Le Saint à Palm Springs

This film or possibly the Leslie Charteris book from which the Saint is derived might very well have been the inspiration over 20 years later for the film Charade. If you remember the Hitchcockian McGuffin in that film were rare postage stamps.

In what would turn out to be George Sanders last appearance as Simon Templar, the Saint is asked by his good friend Inspector Fernack played in the series by Jonathan Hale to guard an old friend on his way west with a fortune that was smuggled out of occupied Europe. And like the fortune in Charade it is contained in three priceless postage stamps.

Sanders proves too late to save Hale's friend, but the stamps are saved and he couriers them to Palm Springs to give to Wendy Barrie who is the daughter of the late friend. Of course news of this kind of loot gets out and all kinds of people are trying for them.

It must have been deja vu all over again for Sanders. In addition to Hale, two members of the cast of the previous Saint film, The Saint Takes Over return. Wendy Barrie died in the last film, but apparently the movie-going public liked her and Sanders together. So she came back as the damsel in distress whom the Saint must aid.

And Paul Guilfoyle repeats his same role as the luckless crook who is determined to go straight in this film. As in the last he's on Simon Templar's side, but his help is somewhat dubious.

The Saint In Palm Springs is a nice entry in the Saint series and a good one for Sanders to go out on.

George Sanders again plays "The Saint" Simon Templar, in the murder mystery series, helping to solve some crime, while whistling and trying to avoid jail time himself. (Roger Moore would play the title character in the very successful TV Series in the 1960s). Sanders, with his quick, proper British accent, is probably best known for his roles in "All About Eve", or "Rebecca". Good story, but WHY do they keep taking the valuables that everyone is after out of the hotel safe ?? It gets a little confusing later in the story on who actually has the coveted valuables, but maybe that's part of the mystery. Also some competition over Templar on the parts of Elna Johnson (Wendy Barrie) and Margaret Forbes (Linda Hayes). It would be interesting to know if ANY of it were filmed in the Palm Springs area, as there is liberal use of stills and backdrops. Pretty good story, some clever scriptwriting, but the ending is a little silly. --- note that many of the actors in the background were also used in "The Falcon" films, another Sanders mystery murder series from RKO.

There isn't much to the story in this entry to George Sander's The Saint series for RKO. The sinister forces bumping off some one every fifteen minutes to steal three rare stamps are kept well informed by Sanders' teling everyone what is going on; beautiful women saunter by continually; and Paul Guilfoyle provides comic relief with a look of baffled despair and a variety of hats. Wendy Barrie is the woman at risk for the third time in the series.

In sum, it's a lousy movie. Why do I rate it above average? George Sanders of course, amiably ambling through the featherweight plot. His lines are nothing much, but he delivers them with such indifference that I can't help be charmed.

If you want to see a bad process shot, take a look at the shots in which Sanders and Guilfoyle are bicycling through the desert.

Two cops attempt to arrest the Saint as he comes ashore from the SS Monrovia. He's wanted in connection with a murder case, they explain—Inspector Fernack sent them. The Saint nods agreeably…then adroitly handcuffs them to each other and runs off—straight to Fernack's office, where (as he suspected) his old friend Fernack just wanted his help.

George Sanders and Jonathan Hale appear once again as Simon Templar and Inspector Fernack in this fast moving and frequently amusing mystery. Fernack requests the Saint's assistance delivering some postage stamps to Palm Springs, three rare stamps worth $200,000. Sensing reluctance, Fernack offers encouragement: "Of course, it would be dangerous…."

Wendy Barrie returns for her third Saint movie, playing a third unique role. This time around she is Elna Johnson, intended recipient of the rare stamps—a family fortune converted into stamps for easier transport out of wartime Europe. Needless to say, a gang is also after the stamps, led by a charming female (Linda Hayes) who meets Templar on the train ride west and is tracking him long before he catches on to her.

Paul Guilfoyle also returns from the previous series entry as Clarence "Pearly" Gates. When last seen, Pearly was a reforming pickpocket assisting the Saint; out here in Palm Springs, his probation officer has signed him up as a house detective at a ritzy resort. (Sure it makes sense.)

The plot is nothing too surprising, but the veteran cast and a lively script add up to an enjoyable hour. Sanders, Barrie and Guilfoyle certainly look awfully familiar together.

A very solid if unspectacular production all the way around.

George Sanders is really the reason you should watch this film. He is always cool, suave and sophisticated. Rarely caught by surprise. Of the five Saint films he made, this is second best(after The Saint in London). This one has sunny Palm Springs and a decent mystery. Wendy Barrie(once again) is also ok. The identity of the killers is a bit of a surprise, especially the head of the gang, but this does not take away from the fun of the film. Some of the back screen projection(in the desert scenes) is dreadful but there are enough location shots to compensate. Overall fun with a good performance by Sanders. I give it 7 stamps out of 10.