TV format. It has an interesting and ingenious plot, and the action, while not particularly suspenseful, is enjoyable and the third act holds up quite well. Despite it's low budget and TV stage feel, the film has good production values and is well produced. The film pays tribute in a small way to a burgeoning new genre of fantasy spy and heist films. As an aside, several scenes and motifs in the film resemble other such films: Goldfinger (1964), Pink Panther (1964) and Entrapment (1999).