The Saint “The Pearls of Peace” #1.6 (1962) (TV)

From New York to Mexico, 21 May 2020

Simon agrees to help finance a friend’s ill-fated pearl hunting operation.  Years later, he receives word that his friend is living in Mexico and wants to pay back what he owes.   Simon heads to Mexico to investigate and is shocked at what he finds.

I know I’m only six episodes into The Saint, but The Pearls of Peace is not what I’ve come to expect from the series.  For lack of a better word, it doesn’t feel like the other episodes I’ve seen.  Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, it’s just different.  Instead of the usual action/crime/drama genre classification I would use to describe The Saint, this episode is more like a drama/romance w/ a dash of crime.  The story is told in flashback style with Simon little more than a background character for most of the episode.  He really doesn’t do much until the episode is almost over.  Again, not that any of this is bad, just different.  One thing that’s not different is that, in the end, Simon’s on-hand to save the day.  However, the little switcheroo that he pulls wasn’t nearly as clever as it was meant to be.  The con was way too easy to predict.  And, I could have done without that sappy final monologue.  It’s a real low point for me.

There are a couple of acting highlights I want to point out.  First, Dina Palsner is fantastic as Consuelo.  She gives a very refined, dignified performance and creates a believably loving character.  Second is Erica Rogers.  Has there ever been a more uncaring, selfish gold-digger than Rogers’ Joss Hendry?  I think that the contrast between these two characters is a real strength of The Pearls of Peace.  

 6/10