From the opening sequence – a murder at a dance on New Years Eve – it’s apparent this is going to be a superior Saint entry: a moving camera, rapid cuts, a number of characters, a room plunged into darkness, a shot rings out. It’s not Hitchcock at its peak but for a B picture it’s pretty good - so it’s no surprise when John Farrow’s name appears on the credits as director.
It also helps that the lead role is now played by George Sanders. Sanders normally specialised in silky villainy and is so ideal as the operating-just-outside-the-law Simon Templar. (One of the nicest things about B movie series was that actors who usually played villains got to be heroes eg Peter Lorre).
Sanders is enormous fun in the role, bringing great humour and style to the part. (He tells a girl that he loves her, “but don’t worry – I’m shallow”). There’s no doubt that he’s dangerous though, and is a dab hand with his fists, knives and a gun; he also turns a neat card trick.
This one takes place in Sain Francisco, a city not mentioned in the title unlike London or New York (maybe RKO figured it wasn’t box office). Vigilante Saint comes up against another vigilante, Wendy Barrie, who is trying to avenge her dead father against corrupt cops. (NB Hays Code or not, corrupt cops were always popping up in Saint movies).
The support cast includes Barry Fitzgerald (who is a lot of fun) and Neil Hamilton (later Police Commissioner Gordon in the Batman TV series) as a middle aged man touchingly in love with a younger woman. Plenty of plot; the main debit is Wendy Barrie, who is very bland and not a worthy love interest for Sanders.
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