Title protagonist of the THE SAINT is Simon Templar, gentleman thief who had been invented by author Leslie Charteris in 1920s. Simon Templar’s adventures have been the subject of numerous novels, films and TV show.
Cast
• Val Kilmer , • Elisabeth Shue, • Rade Serbedzija
Director
• Phillip Noyce
I feel that this is one of the best movies that every one should see if not seen it till now.
Many claim that character of Templar, suave and mysterious international operator, in many ways served as an inspiration for James Bond. Ironically, in 1990s it was the renaissance of Bond films that served as inspiration for Paramount Pictures to try to start another big movie franchise of its own.
The movie starts with a prologue that shows traumatic childhood of a protagonist and later shifts to present time when we meet Simon Templar (played by Val Kilmer) as one of the world’s best burglars.
Templar’s specialty is stealing of important data and his clientele includes world’s most powerful individuals, corporations and governments. One of his latest targets is Ivan Tretiak (played by Rade Serbedzija), former Soviet communist boss who became an oil billionaire in new, capitalist and democratic Russia. Tretiak knows how to recognise talent, so he hires Templar to help him in his latest power scheme.
Young scientists Dr. Emma Russell (played by Elisabeth Shue) has discovered cold fusion - process that could bring almost indefinite power supply out of few litres of water. Tretiak needs this formula in order to present himself as a national saviour to the impoverished masses of Russia. Templar uses his seductive abilities in order to steal the formula, but along the way he discovers that he has fallen in love with beautiful, idealistic scientist. That would create serious complications in his relations with Tretiak and his cohorts.
Through out the movie Val changes his get up that are really too good to watch. No one else could have done better and proves that he is a master of disguise.