The Saint “The Arrow of God” #1.7 (1962) (TV)

Welcome to the Bahamas! 22 May 2020

Simon is invited by an old friend to spend some time with her family and friends at their home in the Bahamas.  Among the group is a nasty piece of work named Floyd Vosper (Anthony Dawson). He's a journalist who enjoys exposing the secrets of the rich and powerful.  It seems he has something on every guest.  So, it’s not terribly surprising when Vosper turns up dead.

I’ve about decided that a lot of these early episodes have a different sort of “feel” to them.  In the case of The Arrow of God, it has more in common with an Agatha Christie story than what I expect from The Saint.  You know, everyone in the household had a reason to kill the victim, but everyone has an alibi.  Here, though, instead of a stuffy detective, Simon solves the case and delivers what amounts to the drawing room denouement.  And much like Christie, the solution to whodunit is riddled with holes.  But seriously, I could care less.  It was so much fun watching Simon get to the bottom of things that I wasn’t overly bothered with a plot issue or two.  

One of the things that makes this one so good is the acting.  I’ll start with Anthony Dawson.  His portrayal of Vosper is an absolute blast to watch.  Every word out of his mouth is like acid.  It’s no wonder he meets his untimely demise.  Good stuff.  I was also impressed with Elspeth March as Simon’s friend Lucy.  I thought she did a nice job of expressing an array of emotions throughout the episode.  Finally, I’ll mention Honor Blackman.  She’s solid.  It’s pretty cool to see three actors (Dawson, Blackman, and Moore) who would go on to memorable performances in the James Bond films sharing screen time in an early episode of The Saint.  

7/10