The Saint (1997 film): Difference between revisions

| alt =

| producer = {{Plainlist|
* [[David Brown (producer)|David Brown]]<br
* />[[Robert Evans (producer)|Robert Evans]]<br
* />[[William J. MacDonaldMacdonald (writer and producerfilmmaker)|William J. MacDonaldMacdonald]]<br
* />[[Mace Neufeld]]

| based onbased_on = {{basedBased on|[[The Saint (Simon Templar)|Simon Templar]]|[[Leslie Charteris]]}}

| studio = Mace Neufeld Productions<br />[[Rysher Entertainment]]{{Plainlist|

| released = {{Film date|1997|044|044}}

| language = English<br>Russian

| budget = $6890 million<ref name="the-numbers1997"/>

| gross = $169.4 million<ref name="the-numbers1997"/>

'''''The Saint''''' is a 1997 American [[espionageaction thriller film|espionage]] directed by [[thrillerPhillip film|thrillerNoyce]], written by [[DeLuxeJonathan ColorHensleigh]] film inand [[PanavisionWesley Strick]], and starring [[Val Kilmer]] in the title role, with [[Elisabeth Shue]] and [[Rade Šerbedžija]],. directedThe byplot [[Phillipof Noyce]]the andfilm writtenrevolves byaround [[Jonathan Hensleigh]] and [[Wesley Strick]]. Thethe title character who is a [[high -tech]] thief and master of disguise, thatwho becomes the anti-hero while using the moniker of various saints. whileHe paradoxically livinglives in the underworld of international industrial theft and espionage. The film was a modest financial success with a worldwide box office of $169.4 million, rentals of $28.2 million, and continuous [[DVD-Video|DVD]] sales.<ref name="imdb.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120053/business|title=The Saint|date=April 4, 1997|publisher=|via=IMDb}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=33396 |title=The Saint - Blu-ray Forum |publisher=Forum.blu-ray.com |date= |accessdate=September 24, 2012}}</ref><ref name="the-numbers1997">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1997/SAINT.php |title=The Saint - Box Office Data, DVD Sales, Movie News, Cast Information |publisher=The Numbers |access-date= |accessdate=September 24, 2012}}</ref>

It is loosely based on the character of [[The Saint (Simon Templar)|Simon Templar]] created by [[Leslie Charteris]] in 1928 for a series of books published as "The Saint", which ran until 1983. The Saint character has also featured in a [[The Saint (film series)|series]] of [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] moviesfilms made between 1938 and 1954, a 1940s [[Old-timeThe Saint (radio program)|radio series]] starring [[Vincent Price]] (and others) as Templar, a popular [[United Kingdom|British]] [[The Saint (TV series)|television series]] of the 1960s which starredstarring [[Roger Moore]], and a 1970s series starring [[Ian Ogilvy]].

At the [[Ignatius of Loyola|Saint Ignatius]] Orphanage, a rebellious boy named [[Giovanni Battista de' Rossi|John Rossi]] refers to himself as "Simon Templar" and leads a group of fellow orphans asin theyan attempt to run away to escape their harsh treatment. JustHe astries Simonto isbid caughtfarewell byto thea headgirl priest,named heAgnes witnesses the tragic death ofwith a girlkiss, tobut whomthey heare hadcaught taken a liking, whenand she accidentally falls from a balcony to her death.

As an adult, Simon ([[Val Kilmer]])—nowSimon—now a professional thief dubbed "The Saint" for using the names of [[Catholic saint]]s as aliases—steals a valuable microchip belonging tofrom a Russian oil company. Simon stages the burglary during a political rally held for the company's owner, Ivan Tretiak, ([[Radea Šerbedžija]]).billionaire Tretiakoligarch is aand former [[Communist partyParty bossof andthe aSoviet billionaireUnion|Communist oil and gas [[Business oligarch|oligarchParty]] who isboss rallying support against the [[President of the Russian Federation|Russian presidentPresident]] Karpov. Simon is caught in the act by Tretiak's son Ilya ([[Valery Nikolaev]]) but escapes with the microchip., Afterand learningis ofhired the heist,by Tretiak contacts Simon and hires him to steal a revolutionary [[cold fusion]] formula discovered by U.S.Emma Russell, an American [[Electrochemistry|electrochemist]] Emmaworking Russellat ([[ElisabethUniversity of ShueOxford|Oxford]]).; HeTretiak wishesplans to acquireuse Emma's formula—whichformula createsfor clean, inexpensive energy—soenergy he canto monopolize the energy market during a severe oil shortage in Russia, but Tretiak secretly plans to murder Simon for stealing his microchip.

