The Fiction-Makers

A British spy adventure; A story about a a Robin Hood-like figure known as the Saint who is asked to act as a bodyguard to a best-selling adventure author, a young woman who uses a male pen-name. This feature length film dovetailed with the successful british TV series of "The Saint". It showcases the light comedy talents of stars, Roger Moore and Sylvia Sims. Technically, it has a flat TV look with full screen ratio because of its release previously as a two-part TV format. It has an interesting and ingenious plot, and the action, while not particularly suspenseful, is enjoyable and the third act holds up quite well. Despite it's low budget and TV stage feel, the film has good production values and is well produced. The film pays tribute in a small way to a burgeoning new genre of fantasy spy and heist films. As an aside, several scenes and motifs in the film resemble other such films: Goldfinger (1964), Pink Panther (1964) and Entrapment (1999).

Roger moore is the saint, in his own film; he's assigned to protect celebrity amos klein. But as usual with the saint, things are not as they seem. Due to a misunderstanding, the saint must pretend to be klein. It ends up being almost a chapter in the james bond films. But not really. Reading bios and interviews, it seems no-one was really happy how this came out. The humor/drama ratio wasn't quite right, or something. A tad slow in the middle. The usual showdowns, chases, and fights. Co-stars sylvia syms. Some viewers will recognize nicholas smith as bishop. He was also mister rumbold, store manager in "are you being served" ! The trivia section suggests that some scenes were filmed (or borrowed ) from earlier times, possibly even from the saint television series. Directed by roy baker. He also directed episodes of the avengers, the saint, and return of the saint! Won a bunch of film fest awards. Film based on the character created by les charteris.

2 episodes of the classic series sewn together for a UK cinema release. Simon Templar is mistaken for a writer of clever thrillers by a group of fanatics hell bent on robbing an impregnable strongroom.

Whether a parody or a straight copy, the similarities to Goldfinger are pretty blatant. Accepting this, this remains a fun enough piece of hokum if you like the tv series, helped considerably by the presence of Sylvia Syms.

The stage curtains open ...

Before Roger Moore was James Bond 007, he was Simon Templar, "The Saint". This 1968 film, "The Fiction-Makers", is such a fun movie to watch. It really is escapism that is campy, intelligent, and memorable. Originally shown on TV in two different episodes, they were combined for a cinema release and is now commonly packaged as a full-length movie.

Simon is asked to protect and look after a best-selling adventure novelist, a recluse woman who writes under the pseudonym of Amos Klein. And he arrives not a moment too soon as they are both abducted and taken to a veritable fortress under the control of a man who calls himself Warlock. Warlock is an obsessed fan of Klein's work, and has taken every idea she has written in her novels and brought them to life. Thinking that Templar is Klein, he forces them to assist him in planning and executing a daring heist that only his favorite novelist would be able to pull off.

For having been made in the late 60's, this film actually holds up pretty well. Moore shows off his usual wit and charm, and it is easy to see in this film why he was considered to fill the shoes of 007 after Connery and Lazenby. There is plenty of humor here as well that will generate a laugh or two along the way. And at the end of it all, you will be smiling ear to ear. "The Fiction-Makers" is a guilty pleasure - a lost gem.

I highly recommend this one. It took me a long time to find it again for my own personal collection, but now that I have it, I'll never let it go.

Adventurer Templar, known for cocking his eye upwards at his animated halo, agrees to do a favour for a publisher friend (Peter Ashmore) to look after best-selling thriller writer Amos Klein - who writes macho Ian Fleming-type books but is actually scatty, cute, short-sighted Sylvia Sims, who is being targeted by criminals who want their expertise to pull off an impossible crime.

A wacky, spoof of the James Bond franchise, this a fun two-part series made into a feature film which benefits from its two stars - Roger Moore and Sylvia Sims. Their interactions is what makes this all so enjoyable. The Saint regular Justine Lord is beautiful as ever. It's a nice way to pass the time, even though the wackiness can be tiring at times.