The Saint (1997)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers (WGA):

Leslie Charteris (character)
Jonathan Hensleigh (story)

Release Date:

4 April 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Cunning. Devious. Dangerous. Treacherous.

Plot:

Simon Templar has no real family, no real home and Simon Templar isn't even his real name. Yet Simon Templar ...

Plot Keywords:

Fusion | The Saint | Disguise | Energy | Thief

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Val Kilmer	...	Simon Templar
Elisabeth Shue	...	Dr. Emma Russell
Rade Serbedzija	...	Ivan Tretiak
Valeri Nikolayev	...	Ilya Tretiak (as Valery Nikolaev)
Henry Goodman	...	Dr. Lev Botvin
Alun Armstrong	...	Inspector Teal
Michael Byrne	...	Vereshagin, Tretiak's Aide
Yevgeni Lazarev	...	President Karpov (as Evgeny Lazarev)
Irina Apeksimova	...	Frankie (as Irina Apeximova)
Lev Prygunov	...	General Sklarov (as Lev Prigunov)
Charlotte Cornwell	...	Inspector Rabineau
Emily Mortimer	...	Woman on Plane
Lucija Serbedzija	...	Russian Prostitute
Velibor Topic	...	Skinhead
Tommy Flanagan	...	Scarface

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for action violence, brief strong language, some sensuality and drug content.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Foreign Affairs Ministry building, Moscow, Russia

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Mel Gibson and Ralph Fiennes were both considered for the role of Simon Templar.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Emma enters Simon's English country house she leaves the door wide open and continues into the room. In a subsequent shot, the door is closed.

Quotes:

Simon Templar: Allow me to introduce myself. My name is August Christopher. I was named for St. Augustan, who coined my favorite phrase, 'Give me chastity and give me constancy, but do not give it yet.'

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hamlet 2 (2008)

Soundtrack:

You're All I've Got Tonight

A guilty pleasure

I love this movie. As a movie buff, I must admit, objectively, this is a bad movie. The writing is ridiculous, the plot is convoluted, and Val Kilmer's accents are bizarre. But I love this movie. It is that wonderful combination of danger and romance that makes for great fantasy. The chemistry between Kilmer and Shue holds this movie together. It is a delight to watch them realize that their skin deep attraction goes much deeper. If you can suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride, the Saint is a fun movie. Despite its flaws, the Saint is a guilty pleasure to indulge in when your own life is lacking in explosions, gun fights, and sudden, passionate romances.