THE SAINT'S DOUBLE TROUBLE

US, 1940, 67 minutes, black and white.
George Sanders, Helene Reynolds, Jonathan Hale, Bela Lugosi, Donald Mac Bride.
Directed by Jack Hively.

The double trouble for the Saint is that there is a double called The Boss, who bears an absolute resemblance to George Sanders – and, of course, is played by George Sanders, slightly making his dignified voice rather low key for The Boss. And The Boss wants to get rid of The Saint, favouring framing him for various crimes, jewel robberies and murders – and leaving a characteristic note with the initials ST and the cartoon drawing of The Saint. It is explained in screenplay that the real Saint has little tattoo on his wrist – and while some of the characters see it, the audience doesn’t, and it is very, very difficult at times to tell who is who.

The basic plot is that Simon Templar has sent a mummy to his professor in Philadelphia but jewel thieves have noted the address and concealed diamonds be smuggled in the mummy.

The professor in Philadelphia is delighted, but becomes the victim of The Boss. The professor’s daughter has the huff about her treatment previously by the Saint, its being dismissive. But, he has a soft spot for her, rescues her from the criminals and from a watery grave and she says at the end, “Long Leave the Saint”.

In the meantime, The Boss intercepts some of Simon Templars notes and vice versa, confusing The Boss, The Dutchman (Bela Lugosi in a slight role) as well as the police, the local chief and Simon Templar’s friend from the past, Inspector Henry Ferneck.

The Saint has to rectify the situations created by The Boss – sometimes jumping on to the back of the car, sometimes being tied up and tortured, and another time being tied up and sailing on the harbour when one of the crooks, Limpy, has been shot and he unties himself just in time!

There is a complication for us all, when Simon Templars sets up The Boss in the prison cell and uses Saint’s female disguise to escape – but Templar had warned that this was going to happen and so The Boss is shot in his stead.

Not a particularly startling example of this series with George Sanders.