For my first encounter with The Saint, I'm glad it was with the original film in the series, this one featuring Louis Hayward in the role of Simon Templar, though continued in subsequent pictures by the likes of George Sanders and Hugh Sinclair. Hayward refers to himself as a 'lone wolf' later on in the story, describing the way he operates. Which is interesting in light of the fact he went on to portray that character in 'The Lone Wolf' TV series of the mid-Fifties.
I was somewhat struck by the idea that The Saint was called on to deliver a brand of vigilante justice way back in 1930's New York. Operating under the auspices of the NYC Police Department, Templar was hired to dispatch mob big-wigs who always managed to avert prosecution with the help of shady lawyers. The concept of revolving door justice seems a product of more recent times, but obviously that wasn't the case at all as we see here.
Clever repartee and offbeat disguise help The Saint make his rounds in New York as he gets closer and closer to the identity of The Big Fellow, one of the men on The Saint's hit list. In the midst of it all, he manages to get involved with gun moll Kay Sutton (Fay Edwards), who's motivation to help Templar isn't adequately enough explored. Sure he was good looking, charming and mysterious, but why trade that for her connections?
On the flip side, I thought Templar walked into too many situations that surely should have cost him his skin, but hey, the guy was a genius according to henchman Hymie (Paul Guilfoyle). Apparently The Saint thought so too - "I'm such a hero I hardly recognize myself". Which was a curious thing for him to say, since every now and then I thought he resembled a young Desi Arnaz.
I was somewhat struck by the idea that The Saint was called on to deliver a brand of vigilante justice way back in 1930's New York. Operating under the auspices of the NYC Police Department, Templar was hired to dispatch mob big-wigs who always managed to avert prosecution with the help of shady lawyers. The concept of revolving door justice seems a product of more recent times, but obviously that wasn't the case at all as we see here.
Clever repartee and offbeat disguise help The Saint make his rounds in New York as he gets closer and closer to the identity of The Big Fellow, one of the men on The Saint's hit list. In the midst of it all, he manages to get involved with gun moll Kay Sutton (Fay Edwards), who's motivation to help Templar isn't adequately enough explored. Sure he was good looking, charming and mysterious, but why trade that for her connections?
On the flip side, I thought Templar walked into too many situations that surely should have cost him his skin, but hey, the guy was a genius according to henchman Hymie (Paul Guilfoyle). Apparently The Saint thought so too - "I'm such a hero I hardly recognize myself". Which was a curious thing for him to say, since every now and then I thought he resembled a young Desi Arnaz.