Mystery Movie Review - The Saint

Most people never knew that the Val Kilmer "The Saint" originated as a series by Leslie Charteris who was a British-Chinese author of adventure fiction, as well as a screenwriter.  The books were published from 1928-1963.  From 1963-1983 other authors collaborated on a few of the books and then after Charteris' death, continued to write the books.  There are 50 books in the series all told.  The books have Simon Templar very solidly British.  I have read a few of the books.

Television

The Saint was a popular television series in its day.  I was fortunate to catch both the black and white 60s version and the color 70s version on classic TV reruns.

The Saint (1962–1969 – Roger Moore)

Return of the Saint (1978–1979 – Ian Ogilvy)

The character has also been portrayed in radio dramas, comic strips, comic books, and three television series.  Roger Moore, who later became the first James Bond, played Simon Templar on television which likely helped him get the Bond role.  Simon Templar was known as the "Robin Hood of modern crime".

Three of the actors to play Templar — Roger Moore and Ian Ogilvy on television and Simon Dutton in made-for-TV movies in 1989 — have been appointed vice presidents of "The Saint Club" that was founded by Leslie Charteris in 1936. It is still going strong more than seventy years later. Simon Templar is, of course, the President of the Club, with Leslie Charteris being the Vice-President until his death in 1993, when he was succeeded by Roger Moore, Ian Ogilvy and Simon Dutton. All proceeds from the membership fees and the sale of merchandise go to charities nominated by the Vice-Presidents.

The Big Screen

The big Hollywood movie was released in 1997.  Rated PG-13 for action violence, brief strong language, some sensuality and drug content.  I classify this as a thriller with espionage touches.

Starring Val Kilmer, Elizabeth Shue, and Rade Serbedzija. Directed by Phillip Noyce.

What it's about

Simon Templar (The Saint), is a thief for hire who was raised in an orphanage. Simon Templar isn't even his real name.  His latest job he is contracted to do is steal the secret process for cold fusion (a clean energy source) that puts him at odds with a traitor bent on toppling the Russian government, as well as kill the American electrochemist who holds its secret.  This Russian oligarch/mobster intends to keep this energy source for his own enrichment and powergrab to become a dictator.  Simon manages to develop feelings for the pretty electrochemist and must outwit the Russian mobster before the worst happens and it irreversibly crushes the US.

There is a boat load of interesting tidbits about the movie.  Here are a few from IMDB:

• Elisabeth Shue was nomimnated Favorite Actress in Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for her role.  It won the BMI Film and TV Award for Film Music.
• Val Kilmer turned down returning to the Batman franchise after the box-office smash Batman Forever (1995) due to his commitment to this movie.
• Roger Moore (the first TV Simon Templar) features throughout in cameo as the BBC Newsreader heard in Simon Templar's Volvo radio.  
• The poetry written by Simon Templar's long-haired artist character, Thomas Moore, was actually written by Val Kilmer.  Kilmer's S. African accent for this character was learned from a South African assistant with whom he worked on The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), the movie he completed before he started filming this movie.  
• The last fourth of the movie originally had a very different outcome, but test audiences really didn't like it.  So they rewrote and reshot all those scenes.  
•  There were rumors that Kilmer was difficult on set. But Elisabeth Shue and producer Mace Neufeld denied Kilmer's misconduct, praising his professionalism and dedication, eventually working seven days a week during re-shoots three months before this movie's release.  
• A Volvo P1800 can be seen parked directly outside Simon's apartment building in London. This was the type of car driven by Simon in The Saint (1962).  
• They used an updated version of the theme tune, and having appeared in numerous post 1960s television adaptations of the Saint, serves as one of the most frequently and longest lasting theme tunes of a media franchise.  
• The nickname "Boris the Spider", used by Ivan Tretiak (Russian mobster) to communicate with the Saint, is a reference to a 1966 song by The Who, written by bassist John Entwistle.  
• Sir Kenneth Branagh, George Clooney, Kevin Costner, Johnny Depp, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger turned down the role of Simon Templar.
• When Val Kilmer does his southern voice, for one of his many voices, he sounded just like he did when he portrayed Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993).

Rotten Tomatoes 30% Although audience score is 63%

The critics didn't like the screenplay but credited Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue for their performances.

My Thoughts:

This is an example of when I disagree with Rotten Tomatoes and many of the critics.  I would have given this 80% personally.  It was never going to win an Oscar, but I don't think that was ever the goal.  The screenplay wasn't too far from the books in the big picture.  I will grant you that some of the dialog could have been better and there were a few attempts for humor that didn't ring true.  The Elizabeth Shue character,  electrochemist Dr. Emma Russell, comes across a little quirky and even naive at times but I felt that was endearing.  Also, the portrayal of Russia after the Soviet Union fell isn't far from the reality of the country being run by former KGB thugs taking over the energy industry (oil in reality) and being obscenely wealthy while the people scrape by.

I thought Val Kilmer, Elizabeth Shue, and Rade Serbedzija were especially good in their roles.  Rade Serbedzija is really good as the would-be dictator Tretiak.  I am so glad Val Kilmer did the role because I can't imagine any of the actors who turned down the role could have embodied Simon Templar like Kilmer did.  I give him major kudos.

If you are looking for an espionage-thriller for a fun two hours, grab the popcorn and Twizzlers because this is your movie.  If you saw it back in 1997, I suggest you revisit it.  

I have read several of the books and can't help but compare to the movie.  The movie takes some liberties, as they often do, leaving the source material behind.  Beyond updating Simon Templar, I think they did a good job of translating the idea/concept of the books into a large scale movie.  Here are some examples of the differences.

• The book Simon would never have taken a job to steal a cold fusion (energy source) equation from the scientist who developed it.  That is the basis of the movie and it isn't in character for the Saint of the books.
• At one point Kilmer's Saint is in a hand-to-hand fight and is forced to flee; this would never have been allowed in the books. Although it does make Simon more realistic which was a must for modern audiences.
• Although the Saint in the books did go up against powerful criminals and corrupt governments, even Nazis in three books, he was primarily a thief with a penchant for the underdog.  That gets lost in the movie.
• The original Saint resorted to aliases that had the initials S.T. as a subtle reference to Simon Templar, but the screenplay's character used Christian saints, regardless of initials.  This ties into the movie backstory of his being an orphan and in a Catholic orphanage with the name John Rossi.  The book's Simon Templar (his real name) had very little backstory.  The movie goes a long way to flesh out Simon's character and the orphange helps, but the saint tie-in seemed like they were stretching to connect the nickname "The Saint" with the character.  In the books, the nickname is because he was a Robin Hood meets Equalizer archetype.
• The movie Simon didn't kill during his mission, and even his main enemies lived, but the book's Simon had no issues about taking another life when push came to shove - like the Equalizer.  I must clarify that the book's Simon picked his jobs carefully and they were usually against very unsavory people to begin with. 
• Also, in the books, Simon had a girlfriend, Patricia Holm, who was adventerous and knew, in general broad strokes, of Simon's activities.  This is nothing like the scientist he is romantically involved with in the movie.
• In the book the stick figure with a halo is Templar's logo that is on his "calling card" he leaves behind after one of his jobs.  The movie has this being a stylized stick-pin gifted to him at the end of the movie.

This is one of my "just for fun" movies to kick back and watch.  I have lost count of how many times I've seen it. Enjoy.

Here is the movie trailer: https://youtu.be/nqX_aEb1vy4