Collision Course: The Brave Goose

Has shades of 1963's Charade, which is no bad thing. A 2-part episode that was cut into a film. Part 1 opens with an exciting powerboat race and has some great locations, setting up the plot nicely. Part 2 is more insular and claustrophobic. You will probably see the ending coming, but there is still some mystery, with the Saint's ambiguity explored. It's entertaining with plenty of action and some interesting characters. Gayle Hunnicutt is a delight, a stand out performance in more ways than one way. The only thing that lets it down it the use of some green screen footage, which is rare for this series. Overall, up there with the best of the series.

It is the first part of a two parter. The story starts off with some powerboat racing and in an accident Oscar West and his co-racer, a man called Napoleon are killed.

Oscar's widow Annabelle (Gayle Hunnicutt) finds out she is penniless. The only thing of value her husband had of value was a luxury yacht called 'The Brave Goose' in the south of France.

Annabelle goes off to France to sell the boat. Simon Templar smells trouble. He never liked Oscar West and believes that something shady took place in the boating incident.

It turns out that Oscar was involved in a gold bullion robbery some years earlier. His cohorts went to prison, now they are after Annabelle.

This really should had been the highlight of the series. Gayle Hunnicutt looks wonderful, all shot in soft focus.

It just goes of the rails once George Duchamp (Stratford Johns) turns up as the Backgammon King with Bernadotti (John Hallam) as a guitar playing henchman.

They somehow coincidentally managed to have Annabelle stopping off in their village to stay the night at a hotel. They later abduct her and get her to talk by having her nearly gored by a bull.

Luckily the Saint made his way to France and found her in some remote country farmhouse. Only when they escape they end up in some swamp. Where was the Saint's car?

Eventually there is murder on the dancefloor. Despite being chased by the baddies earlier. Simon and Annabelle go to a masked disco in Marseilles.

The story became absurd very quickly.