Le Saint défie Scotland Yard

Louis Hayward is many people's preference as the Saint over George Sanders, precisely because he played him as a hard, cold hit-man in 1938's The Saint in New York. While this is, undeniably, a trait in Charteris's creation, it is not the most likeable one and it is intriguing to see too Hayward's performance has mellowed with age. The script here is a little trite, but on the whole this is a more than passable little preamble that predicts nicely the Saint the Roger Moore series would show, with the Saint a vaguely retired disreputable character who finds it hard to stay on the right side of the law. There is much humour, and a little padding, but the film is worth a watch for Saint fanatics. For Hammer Film fans (the film was shot for RKO by the British studio) a nice touch is the shot of a floor plan of a country house that is about to be burgled; the names of all the guests belong to Hammer regular cast and crew members, including cult director Terence Fisher.

Like Louis Hayward as the Saint. Sydney Tafler as usual an excellent bad guy. Some of fight scenes are a bit tame. My expectations of this film weren't high sure it has it's flaws but found it entertaining enough & there's more good than bad in this film. The England of the early 50's portrayed here seems a different world today. A film should be entertaining & hold your interest in spite of some of it's flaws it largely achieves this & that is more than Citizen Kane did ( mind numbingly boring) It's a film that somehow makes you want to go back in time to early 50's & see the UK as it was then.

Simon Templar is shocked to learn that an old girlfriend was killed, the same day that she cabled him, reaching out.

It's a pretty good, if not dynamic movie, I believe it was the last on the big screen, it would of course return with the well remembered series.

It's a solid storyline, there is a sense of mystery, one thing you'll notice, it doesn't really have any lighter moments, it's quite a straight up mystery, it's definitely atmospheric.

Diana Dors appears, what a presence, what an absolutely beautiful woman.

It had been quite a few years since Hayward last played Templar, The Saint in New York, Hayward made some impressive films in the gap years, including one of my favourites, And then there were none.

There is no denying that Hayward was a handsome actor, with presence and charisma, well suited for the part, people will no doubt compare him to Sanders, I liked both.

Solid, 6/10.

After being the first actor to play The Saint, Louis Hayward returns to the role of Leslie Charteris's debonair modern Robin Hood for Hammer films in Great Britain. The Sain't Girl Friday has Hayward rushing back to the United Kingdom in response to a socialite friend of his. Before he arrives however the woman is killed in a mighty suspicious car crash.

Charles Victor as Chief Inspector Teal of Scotland Yard tells Hayward to stay out of it which is all the incentive Simon Templar needs to get in all the more. His late friend had a nasty gambling habit and she was in debt to a group called The River Gang.

This bunch doesn't always take pound sterling for payment. Any number of people can work off their debt in other ways. Finding this out is eventually how Hayward cracks the case.

Television fans of The Saint remember a young Roger Moore as Simon Templar and the big screen actor best known for the role is George Sanders. But Hayward does his usual good work and he would have been great himself as a small screen Simon Templar before Moore got the part.

The Saint's Girl Friday features British blond bombshell Diana Dors, their answer to Marilyn Monroe. She's as good a reason as any to see this film.

A good note to end the big screen series with.

Having seen this movie with Louis Hayward I wondered why he did stop with making the saint movies for so long, or why he didn't take the part instead of Hugh Sinclair (i don't like the saint with a moustache). Continuing his strong physical performance for The saint of New York, he's less suave but more the adventurer that Simon Templar is in his earlier years. With Hayward the physical action is believable while this was less the case with Sanders. But for me Hayward is slightly more Saintly. Hoppy Uniatz from the books gets changed in an English valet who does solve crosswords, which is a huge change for those who've read the books. This movie also has Diane Dors in it, the poor man's English Marlyn Monroe. She serves her purpose namely as Eyecandy.

Lets hope for a decent release on DVD for this movie and the series, so they can pleasure the series fans for a long time too come.