The Saint Takes Over
6.6 /10 1 Votes6.6
Sequel The Saint in Palm Springs | 6.5/10 IMDb Genre Crime, Mystery Duration Language English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Release date June 7, 1940 (1940-06-07)May 27, 1940 (1940-05-27) (New York City)(Premiere) Prequel The Saints Double Trouble Cast (Simon Templar / The Saint), (Ruth Summers), (Inspector Henry Fernack), (Clarence 'Pearly' Gates), (Sam Reese), (Leo Sloan) Similar movies The Saint in New York , The Saint's Girl Friday , The Saint In London , The Saint Meets the Tiger , The Saint Strikes Back , The Saint's Double Trouble | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After a transatlantic voyage, Simon "The Saint" Templar (George Sanders) arrives in New York to help his old friend, Inspector Fernack (Jonathan Hale), who has been suspended from the police force under suspicion of taking bribes. To clear Fernacks name, The Saint must take on a group of gamblers who have been fixing horse races. As the bodies fall amid their infighting, Templar becomes involved with an alluring woman he met aboard ship (Wendy Barrie), who reveals a secret agenda.
Contents
The Saint Takes Over, released in 1940 by RKO Pictures, was the fifth of eight films in RKOs film series about Simon Templar, a.k.a. "The Saint", the Robin Hood-inspired crimefighter created by Leslie Charteris. George Sanders returned as Templar, with Wendy Barrie playing his latest romantic interest, in her second of three appearances in the Saint film series (playing a different role each time).
The Saint Takes Over, released in 1940 by RKO Pictures, was the fifth motion picture featuring the adventures of Simon Templar, a.k.a. "The Saint" the Robin Hood-inspired crimefighter created by Leslie Charteris. George Sanders returned as Templar, with Wendy Barrie playing his latest romantic conquest in her second of three appearances in the Saint film series (playing a different role each time). This film focuses on the character of Inspector Henry Farnack (Jonathan Hale), who appeared in several of the Saint series. When Farnack is framed by a gang he is investigating, it is up to The Saint to clear his name.
Plot
On an ocean liner making its way to New York, Simon Templar (George Sanders), "the Saint", rescues a fellow passenger (Wendy Barrie) from card cheats, though she refuses to give him her name and is offended when he kisses her without invitation. He later sends the mysterious woman a rose corsage by way of apology.
The Saint learns that his friendly nemesis, Inspector Henry Farnack (Jonathan Hale), has been suspended from the police force after $50,000 was found in his safe. He has been framed by "Big" Ben Egan (Pierre Watkin) on behalf of his race-fixing gang, which Fernack was investigating. The other members of the gang - "Rocky" Weldon (Roland Drew), Leo Sloan (Robert Emmett Keane), Sam Reese (Morgan Conway) and Max Bremer (Cy Kendall) - each pay a quarter share of the $90,000 cost of the frameup. Rocky himself has just been cleared in a trial after the testimony of his bodyguard, Clarence "Pearly" Gates (Paul Guilfoyle) and the murder of the main prosecution witness, Johnny Summers.
Egan orders two henchmen to pick up the woman passenger when the ship arrives. Fortunately, Templar is able to foil them, and the woman drives off in a taxi. Templar goes to see Fernack. Weldon sends Gates to rob Egan, but Egan catches the safe cracker. At gunpoint, Gates confesses that Welden sent him. Egan orders him to lure his boss into a trap, but after Gates leaves, an unseen shooter kills Egan. Templar and Fernack meet when they both sneak into Egans place. The Saint finds the hidden camera and later develops the photograph. He also picks up a clue, a rose petal.
Welden assumes Gates killed Egan and has the $90,000, despite Gates protestations. Templar blackmails Gates into helping him in exchange for not giving the police the photograph and telling Weldon that Gates does not have the money. However, when they go to see Weldon, they find him dead, and once again, Fernack is already there.
Templar, assisted by Gates, kidnaps Sloan, the most likely of the survivors to talk, but they are followed. When Templar leaves Sloan guarded by Fernack, Sloan is shot and killed through Fernacks basement window. They take the body back to Sloans place, but the suspicious police burst in and take them by surprise. Only Templar manages to escape.
He waits for the murderer in Reeses apartment (Bremer being out of town). He is unsurprised when the woman shows up. She is Ruth Summers, Johnnys sister, out for revenge. He offers to help her. Templar has Gates "betray" him to Bremer and Reese. They catch him searching Bremers office. He offers to trade the $90,000 for his life, but insists they tell him everything. Their unwitting confessions are broadcast to the police via a hidden microphone and radio transmitter. When the police arrive, Bremer escapes by the fire escape. In the alley, he encounters Ruth. Each fatally shoots the other. Ruth makes a deathbed confession to the three previous murders, then dies before Templar can tell her something important.
Similar Movies
The Saint Takes Over and The Saints Double Trouble are part of the same movie series. George Sanders and Wendy Barrie appear in The Saint Takes Over and The Saint Strikes Back. The Saint Takes Over and The Saint in Palm Springs are part of the same movie series. Leslie Charteris wrote the screenplay for The Saint Takes Over and The Saint in New York. George Sanders appears in The Saint Takes Over and The Saint in London.
Cast
References
The Saint Takes Over WikipediaThe Saint Takes Over IMDbThe Saint Takes Over themoviedb.org