History Film / TheSaint

[[redirect::Franchise/TheSaint]]

[[redirect::Franchise/TheSaint

%%
%%
%% ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
%%
%%
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_saint_film_8840.jpg]]

''The Saint'' is a 1997 film based on [[Franchise/TheSaint the character of Simon Templar]] created by Leslie Charteris. The film stars Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue, and Rade Šerbedžija. It was directed by Phillip Noyce and written by Jonathan Hensleigh and Wesley Strick.

In the movie, Templar is caught trying to steal a microchip from Ivan Tretiak, an ex-communist-turned-billionaire who dominates the gas and oil market in Moscow. Tretiak hires Templar to steal the formula for cold fusion from an American scientist named Dr. Emma Russell in exchange for the $8 million needed for him to reach $50 million, the amount Templar needs in order to retire from thievery for life. Assuming the identity of Thomas More, Templar locates Dr. Russell and attempts to get close enough to steal the formula, but things get very complicated shortly after he realizes he is falling for her...

In this version, Kilmer's character does not claim to be the Simon Templar created by Charteris. He is, in fact, an orphan who chooses his name, Simon Templar -- the first name from Simon Magus, and the last name from his childhood heroes, the Knights Templar. He refers to himself as Templar only during a flashback sequence at the start of the film.

It should be noted that a) fans of the Saint ''loathe'' this movie and b) Leslie Charteris is never mentioned in the credits. Ironically, despite the noted dissonance between this film and the rest of the franchise, it was produced by the same producer who oversaw the 1960s Creator/RogerMoore [[Series/TheSaint TV series]] and 1978 Ian Ogilvy revival, and Moore himself provided a voiceover cameo. Even more ironic, for the novelisation of the movie, Burl Barer, a noted Simon Templar historian, was commissioned to write the book, and he took the opportunity to add elements of traditional Saint continuity to the book; around the same time, perhaps to absolve himself of the sin of being connected to this film, he wrote a "traditional" Saint novel, ''Capture the Saint'', which was the first new Saint novel in 13 years.

----
!!''The Saint'' provides examples of the following tropes:
%%* AdrenalineMakeover: Emma
%%* BeepingComputers
* {{Adorkable}}: Emma is socially-awkward in a sweet and endearing way.
* ArtisticLicensePhysics: Not for the premise of someone discovering cold fusion, but for the means by which they do it. In a lecture, Emma provides absolutely no theoretical background or experimental results on which to base her discovery other than to simply write the finished formula on a chalkboard. She openly admits that the entire discovery was based on a gut feeling and [[HandWave hand waves]] the authenticity of her formula by claiming it's too beautiful to be wrong. Nobody in her audience (who are implied to also be trained scientists) objects to this.
* TheCameo: At the end of the movie [[spoiler: the voice of Roger Moore is heard]].
* CarCushion: Used as a means of escape.
* CharacterNameAlias: All of Templar's aliases are the names of Catholic saints.
* ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames: Not adapted from a comic book, but in all other ways plays the trope straight.
* CorporalPunishment: In the flashback, the priest in charge of the orphanage repeatedly canes Simon while he's bent double in an attempt to get him to accept the name "John Rossi". [[NoSell He doesn't even cry out]].
* DeniedFoodAsPunishment: As a boy, when Simon refused to answer to the religiously themed name given to him by the priests at his orphanage even after being whipped, they declared that not only would he not be fed until he acknowledged his name, none of the other boys would be fed either. Simon held out until the priests left, then picked the lock to the pantry.
* DiplomaticImpunity: Emma ends up making a dead sprint for the US Embassy, with Tretiak close behind her. He gets the gate slammed in his face by a [[SemperFi Marine]] who tells him to take a hike.
* EngineeredPublicConfession: Used in reverse. Simon Templar convinces the Russian president to accept Tretiak's accusations of investing state funds in a fraudulent cold-fusion machine project, rather than deny it. When the machine proves to actually ''work'', the president instantly becomes a national hero and Tretiak's credibility is destroyed.
%%* FakeOutMakeOut: Simon and Emma.
* FourthDateMarriage: Well, it took about a week. She was mad at him so they had to take things slow.
* GoToAlias: Simon Templar liked to use the alias "Sebastian Tombs".
* HollywoodNerd: Emma, who becomes less nerdy the more time she spends in Templar's company.
%%* HotScientist: Dr. Emma Russell.
* ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe: Emma, almost word for word.
* InfantImmortality: Averted in the ''very first scene'' when a little girl called Agnes, who the young Simon is attracted to (and vice versa), falls to her death in the orphanage.
* InformationWantsToBeFree: Emma has invented cold fusion, thus solving the world's energy problems. Naturally, many folks want this information quashed.
* IntimateHealing: Emma saving Simon from hypothermia after he is forced to hide from bad guys in a nearly-frozen river and afterwards they both must hole up in an unheated house.
%%* LostInACrowd
%%* LovableRogue: Simon Templar.
%%* {{Lzherusskie}}: Rade Šerbedžija.
%%* MasterOfDisguise: Simon, natch.
* MrFanService: Val Kilmer in his African artist role, sliding a notebook into his pants, in a way that suggests he is wearing no underwear.
* MsFanService: Elizabeth Shue in shirt and bobby socks.
* NotStayingForBreakfast: When Simon bails on Emma (after romancing her, staying the night, and stealing her formula for cold fusion) he leaves behind a bunch of notes reading "I'm sorry".
* OhCrap: Tretiak, Ilya, and General Sklarov after the cold fusion machine works and the crowd starts cheering for President Karpov.
* OutGambitted: Tretiak tries to get the cold fusion formula in order to force current president Karpov out of office and install himself. When his pet scientist can't make it work, he tries to get his money back and continue his original plan by getting Karpov to endorse it. Except Emma completes the formula and Simon gives it to Tretiak's scientist (who is not aware of Tretiak's new plan) completes the work and gives it to Tretiak. Simon also tells Karpov to agree that he supported it. It works, Karpov is hailed as a hero, and Tretiak and his allies are arrested.
* ParentalAbandonment: Simon is an orphan.
* PatronSaint: The eponymous Saint discusses (inaccurately, but we'll let it slide) what it takes to be made a Catholic Saint, and he kinda-sorta manages the "Three Miracles" part, at least.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: As Tretiak tries to escape the rally, General Sklarov orders his troops to catch him and apologizes to President Karpov, blaming a miscommunication in the chain of command. He's still arrested.
* TechnicalPacifist: Oddly, the original Saint had no such code (and indeed, periodically shot people).
* ThemedAliases: All of Simon Templar's aliases are the names of Catholic saints, including [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_de_Porres Martin De Porres]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_of_Cologne Bruno Hartenfaust]], and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_More Thomas More]].
* VictoriasSecretCompartment: Emma keeps the notes containing her cold fusion formula in her bra.
----

