The Helpful Pirate

The Saint, 1966 Character created by Leslie Charteris Produced by Robert S. Baker Director of photography: Paul Beeson Music composed by Edwin Astley Production supervisor: Peter Manley Art director: Alan Harris Editor: Bert Rule

CAST Roger Moore as Simon Templar Erika Remberg as Eva Paul Maxwel as Kolben Vladek Sheybal as Nikita Roskin Anneke Wills as Fran Roeding Redmond Phillips as Prof. Roeding George Pravda as Uhrmelster Jack Gwillim as Major Carter Laurence Herden as Alexi Ray Austin as Erich Brauer

Plot Summary

Few people are able to resist the attraction of money for nothing, but when it is wrapped up in the guise of hidden treasure which is providing a profitable racket for confidence trickster Kolben, the Saint steps in to see fair play.

The action takes place in Hamburg, Germany. The Saint helps to rescue a scientist who has been kidnapped by Kolben after falling into the pirate trick. The trick is simple. Kolben's girl friend spots a man and tells him about an old legend. She convinces him a pirate treasure is hidden somewhere and a map to get to the treasure are hidden in the stem of an old goblet. She just happens to see the goblet in an antic shop while taking a walk with him. She finds the map, but won't show it to him. Later, she would come back to him asking for money to dig the treasure out, offering half of it. Of course, he would never see her again.

So the scientist, professor Roeding, falls for it. But when Kolben realizes that he is a famous scientist, he kidnaps him for a ransom. He sells him to the Russians. Now Roeding's daughter's worried because her father never came back from his trip to Hamburg. So she goes to British intelligence. Unfortunately, there are no agents available, so they ask Templar to help. As a good gentleman, he accepts to help the girl. Later, she will be caught too, but Templar will come to the rescue.

He will follow the steps of the professor and will pretend to fall for the pirate trick, but he is not that easily fooled...

Comment

It's a good Saint episode. And Vladek is brilliant as the Russian agent Roskin who makes the deal with Kolben to get the professor. It's quite a big part he's got. His character is sarcastic, arrogant and self confident. Reminds you of someone?

Images

Roskin is perplexed.

Back in the car, he calls headquarters.

The radio operator is taking a message

Radio operator: "Alexi called from the Northside hotel, Kolben's girl just made contact with the British agent"

Roskin looking at Professor Roeding's daughter's passport.

Roskin: "Yes, it seems genuine enough!" Kolben: "I figured you'd be interested." Roskin: "Veeeery interested Mister Koooolben!" (in a very Jackson way)

Kolben: "So we have a deal then?" Roskin:"50 thousand US dollars for Roeding and the girl"

Kolben: "Right, where do you want them delivered?" Roskin: "Ahhh!"

Roskin: "Before I tell you that, there's one flaw" Roskin argues with Kolben over the fact that Kolben's girl friend is spending time with the British agent (Simon Templar). Kolben tries to convince him that he's falling for the treasure trick.

Roskin: "A British agent fell for this pirate lunacy?" Kolben tries to convince him again and reassures him.

Captain: "They're late" Roskin: "Are you criticizing my arrangements Captain?"

Captain: "I'm only saying that my ship sails in 22 minutes" Roskin: "your ship sails when I tell it to!"

Roskin: "Kolben will be here" Captain: "You're very confident Comrade!" Roskin: "I know my man, Kolben is completely a creature of greed! Money is the key to his whole life."

We hear a car stopping in front of the door. Roskin: "You see?"

Roskin: "Why are you so depressed professor Roeding? You're worth a great deal of money!"

Roskin is showing the money to Kolben

Roskin is closing the briefcase but Kolben is saying: "Just a minute, I'll count it if you don't mind. Roskin: "Oh, really Mister Kolben, do you think..." Kolben: "Look, I don't thrust anybody, not even myself!"

Roskin: "Satisfied?" Kolben: "They're all yours, comrade!"

Roskin: "Well, you sail on time, Captain!"

The Captain and the prisoners went out and Templar rescued the prof and his daughter. Then, Templar came inside the warehouse. Roskin just saw him.