The Saint Strikes Back

"THE 'SAINT' SWINGS WEST!...to astound you again...in the second of fiction's modern 'Robin Hood' series of mystery and thrills!"

1939 1h 4m EN

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 21

MysteryCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“THE 'SAINT' SWINGS WEST!...to astound you again...in the second of fiction's modern 'Robin Hood' series of mystery and thrills!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

YouTubeRent

Fandango At HomeRent

Apple TV StoreBuy

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

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

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Farrow
Writers: John Twist
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 64-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.1M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

87 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "The Saint (RKO Radio Pictures) Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Farrow, shot by Frank Redman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Roy Webb. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jack Hively shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

George Sanders and Wendy Barrie and Jonathan Hale carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Farrow directs. Frank Redman behind the camera. Roy Webb scores. Jack Hively cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 64-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Shot for just $0.1M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
387 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
4Part of the "The Saint (RKO Radio Pictures) Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by John Farrow, shot by Frank Redman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Roy Webb. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Jack Hively shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8George Sanders and Wendy Barrie and Jonathan Hale carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "THE 'SAINT' SWINGS WEST!...to astound you again...in the second of fiction's modern 'Robin Hood' series of mystery and thrills!".
10IMDB entry: tt0031890 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 21 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Frank Redman
Original score: Roy Webb
Editing: Jack Hively
Costume design: Renié
Runtime: 64 min · 1h 4m
Status: Released
Budget: $128,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Saint Strikes Back (1939)

Part of

The Saint (RKO Radio Pictures) Collection

Debonair thief-turned-detective Simon Templar circles the globe to solve cases with charm and cunning in a series of fast-paced films full of clever banter and cleverer twists. Based on stories by bestselling author Leslie Charteris.

Also by

John Farrow

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2014-04-25
★ 6/10
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

Production companies