THE SAINT’S RETURN/THE SAINT’S GIRL FRIDAY

UK, 1953, 71 minutes, Black and white.
Louis Hayward, Naomi Chance, Sidney Tafler, Thomas Gallagher, Charles Victor, Diana Dors.
Directed by Seymour Friedman.

Louis Hayward was the first Saint movie incarnation of Simon Templar, Leslie Charteris’s character The Saint. He appeared in the late 1930s in The Saint in New York. George Sanders then took over the role, a very smooth and suave and articular presence. He carried the character through the 1940s. This is the last Saint film in the series with Louis Hayward returning, the film opening in New York City with the authorities glad that Templar is moving to London and the British authorities unhappy that he has.

His concern is the death of a friend by drowning, discovering that she was in debt because of gambling. It begins to infiltrate the London gamblers though many of them are alert to him. He is assisted by a former pickpocket, Hoppy, who shrewdly uses his former skills to help Templar. Another young woman, in debt, Carol (Naomi Chance) gets caught up with The Saint. One of his contacts in London, especially for forged currency, is the Irishman. While Sidney Taffler is the go-between with the overall boss, and there are several setups, murders, attempts to get rid of Templar, it emerges that Irish is the overall boss and that one of the society women who seems to be flirting with Templar is one of his assistants.

There is also a glimpse of Diana Dors.

An easy contribution to films about the Saint. For television, Roger Moore was to take over.

1. The popularity of Leslie Charteris’s Saint stories? The variety of films? Television series?

2. American background, the settings in England, London, the police, hotels, gambling centres? Socials? The musical score?

3. The title? The alternate with the Saint’s Girl Friday?

4. The plot, the death of the young woman, her gambling debts, writing to Simon Templar, his going to London? The American police relieved? Claude and the British police anxious?

5. Simon Templar, personality, reputation, skills? Hoppy and pickpocketing and later putting this into action, his being valet to the Saint?

6. Inquiries about gambling, the bar, meeting Carol, the blindfold, going to Irish, the fake money, losing, getting the information? The various personalities with the gambling? Recognising Simon Templar? The plan to get rid of him?

7. The Saint, searching the rooms, hiding above the window, the attackers? His going through the door into the social? The society woman and her welcoming him? Her friendship with Carol? The irony of her being part of the gang? Carol and her debts? The attraction to Templar?

8. The contact with Irish, art, forgeries, information? The irony of his being the boss?

9. Claude, the police, exasperation? The final arrests?

10. Simon Templar, Hoppy, the confrontation, the revelation of the truth, the final fight, the criminal subdued?

11. The final in the film series of the Saint?