
The Saint Film Series
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The Saint (film series) refers to eight B movies made by RKO Pictures between 1938 and 1941, based on some of the books in British author Leslie Charteris' long-running series about the fictional character Simon Templar, better known as The Saint. A few years after creating the character in 1928, Charteris was successful in getting RKO Radio Pictures interested in a film based on one of his books. The first, The Saint in New York, came in 1938 and was based on the 1935 novel of the same name. It starred Louis Hayward as Simon Templar and Jonathan Hale as Inspector Henry Farnack, the American counterpart to the British character, Chief inspector Claud Eustace Teal.
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The Saint's Return - 1953
CCult Classics Cinema &TV Classicshe Saint's Return is a 1953 British crime thriller film directed by Seymour Friedman and starring Louis Hayward, Naomi Chance and Sydney Tafler. It was produced by Hammer Film Productions in London and released in the United States as The Saint's Girl Friday. It premiered in London under the original title on 12 October 1953[2] and was distributed in the UK by Hammer Films own distribution company, Exclusive Films. It was released in the US by RKO under the US title on 15 April 1954.[2] The Saint's Return saw Louis Hayward, who had been the first actor to play Simon Templar in The Saint in New York in 1938, fifteen years earlier, return to the role one last time. A female friend asks the Saint for help and ends up dead. The Saint sets about investigating and discovers the involvement of the River Mob, a gangster organisation involved with a gambling barge. The Saint is helped by Carol Denby, who is being used by the gangster.30 views -
The Saint meets the Tiger - 1943
CCult Classics Cinema &TV ClassicsThe Saint Meets the Tiger is a 1941 British mystery thriller film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Hugh Sinclair, Jean Gillie and Clifford Evans. It was made by the British unit of RKO Pictures and released the same year, but was not distributed until 1943 in America. This was to be the last of the eight films in RKO's film series about the crimefighter the Saint. It was shot at Denham Studios outside London with sets designed by the art director Paul Sheriff. The previous entries in the series had all been made in Hollywood except The Saint's Vacation.35 views -
The Saint's Vacation - 1941
CCult Classics Cinema &TV ClassicsThe Saint's Vacation is a 1941 adventure film produced by the British arm of RKO Pictures. The film stars Hugh Sinclair as Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", a world-roving crimefighter who walks the fine edge of the law. This was the seventh of eight films in RKO's film series about the character created by Leslie Charteris. It was Sinclair's first appearance as Templar, having taken over the role from George Sanders, who then stepped into RKO's "Falcon" series. The film was based upon Charteris' 1932 novel, Getaway (also known as The Saint's Getaway) and, like all the other films in the RKO Saint series, considerable liberties were taken with the original story. Most notably, the time frame of the story has been moved up to the Second World War, with the villains of the piece being Nazis. The film also disregards the fact that Getaway was in fact the third chapter of a trilogy which included the earlier works The Last Hero and Knight Templar. Unlike other films in the Saint series, Charteris himself co-wrote the screenplay. Also, unlike the previous Saint films, which were produced in Hollywood, The Saint's Vacation was produced and filmed in the United Kingdom.27 views -
The Saint Takes Over - 1940
CCult Classics Cinema &TV ClassicsThe Saint Takes Over, released in 1940 by RKO Pictures, was the fifth of eight films in RKO's film series about Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the Robin Hood-inspired crimefighter created by Leslie Charteris. George Sanders played Templar for the fourth time. Sanders made one more Saint picture the following year. Wendy Barrie played his latest romantic interest, in her second of three appearances in the Saint film series (playing a different character each time).32 views -
The Saint's Double Trouble - 1940
CCult Classics Cinema &TV ClassicsThe Saint's Double Trouble is a 1940 action-adventure film produced by RKO Pictures. The film stars George Sanders as Simon Templar, a.k.a. "The Saint", a master criminal turned crime-fighter, and features horror film legend Bela Lugosi as "The Partner". This was the fourth of eight films in RKO's film series about the character created by Leslie Charteris, and the first film to not be directly based upon one of the original Saint books, although Charteris did contribute to developing the story for the film. In this production, Sanders plays a dual role, not only that of Templar but of his doppelgänger, Duke Bates. When Bates is spotted smuggling diamonds into the US, Templar is blamed for the crime. Co-starring in the film is Helene Whitney as love interest Anne Bitts, and Jonathan Hale as Insp. Henry Farnack.34 views -
The Saint In London - 1939
CCult Classics Cinema &TV ClassicsThe Saint in London: Directed by John Paddy Carstairs. With George Sanders, Sally Gray, David Burns, Gordon McLeod. The Saint returns to London and with the help of an American pickpocket and a beautiful adventuress breaks a counterfeiting ring.30 views -
The Saint Strikes Back - 1939
CCult Classics Cinema &TV ClassicsThe Saint Strikes Back is a 1939 American crime film directed by John Farrow. It marks the second cinematic incarnation of the antihero crimefighting character Simon Templar, alias "The Saint". George Sanders replaced Louis Hayward, who had played the Saint in The Saint in New York. The movie was produced by RKO and also featured Wendy Barrie as female gang leader Val Travers.29 views -
The Saint in New York - 1938
CCult Classics Cinema &TV ClassicsThe Saint in New York is an American 1938 crime film, directed by Ben Holmes and adapted from Leslie Charteris's 1935 novel of the same name by Charles Kaufman and Mortimer Offner. After a police lieutenant is killed, the New York Police Department enlists gentleman criminal Simon Templar to fight criminal elements in the city. Released by RKO Pictures, The Saint in New York marks the first screen appearance of Templar, also known as "The Saint". Louis Hayward stars as the title character, with Kay Sutton as his love interest.32 views