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_saint_film_8840.jpg]]

* InfantImmortality: Averted in the ''very first scene'' when a little girl called Agnes, who the young Simon is attracted to (and vice versa) falls to her death in the orphanage.

'''''The Saint''''' is a 1997 film based on [[Franchise/TheSaint the character of Simon Templar]] created by Leslie Charteris. The film stars Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue, and Rade Šerbedžija. It was directed by Phillip Noyce and written by Jonathan Hensleigh and Wesley Strick.

* AdrenalineMakeover: Emma
* BeepingComputers

* FakeOutMakeOut: Simon and Emma.

* HotScientist: Dr. Emma Russell.

* LostInACrowd
* LovableRogue: Simon Templar.
* {{Lzherusskie}}: Rade Šerbedžija.
* MasterOfDisguise: Simon, natch.

* ThemedAliases: All of Simon Templar's aliases are the names of Catholic saints.

* CorporalPunishment: In the flashback, the priest in charge of the orphanage repeatedly canes Simon while he's bent double in an attempt to get him to divulge his name. [[NoSell He doesn't even cry out]].

* EngineeredPublicConfession: used in reverse. Simon Templar convinces the Russian president to confess to a fraudelent cold fusion project. After the president confesses in response to Ivan Tretiak’s accusations, the cold fusion machine works and destroy’s Tretiak’s credibility. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saint_(film)]]

It should be noted that a) fans of the Saint ''loathe'' this movie and b) Leslie Charteris is never mentioned in the credits. Ironically, despite the noted dissonance between this film and the rest of the franchise, it was produced by the same producer who oversaw the 1960s Roger Moore TV series and 1978 Ian Ogilvy revival, and Moore himself provided a voiceover cameo. Even more ironic, for the novelisation of the movie, Burl Barer, a noted Simon Templar historian, was commissioned to write the book, and he took the opportunity to add elements of traditional Saint continuity to the book; around the same time, perhaps to absolve himself of the sin of being connected to this film, he wrote a "traditional" Saint novel, ''Capture the Saint'', which was the first new Saint novel in 13 years.

* FakeNationality: Rade Šerbedžija, who plays Tretiak.

'''''The Saint''''' is a 1997 film based on the character of Simon Templar created by Leslie Charteris. The film stars Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue, and Rade Šerbedžija. It was directed by Phillip Noyce and written by Jonathan Hensleigh and Wesley Strick.

In the movie, Templar is caught trying to steal a microchip from Ivan Tretiak, a, ex-communist-turned-billionaire who dominates the gas and oil market in Moscow. Tretiak hires Templar to steal the formula for cold fusion from an American scientist named Dr. Emma Russell in exchange for the $8 million needed for him to reach $50 million, the amount Templar needs in order to retire from thievery for life. Assuming the identity of Thomas More, Templar locates Dr. Russell and attempts to get close enough to steal the formula, but things get very complicated shortly after he realizes he is falling for her...

It should be noted that a) fans of the Saint ''loathe'' this movie and b) Leslie Charteris is never mentioned on the credits. Ironically, despite the noted dissonance between this film and the rest of the franchise, it was produced by the same producer who oversaw the 1960s Roger Moore TV series and 1978 Ian Ogilvy revival, and Moore himself provided a voiceover cameo. Even more ironic, for the novelisation of the movie, Burl Barer, a noted Simon Templar historian, was commissioned to write the book, and he took the opportunity to add elements of traditional Saint continuity to the book; around the same time, perhaps to absolve himself of the sin of being connected to this film, he wrote a "traditional" Saint novel, ''Capture the Saint'', which was the first new Saint novel in 13 years.

It should be noted that a) fans of the Saint ''loathe'' this movie and b) Leslie Charteris is never mentioned on the credits.

* CorporalPunishment: In the flashback, the priest in charge of the orphanage repeatedly canes Simon while he's bent double in an attempt to get him to divulge his name. [[NoSell He doesn't even cry out]].