Using the alias "[[Thomas More]]", Simon poses as a [[Boer]] traveller to seduce Emma, and steals the formula, afterbut havingwhen aSimon [[onedevelops nightromantic stand]]feelings withfor Emma.her, Tretiakhe learnsdecides Emma'sto formulagive isup incompleteon andstealing ordersthe his henchmenformula, ledand bywhen Ilya,Tretiak threatens to killkidnap her, Simon andfinally kidnapsteals Emmathe informula orderafter toa obtain[[one-night the remaining informationstand]]. Heartbroken,Tretiak Emma reportsrealizes the theftformula tois [[Claudincomplete Eustaceand Teal|Inspectorsends Teal]] ([[Alun Armstrong]])Ilya and Inspectorhis Rabineauhenchmen ([[Charlotteto Cornwell]])kill of [[Scotland Yard]]Simon, who informnarrowly herescapes. Simon isreturns ato wantedRussia internationalto thief.demand Emmahis trackspayment downfrom SimonTretiak towhile adisguised hotelas inTretiak Moscowhimself. andA confrontsheartbroken himEmma aboutreports the theft andof hisher betrayal.formula Theto Inspectors [[PoliceClaud ofEustace RussiaTeal|Russian policeTeal]], loyaland toRabineau Tretiak,of arrest[[Scotland Simon and Emma. HoweverYard]], theywho manageinform toher escapeSimon fromis thea policewanted vaninternational as they are being brought to Tretiak's mansionthief.

AsEmma theytracks fleedown throughSimon theto suburbs,a SimonMoscow andhotel Emmawhere areTretiak helpedhas bythem aarrested, prostitutebut they escape and herflee familythrough whothe sheltersuburbs. themThey inare asheltered hiddenby rooma inprostitute theirand home.her Later,family theyand meet "Frankie" ([[Irina Apeksimova]]), a [[Fence (criminal)|fence]]/[[Black Marketeer (criminal)|black marketeer]] or [[Spivspiv]] who sells them the directions through anthe underground sewer system that leadsewers to the U.S. embassy. Simon and Emma exit the sewer tunnel only to findFinding Ilya and his men waiting for them, amongSimon alets gatheringhimself ofbe protestorscaught outsideto theallow embassy'sEmma front gates. Emmato safely makes it toreach the embassy for [[political asylum]], while Simon allows himself to be caught by Ilya as a distraction. Hethen escapes after riggingigniting a [[car's bomb]]gas thattank severelyand burnsleaving Ilya severely burned.

Simon plantsPlanting a listening device in Tretiak's office, andSimon learns he plans to stage a ''[[coup d'état]]'' by sellingsell the cold fusionincomplete formula to Russian President Karpov toand frame him for wasting billions on useless technology. Tretiak, then plans to use the political fallout to install himself as Presidentpresident. Emma finishes the equations to complete the formula, andwhich Simon delivers the information to Tretiak's well-meaning physicist, Dr. Lev Botkin ([[Henry Goodman]])Botvin, who builds an apparatus whichthat proves the formula works. Simon infiltrates the President's [[Kremlin]] residence and informs himKarpov of Tretiak's conspiracy, justbut beforethey Tretiakare loyalistscaptured detainby himTretiak loyalists. In front ofAt a massive gathering in [[Red Square]], Tretiak makes publichis accusations against President Karpov, but whenBotvin's the [[cold fusion]] reactor is successfully initiated, exposing Tretiak is exposed as a fraud. He and arrested.Ilya Heare isarrested, alsoand revealed to have caused the heating -oil shortage in Moscow by illegally stockpiling vast amounts of heating oil underneath histheir mansion.

SometimeReuniting laterwith Emma, atSimon areturns newsher conferenceformula atand thethey [[Universitystart ofa Oxford]],secret Emmarelationship. She presents her cold fusion formula to the world. Simonat attendsa thenews conference, which Simon attends in disguise and once again avoids being captured by Inspectorsescapes Teal and Rabineau when they spot him in the crowd. As he drivesDriving away, he listens tohears a news radio broadcast (voiced by [[Roger Moore]]) reporting that $3 billion was recently donated to the [[Red Cross]], [[Salvation Army]], and the [[United Nations Children's Fund]].; Itit is implied that Simon, who had access to Tretiak's accounts, donatedgave the money anonymously. Furthermore,and established a non-profit foundation led by Dr. Botkin is being establishedBotvin to develop the cold -fusion technology.

