Film Snail

5.6

The Saint Strikes Back

NR·1939·64m

Mystery

Crime

Mystery

Crime

Summary

Suave private detective Simon "The Saint" Templar arrives in San Francisco and meets Val, a woman whose police inspector father killed himself after being accused of corruption and dismissed from the force. Convinced of the man's innocence, Templar takes it upon himself to vindicate the memory of Val's father. To do so he must take on the city's most dangerous criminal gang, while also battling hostile members of the police department.

Cast

George Sanders

Simon Templar

Wendy Barrie

Valerie 'Val' Travers

Jonathan Hale

Inspector Henry Fernack

Jerome Cowan

Cullis

Barry Fitzgerald

Zipper Dyson

Neil Hamilton

Allan Breck

Robert Elliott

Chief Inspector Webster

Russell Hopton

Harry Donnell

Edward Gargan

Pinky Budd

Robert Strange

Police Commisioner

Gilbert Emery

Martin Eastman

James Burke

Headquarters Police Officer

Nella Walker

Mrs. Betty Fernack

Willie Best

Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)

Paul E. Burns

Organ Grinder (Uncredited)

Kernan Cripps

Police Sergeant (Uncredited)

Jack Gargan

Plane Passenger (Uncredited)

Tris Coffin

Second Newscaster (Uncredited)

Gerald Hamer

Val's Butler (Uncredited)

Robert Homans

Policer Officer Moriarity (Uncredited)

Tom McGuire

Policeman in Commissioner's Office (Uncredited)

Howard M. Mitchell

Police Captain Taylor (Uncredited)

Frank O'Connor

Policeman with Cullis (Uncredited)

Ted Oliver

Police Forensic Scientist (Uncredited)

Ben Taggart

New York Detective Vance (Uncredited)

Ray Turner

Porter at Airport (Uncredited)

Dale Van Sickel

Nightclub Patron (Uncredited)

Tex Brodus

Nightclub Patron (Uncredited)

Tom Quinn

Nightclub Patron (Uncredited)

Bob Reeves

Police Officer (Uncredited)

Crew

Director

John Farrow

Novel

Leslie Charteris

Screenplay

John Twist

Reviews

John Chard

April 25, 2014

Good. I'll compose a nice obituary for myself.

George Sanders steps into the shoes of Simon Templar for the first time and beds himself in for a further four movies. The Saint Strikes Back is a complex little tale that takes The Saint to San Francisco and pitches him against a supposed female mob boss. John Twist's screenplay is tailor made for Sanders, ensuring he gets to play up the caddish rogue act with a tongue as sharp as a serpent. It's this aspect that lifts the film above average, the blend of comedy and mystery is deftly handled by Sanders. Support is good from Wendy Barrie, Jonathan Hale, Jerome Cowan and Barry Fitzgerald, while director John Farrow, without adding any stylish flourish, at least keeps the picture nice and brisk. 6/10