The Saint (1997)

Simon Templar (The Saint), is a thief for hire, whose latest job to steal the secret process for cold fusion puts him at odds with a traitor bent on toppling the Russian government, as well as the woman who holds its secret.

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers:

Leslie Charteris (character), Jonathan Hensleigh (story)

Stars:

Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue, Rade Serbedzija

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Val Kilmer	...	Simon Templar
Elisabeth Shue	...	Dr. Emma Russell
Rade Serbedzija	...	Ivan Tretiak
Valeriy Nikolaev	...	Ilya Tretiak (as Valery Nikolaev)
Henry Goodman	...	Dr. Lev Botvin
Alun Armstrong	...	Inspector Teal
Michael Byrne	...	Vereshagin, Tretiak's Aide
Evgeniy 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

Storyline

Simon Templar has no real family, no real home and Simon Templar isn't even his real name. Yet Simon Templar, also known as the Saint for his use of creating false identities using the names of Catholic saints, is one of the world's most successful thieves. Slick, debonair and a master of disguise, Simon manages to outwit the police again and again. On his next job Simon is hired by the Russian Mafia to steal a cold fusion energy formula from scientist Emma Russel, however the mission backfires as he falls for the pretty, intelligent scientist. Simon and his new love must now manage to outwit the Russian Mafia and work out the energy formula before the worst happens and the US is affected forever.

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Plot Keywords:

knights templar | cold fusion | fusion | the saint | thief | 

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Taglines:

Never reveal your name. Never turn your back. Never surrender your heart.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

4 April 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

El Santo

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Box Office

Budget:

$68,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,278,873, 6 April 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$61,363,304, 31 December 1997

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$108,060,970

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures,Rysher Entertainment,Mace Neufeld Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Val Kilmer refused to return to the Batman franchise, after the box-office smash Batman Forever (1995), in order to headline this film.

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Goofs

When Simon is coming out of the sewer, the heavy iron cover would be too high to lift as a vehicle drives over it, yet they are able to crawl out from under the vehicle as it is parked over the sever cover.

This would not be possible due to the height required for them to arise from the sewer system, move to an elevated position and then be able to lie underneath the vehicle - due to the muffler and underneath of the vehicle being only inches from the ground.

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Quotes

Dr. Emma Russell: You're not Martin.
Simon Templar: No.
Dr. Emma Russell: What is your name?
Simon Templar: I don't have a name.
Dr. Emma Russell: Sad. Will you have a name when we get home?
Simon Templar: I don't have a home.

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Crazy Credits

In Loving Memory Elisabeth Leustig (She was the film's Casting Director who was tragically killed in a car accident on a Moscow street during production.)

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Alternate Versions

UK versions are cut by the BBFC with a minor edit to a shot in a nightclub where Tretiak is seen to visibly snort a line of cocaine on a mirror.

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Connections

Remake of The Saint (1962)

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Soundtracks

Data News
by Matthew Cang
Courtesy of KPM Music

User Reviews

Simon Templar against Russian mobsters in a moving international intrigue

The movie deal with Ivan Tretiak ( Rade Serbedzja ) and his son ( Nikolayev ), Russian Mafia chiefs who want to create an oil crisis in Moscow and seize power as a result . They agree Simon Templar ( Val Kilmer ) , -master of disguises and great international criminal- , and send him to Oxford to steal a secret formula for cold fusion from U.S. scientist Emma Russell ( Elisabeth Shue ) who cooked up the recipe . That formula will give Tretiak a source of cheap energy and deal of money as result . But Templar falls in love with Emma and they attempt to outwit the two megalomaniacs and his hoodlums , hiding from them in Moscow . Meanwhile , Simon Templar is continuously changing identities and being relentlessly pursued by the police ( Alun Amstrung ). The Russian magnate with an eye on the presidency of the Russian Empire plans a coup détat.

This exciting picture is packed with frantic action, thrills, suspense, tension and an enjoyable love story . However , it contains a silly and dumb final set on the square of Moscu . The story bears little resemblance to the 60s British TV series on which it is based because of the complex argument is quite different . Brief acting by Emily Mortimer and uncredited Roger Moore as voice in car radio . Splendid musical score by Graeme Revell based on the catching leitmotif of the 60s series . The motion picture is regularly directed by Phillip Noyce . Rating : Average and overlong though entertaining.

This character based on Leslie Charteris' novel was formerly adapted for cinema with George Sanders and Louis Hayward and for TV in the classic series starred by Roger Moore and subsequently by Ian Ogilvy in the 70s and the 80s performed by Simon Dutton and produced by Robert S. Baker the same producer of the recent rendition.