* [[Michael Byrne (actor)|Michael Byrne]] as Yuri Vereshagin

* [[Egor Pazenko]] as Scratchface

* [[Adam Smith (actor)|Adam Smith]] as Young Simon Templar

== Production {{anchor|Production history}} ==

Film adaptations of Leslie Charteris's anti-hero Simon Templar (The Saint) date back to the late 1930s when [[RKO Radio Pictures]] launched a popular series of [[B-movies movie]]s with a succession of different actors playing the lead role. After that, save for two unsuccessful French attempts at launching new film series, the character was confined to television: ''[[The Saint (TV series)|The Saint]]'', a 1960s series starring [[Roger Moore]]; ''[[Return of the Saint]]'', a 1970s updating starring [[Ian Ogilvy]]; a failed 1987 pilot for American TV, ''The Saint in Manhattan'' starring [[Andrew Clarke (actor)|Andrew Clarke]]; and a set of feature-length made-for-television adventures co-produced in the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[France]], [[West Germany]], and [[Australia]] in 1989 starring [[Simon Dutton]]. Of these, the Moore series remained the definitive television adaptation.

In the mid-1980s, tabloid gossip newspapers such as the ''[[National Enquirer]]'' reported that Moore was planning to produce a new Saint movie, with [[Pierce Brosnan]] (then known for playing the Templar-influenced character [[Remington Steele]] on TV and later of [[James Bond]] fame) being considered for the role, though nothing came of this project.

A few years later, [[Paramount Pictures]]' attempt to make a film of ''The Saint'' started with the powerhouse [[Above -the -line (filmmaking)|above-the-line]] team of [[Robert Evans (film producer)|Robert Evans]] as producer, [[Steven Zaillian]] as writer and [[Sydney Pollack]] as director. [[Ralph Fiennes]]—hot from ''[[Schindler's List]]'' and ''[[Quiz Show (film)|Quiz Show]]''—was offered $1 million for the lead, but eventually passed. In a 1994 interview for ''[[PremierePremière (magazine)|PremierePremière]]'' magazine, Fiennes said the [[screenplay]]—racing fast cars, and breaking into [[Swiss banks]]—was nothing he hadn'thad not seen before.

Robert Evans left the project—although, contractually, his name remains on the final film's credits—and [[David Brown (producer)|David Brown]] (''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'', ''[[Driving Miss Daisy]]'') took over. A new story was commissioned from [[Jonathan Hensleigh]] (''[[Die Hard with a Vengeance]]''), which cast Simon Templar as a mercenary hired by a billionaire Russian oil and gas tycoon to steal the secret of cold fusion from an eccentric but beautiful American scientist. The story would take place in [[Washington, D.C.]], [[The Hamptons|Upstate New York]], [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]], and [[Moscow]]. [[SetpieceSet piece]]s included Dr. Russell skydiving while strapped into a wheelchair and a plane landing in [[Red Square]]. Darwin Mayflower described it as one of the top unproduced screenplays.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mayflower |first=Darwin |date=August 8, 2000 |title=Script Reviews: TOP TEN UNPRODUCED SCRIPTS |url=http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2667 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060324230756/http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2667 |archive-date=March 24, 2006}}

In a 1997 interview with [[Des O'Connor]] for his [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] show, [[Hugh Grant]] says he passed on the role after a meeting with Noyce because he didn'tdid not like the director's approach to the character. [[HughAlong with Grant]], [[Kenneth Branagh]], [[Mel Gibson]], [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], [[Christian Slater]], [[George Clooney]], [[Kevin Costner]], [[Johnny Depp]], and [[Daniel Day-Lewis]] all refused the role. [[Val Kilmer]] was cast after declining to reprise the role of [[Batman]]/[[Bruce Wayne]] in [[Joel Schumacher]]'s ''[[Batman & Robin (film)|Batman & Robin]]'' and the script was rewritten by [[Wesley Strick]] to suit his style.

Unusually for an action star of the time (as in heroes played by [[Steven Seagal]], [[Bruce Willis]] or [[Mel Gibson]]), this Saint refrained from killing and even the main villains live to stand trial. Charteris's version had no qualms about taking another life.

In the original version of the film—as in the original Jonathan Hensleigh script—Emma, having escaped Russia via the American embassy, collapses while giving a lecture and dies in Simon Templar's arms. Watching the videotape back, he sees Ilya Tretiak stabbing her in the leg with the tip of his cane. The final half-hour has Simon returning to Moscow to destroy the villains' plans and avenge her death. With Dr. Botvin's help, he switches the formulas around and humiliates Ivan Tretiak during his show trial of the Russian president. The Tretiaks shoot their way out of the crowd and escape back to their mansion, with Simon and the [[Russian armyArmy]] in pursuit. Ivan shoots the treacherous Dr. Botvin, and in turn Ilya shoots and kills Ivan. Simon arrives and finds the bodies of Botvin and Ivan Tretiak. Simon battles Ilya on the stairwell as Russian tanks pound the mansion walls, exposing and setting fire to the vast stockpile of heating oil in the basement. With the stairwell disintegrating around them, the fight spills out on to the chandelier, suspended above the blazing oil. Simon teases Ilya with the disc containing the formula for cold fusion. As he reaches out for it, Simon cuts the rope and Ilya plummets to a fiery death. Returning to Emma's home, Simon finds a letter from her, a tear fills his eye and he vows to use his skills only for good.<ref>{{cite AV media|people=Hensleigh, Jonathan (screenwriter)|date=February 8, 1995|title=The Saint (original script)|medium=Motion picture|location=Los Angeles, California|publisher=[[Paramount Pictures]]}}</ref>

