The second film to feature George Sanders
as Simon Templar, a sort of modern day Robin Hood, The Saint in London is a
breezy, enjoyable, lightweight romp.
The plot sees Templar back in England, and
getting a tip-off from a friend in British Intelligence about a foreign
government official who seems to be caught in a plot by a gang to print
millions in illegal bank notes. Things get complicated when the gang kidnap
Templar's female sidekick - can he rescue the girl and the money before it is
too late?
George Sanders is excellent, as he nearly
always was, although the role of Simon Templar allows him to display genuine
charm, without the sinister undertones found in some of his later roles.
The move by Templar back to his home
country is a slight let down, as it does make you realise that part of the fun
of the previous entry, The Saint Strikes Back was watching the fish-out-of-water
effortlessly deal with the foreign culture as much as the crime. Back on his
home turf of 1930s London, he presents less of a contrast. There is also little
challenge to him from the story, which is not really a whodunit, but simply
involves Templar finding people and sorting a situation out. Fortunately, the
main villains are a good match for him, both in brains and wit, and can be
funny without seeming laughable.
The criminal element of Templar’s character
is played down somewhat, although the film does start with him pickpocketing a
pickpocket, Duggan, an American man who instantly goes on to become his helper.
His reasons for being in London seem a little vague, but I assume the studio
thought that, with the Saint being back in England, they ought to include one
American accent for the Stateside audiences, and the character does get some of
the best one liners (“Tell me, what part of the states are you from? Sing
Sing?” “Nah, San Quentin”)
Templar's other sidekick is Polly Parker,
played by Sally Gray, who, as well as conveniently getting Templar out of a
couple of scrapes, also gets some good dialogue, and Gray's quirky, daffy
energy makes a good contrast with smooth, charming Sanders. Also worth a
mention is Gordon McLeod as the henpecked Scotland Yard detective (and frequent
Templar adversary) Claude Teal, who has a running gag of some very funny phone
exchanges with his unseen wife.
If anything this film feels more like an
episode of the Saint television series that Roger Moore would find fame with in
the 60s, particularly with the short running time, and fast pace. Also, as on
an established TV show, there is a lack of any back-story for the main
character, assuming that we are familiar enough with him to dive straight in.
There is a link to the other character that
Moore would enjoy huge worldwide success with, that of James Bond. Although
there are differences in the characters and in the nature of the stories, there
are also some elements that foreshadow Bond, certainly the cinema incarnation.
Both characters are English, unflappable, charming, but will be forceful, even
violent, when needed, and they do not always work within the law. They both
start stories on their own, but end up paired with a female companion, who they
end up having to rescue, and at one point, the Saint even introduces himself as
“Templar. Simon Templar”.
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