The Saint

Before he was James Bond, Sir Roger Moore was a television star and played the title role of "The Saint." He plays Simon Templar, an agent, who investigates crime like an American movie actress who is kidnapped with her co-star and a jewelry theft. Roger Moore is handsome and charming as the star. The episodes are crisp and fresh. I love the locations in London, England. The episodes are well written and executed in style with a talented cast and crew. The episodes are entertaining without being violent. It's no wonder that he was a perfect successor to play James Bond. I always liked him as Bond the best.

Watching the first series again after a gap of 30 years I must admit I'm surprised at just how enjoyable the b&w TV episodes were. By now I've read loads of Charteris's original novels, and in them Roger Moore was always the Saint for me - he never matched Templar with his later Bond, imho going to prove yet again you can't do everything by throwing money at it. Even if as Bond he had a more sensible haircut! At the end of episode "Luella" he's mistaken for Bond by a female admirer, but he regretfully points to the halo above his head as the clue to his "real" identity.

"The Talented Husband" broadcast 4.10.62: A nifty first entry, ST keeps an eye on a man married to one of many many lady friends who has just escaped a huge stone urn falling on her head. The thing is that his first wife died in dubious circumstances, causing suspicions to rise in Simon's beetling mind. A clever and sprightly script keeps you engrossed to the inevitable denouement.

And travelling through episode after episode I find nearly all were very well written, with something in each to recommend or applaud. Some were played more for comedy than others, a few were star vehicles, some tried to adhere to Charteris - and were even damn good whodunnits! Moore got through a fair few females, got his hair mussed a few times brawling with villains, and only got tangled up with Inspector Teal a few times in the 39 episodes. Therefore, although I wondered before whether I would only be able to view these through rose-tinted spectacles, my conclusion is No - the TV Saint is still good for thrills all these years on. Dated by todays "high" standards, no cgi cartoonery or mindless brutality but I'll survive. By now I've also realised I'll probably never see "exotic" places like Buenos Aires, Miami, Rome, obscure Spanish mountains or such bizarrely cardboard London night-life in the flesh either - and the entire series was filmed less than 100 miles from where I live!

8/10

I have been watching this one for several months on satellite TV: one channel broadcasts the color episodes, the other, the black-and-whites...

Still, these episodes are captivating. Roger Moore is the reason why he's the true "Simon Templar": charming, brave, suave and true knight for justice. If you watch the series, if you overlook the period (using dial phones mostly...), it hasn't changed a bit. The stories are actual and well written. Sometimes the Saint has to face real (and even surreal) dangers all over the world.

Lots of stars and actors have passed here. Donald Sutherland was one of them, so's Barry Morse and even Oliver Reed. Even Mr.Moore shared the screen with Ms.Moneypenny (from James Bond), Lois Maxwell.

The women are quite pretty in there, whether good or bad side. For the rest, Leslie Charteris made us travel around the world (even Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver were featured in a couple of episodes...) and we were in with lots of surprises (even if sometimes, it is noticeable that the same set was used to represent many locations...)

But The Saint is Roger Moore's Signature role. Way over James Bond !

And no need to imagine the Halo over the head when we recognized the famous Simon Templar at the beginning of each show... The Saint Lives !

The modern day Robin Hood. This show is a classic. James Bond without the gadgets, or over the top criminals are here. The Saint was the work of Leslie Charteris; an Asian-American writer who penned many books and his character came to life in many 40's B-movies. There was even a show; with Vincent Price as the Saint. The defining Saint was of course Roger Moore's Simon Templar. A suave, sophisticated jet setter who always was available to do a good deed. His character had an edge; a perception at least, of an international rogue. He was first and foremost a man with a strong sense of right and wrong and would do anything to make things right. The Saint ran from 1962-1969 and is still beloved and with good reason. Roger Moore does the Saint with a flair and the supporting characters are always well defined and twists and turns of the plot are always there. There was an informal ensemble cast and many of the same actors play different characters. I had mixed feelings about Inspector Teal (Ivor Dean), he is always duped and his character, although well played, was a bit of an idiot. Still Inspector Teal had some charm. The series had recurring writers including my favorite: Terry Nation. (For those Doctor Who fans, Terry Nation is of course, the creator of the Daleks). Harry Junkin was the writer of the more fluid episodes.

Anyone who appreciates mystery, intrigue and well played characters, has to appreciate the Saint. The Saint gets 9.9/10 stars.

During the 1960's, there were two imports that represented everything that is sophisticated and elegant in British TV: The Avengers and The Saint. The Saint is not as well known as The Avengers, but it should be. The Saint, Simon Templar, played to perfection by Roger Moore, is the hero of many mystery novels by Leslie Charteris. Roger Moore's Simon Templar is charming, suave, sexy and smart. Simon is less cynical and more caring than James Bond and relies on his wits rather gadgets to get himself out of trouble. He is a semi-reformed thief who uses his burglar skills to outwit rich and powerful evil doers and rescue the innocent. If you have the chance, please see The Saint. If you liked The Avengers, you will not be disappointed.