{{mainMain|The Saint (novel)}}

A novelization based upon the film script was written by [[Burl Barer]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Barer |first=Burl |author-link=Burl Barer |title=The Saint (novelization) |date=1997 |publisher=[[Pocket Books]] |isbn=0-671-00951-6 |type=[[Paperback]] |oclc=36527456}}</ref>

{{mainMain|The Saint (soundtrack)}}

''The Saint'' won the 1998 BMI Film Music Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000106/1998|title=BMI Film & TV Awards (1998)|publisherwebsite=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>

The film's soundtrack album, ''[[The Saint (soundtrack)|The Saint: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack]]'' included many songs from the [[electronica]] age. Aside from Duran Duran and the Sneaker Pimps, recording artists included [[Orbital (band)|Orbital]], [[Moby]], [[Fluke (band)|Fluke]], [[Luscious Jackson]], [[The Chemical Brothers]], [[Underworld (band)|Underworld]], [[Daft Punk]], [[David Bowie]], [[Dreadzone]], [[Duncan Sheik]], [[Everything but the Girl]] and the theme "Polaroid Millenium" by British musicianmusicians Su Goodacre and Lee Knott (alias "Superior") which also played during the final credits.

== Reception ==

=== Box office ===

''The Saint'' was the #2 film for its opening weekend, earning $16,278,873 at 2,307 theaters in the United States.<ref name="the-numbers1997"/> With a domestic gross of $61,363,304, it ranked 28th of 303 movies for 1997<ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1997&p=.htm|title=1997 Yearly Box Office Results |website= [[Box Office Mojo]] }}</ref> Internationally the film earned $108 million, with a worldwide total of $169.4 million.<ref name="the-numbers1997"/>

=== Critical response {{anchor|Critics}} ===

Critical response for the film was mixed. On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film has an approval rating of 30% based on 46 reviews. The websites consensus states: "''The Saint'' is watchable thanks to Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue, but the film's muddled screenplay stretches credulity.".<ref>{{cite web |url= httphttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/saint/ |title= The Saint |website= [[Rotten Tomatoes]] }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]] the film has a score of 50 out of 100 based on 22 reviews, indicating "Mixed or average reviews".<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web |title=Critic Reviews for The Saint |url= httphttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-saint/ |website= [[Metacritic]] |date=April 4, 1997 |accessdateaccess-date=September 24, 2012}}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film a grade B+ on scale of A to F.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= Cinemascore |work= [[CinemaScore]] |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 2018-12-20 }}</ref>

Edward Guthmann of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' notes Kilmer is the "master of disguises", as "Templar's genius, like Kilmer's, involves slipping in and out of skins rapidly and offering only the slightest hint at the person who hides beneath the charade... Kilmer dons 12 disguises in all, polishes them with impeccable accents and pliable postures", with Shue's character offering "the same sympathetic dignity she brought to ''[[Leaving Las Vegas]]''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Catch-Kilmer-If-You-Can-Crafty-actor-brings-2847155.php |title=Catch Kilmer If You Can / Crafty actor brings master of disguises, 'The Saint,' back to the big screen |publisher=SFGate |date=April 4, 1997 |accessdateaccess-date=September 24, 2012}}</ref> Liam Lacey of ''The Toronto Globe and Mail'' said ''The Saint'' is "More entertaining than ''[[Mission: Impossible (film)|Mission: Impossible]]'' or the last [[James Bond|Bond]] film ''[[GoldenEye]]''. It brings back the humour and [[sangfroid]] that makes the genre work.".<ref name="metacritic"/> [[Todd McCarthy]] of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' called it a "suspenser that doesn't taste bad at first bite but becomes increasingly hard to swallow".<ref name="variety">{{cite web |urllast=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117342345.html|title=Review: ‘TheMcCarthy Saint’|first=Todd |lastauthor-link=Todd McCarthy |date=March 31, 1997 |publishertitle=Review: Variety'The Saint' |url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117342345 |publisher=Variety}}</ref>

* {{amgIMDb movietitle|id=1548110120053|The Saint}}

* {{tcmdbTCMDb title|id=154811}}

* {{AFI film|id=61460|title=The Saint}}

* [httphttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=saint.htm ''The Saint'' -– Box Office Mojo]

[[Category:1990s English-language films]]

[[Category:1990s1997 action thriller films]]

[[Category:TechnoAmerican techno-thriller films]]

[[Category:The Saint (Simon Templar)]]

[[Category:Films basedshot onin television seriesEngland]]