The Saint

The Saint (1997)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
The Saint movie poster- head shot of main character staring at the camera with blue mist behind him, Saint is written in white.

The Saint movie poster © Paramount Pictures

Director: Phillip Noyce

Starring: Val Kilmer, Elizabeth Shue, Henry Goodman, Rade Šerbedžija, Alun Armstrong 

Production Company: Paramount Pictures, Rysher Entertainment, Mace Neufeld Productions, Robert Evans Company

Kent Filming Location: Fort Amherst, Chatham

Inspired by the 1928 novels and following in the footsteps of the 1960’s TV series, starring Roger Moore, The Saint is about Simon Templar (Val Kilmer – Batman Forever, Heat), a suave and sophisticated international thief who has one last job before he can comfortably retire. Known as a master of disguise, he assumes the names of saints for his false identities.  When he is tasked by the Russian Mafia with stealing the cold fusion formula created by the stunning Dr Emma Russell (Elizabeth Shue – Hollow Man, Back to the Future II) love proves to be a dangerous distraction.

The Saint is directed by Phillip Noyce (Salt, The Bone Collector, Patriot Games) and stars Val Kilmer (Heat, Batman Forever, Top Gun) and Elizabeth Shue (Back to the Future Part II, Hollow Man, Leaving Las Vegas), Rade Šerbedžija (Snatch, Batman Begins), Henry Goodman (Notting Hill, Avengers: Age of Ultron) and Alun Armstrong (Braveheart, Sleepy Hollow).

The atmospheric Georgian fortress of Fort Amherst, Chatham, provided the perfect location to film the scene in the sewers of Moscow where Templar and Russell hide.

Fort Amherst is a Georgian Fortress over 17 acres, including a tunnel complex, park like setting, woodland, WW2 gun battery and sloping grassland and is known as one of the most haunted forts in Britain. Fort Amherst has also been used as a filming location by Jekyll and Hyde (2015), Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) and The Mission (1987).

The Saint was released in cinemas in April 1997 and is now available to buy on DVD.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

The Saint – Season 5 (1967)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Roger Moore as The Saint sits behind the wheel of a vintage racing car. He is in a grey jumpsuit and wears a black helmet with a white vizor, grey goggles and white gloves.

Roger Moore as the Saint in “The Fast Women” © ITC

Director: Leslie Norman
Writer: Leslie Charteris, Leigh Vance
Starring: Roger Moore, Jan Holden, John Carson, Kate O’Mara
Production Company: Bamore, Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
Kent Locations Used: Brands Hatch

The Saint (1962-1969) is an ITV spy thriller series following Simon (The Saint) Templar, a wealthy adventurer who travels the world solving mysteries. Season 5 Episode 16, The Fast Women, sees the Saint at Brands Hatch racing circuit, where he meets famous racing rivals Cynthia Quillen and Teresa Montesino, who both have plans to assassinate the other.

The episode is written by Leslie Charteris (The Saint (1997), The Saint’s Double Trouble) and Leigh Vance (The Black Windmill (1974), Mission: Impossible) and directed by Leslie Norman (Dunkirk (1958), X the Unknown). The episode stars Roger Moore (The Carer (2016), Moonraker) as Simon Templar “The Saint”, Jan Holden (Casanova ’73, Agony) as racing driver Cynthia Quillen, John Carson (Doomsday, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter) as her cheating husband Godfrey Quillen, and Kate O’Mara (The Vampire Lovers, Doctor Who) as her racing rival Teresa Montesino.

Episode 16 is set at Brands Hatch in Fawkham, Sevenoaks and filming took place on the racing circuit and in the pits.

Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit with views across almost the entire Indy Circuit. Surrounded by woodland, the site also contains a rally course and off-road 4×4 course which are available for filming. Other productions to have filmed there include Grand Prix (1966), CI5 The New Professionals (1999) and Rush (2013).

The Saint first aired on ITV between 1962 and 1969. Season 5 Episode 16, The Fast Women, aired Friday 13th January 1967. Seasons 5 and 6 are available to stream on ITVX.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.