The Saint Goes West
Encyclopedia
The Saint Goes West is a collection of three mystery novella
s by Leslie Charteris
, first published in the United States
in 1942 by The Crime Club
, and in the United Kingdom
the same year by Hodder and Stoughton.
This book continues the adventures of Charteris' creation, Simon Templar
, alias The Saint, and is the first of several volumes of Saint stories that would follow the theme of the Saint travelling around the world, although in this case all the stories take place in the United States (and can be said to follow on from the previous book, The Saint in Miami
). All three stories centre around Templar visiting the southwestern US, with the first story being a World War II
-related espionage story, continuing the wartime theme established in The Saint in Miami which would continue in the next book, The Saint Steps In
.
Charteris would continue this "travelogue
-mystery" theme a decade later with The Saint in Europe
and successive volumes.
Some editions, such as the 1948 printing by Avon Books, omit the World War II
-era story "Arizona", although references to it remain in "Hollywood".
. The resulting film, The Saint in Palm Springs
, was released in 1941 and starred George Sanders
in his final appearance as Simon Templar. The script used in the film was substantially different than the original storyline. Charteris later novelized his original story for The Saint Goes West, making this, in essence, the first Saint novelization (more would follow based upon the television series
). The film's plotline involves a collection of rare stamps and incorporates the character of Inspector Fernack, who does not appear in the novella.
In 1960, "Palm Springs" was adapted very loosely for the French
film Le Saint Mene la danse which was produced by Films Du Cyclope and Lux Films and starred Felix Marten as Templar. This marks, to date, the only time a Charteris story has been used as source material by two different productions.
"Arizona" and "Hollywood" were both adpated as episodes of the 1962-1969 television series. "Hollywood" was adapted as "Starring the Saint" which aired on September 26, 1963, in the second season. "Arizona" formed the basis of the episode "The Sign of the Claw" which was shown as part of the third season on February 4, 1969.
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
s by Leslie Charteris
Leslie Charteris
Leslie Charteris , born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin, was a half-Chinese, half English author of primarily mystery fiction, as well as a screenwriter. He was best known for his many books chronicling the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint."-Early life:Charteris was born to a Chinese father...
, first published in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1942 by The Crime Club
The Crime Club
The Crime Club was an imprint of the Doubleday publishing company, which later spawned a 1946-47 anthology radio series.Many classic and popular works of detective and mystery fiction had their first U.S. editions published via the Crime Club, including all 50 books of The Saint by Leslie Charteris...
, and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
the same year by Hodder and Stoughton.
This book continues the adventures of Charteris' creation, Simon Templar
Simon Templar
Simon Templar is a British fictional character known as The Saint featured in a long-running series of books by Leslie Charteris published between 1928 and 1963. After that date, other authors collaborated with Charteris on books until 1983; two additional works produced without Charteris’s...
, alias The Saint, and is the first of several volumes of Saint stories that would follow the theme of the Saint travelling around the world, although in this case all the stories take place in the United States (and can be said to follow on from the previous book, The Saint in Miami
The Saint in Miami
The Saint in Miami is the title of a mystery novel by Leslie Charteris featuring his creation, Simon Templar, alias The Saint. As with an earlier release, Follow the Saint, the order of publication for this book was changed...
). All three stories centre around Templar visiting the southwestern US, with the first story being a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-related espionage story, continuing the wartime theme established in The Saint in Miami which would continue in the next book, The Saint Steps In
The Saint Steps In
The Saint Steps In is the title of a mystery novel by Leslie Charteris featuring his creation, Simon Templar, alias The Saint. The book was first published in serialized form in November 1942 in Liberty Magazine, with its first bound publication in 1943 in an American edition by The Crime Club...
.
Charteris would continue this "travelogue
Travel literature
Travel literature is travel writing of literary value. Travel literature typically records the experiences of an author touring a place for the pleasure of travel. An individual work is sometimes called a travelogue or itinerary. Travel literature may be cross-cultural or transnational in focus, or...
-mystery" theme a decade later with The Saint in Europe
The Saint in Europe
The Saint in Europe is a collection of short stories by Leslie Charteris, first published in 1953 by The Crime Club in the United States and in 1954 by Hodder and Stoughton in the United Kingdom. This was the 29th book to feature the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint", and it also...
and successive volumes.
Stories
The book consisted of the following stories, which are standalone adventures although the third story makes reference to the first two:- Arizona - Templar travels to the American West in pursuit of a Nazi scientist who plans to take over a ranch in order to mine the mercuryMercury (element)Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
located beneath, with the mineral destined for German munitions. - Palm Springs - An alcoholic millionarie begins receiving death threats after he helps police track down (and kill) a gangster. He hires Templar to "guard his body" which soon threatens to become a literal instruction. Meanwhile, Templar finds himself distracted by the millionaire's trio of live-in girlfriends. This story describes a character reading a mystery novel published by The Crime ClubThe Crime ClubThe Crime Club was an imprint of the Doubleday publishing company, which later spawned a 1946-47 anthology radio series.Many classic and popular works of detective and mystery fiction had their first U.S. editions published via the Crime Club, including all 50 books of The Saint by Leslie Charteris...
, American publishers of the Saint books and ends with a metafictionMetafictionMetafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
al reference to the Saint book series itself, as well as the Hays Production Code, a possible reference to the fact this story is a novelization of a film story treatment (see below). - Hollywood - As word spreads of his recent adventures in Arizona and Palm Springs, Templar receives an offer to star in a motion picture about his life, spearheaded by a mobster-turned-movie producer. But when the producer is murdered, Templar finds himself playing another role - that of detective.
Some editions, such as the 1948 printing by Avon Books, omit the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era story "Arizona", although references to it remain in "Hollywood".
Film and television adaptations
The story "Palm Springs" is based upon a story treatment Charteris wrote for RKO PicturesRKO Pictures
RKO Pictures is an American film production and distribution company. As RKO Radio Pictures Inc., it was one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum theater chains and Joseph P...
. The resulting film, The Saint in Palm Springs
The Saint in Palm Springs
The Saint in Palm Springs is the name of a crime thriller motion picture released by RKO Pictures in early 1941. The film continued the screen adventures of the Robin Hood-inspired anti-hero, Simon Templar, alias The Saint, created by Leslie Charteris. The film itself was based upon a story by...
, was released in 1941 and starred George Sanders
George Sanders
George Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
in his final appearance as Simon Templar. The script used in the film was substantially different than the original storyline. Charteris later novelized his original story for The Saint Goes West, making this, in essence, the first Saint novelization (more would follow based upon the television series
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
). The film's plotline involves a collection of rare stamps and incorporates the character of Inspector Fernack, who does not appear in the novella.
In 1960, "Palm Springs" was adapted very loosely for the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
film Le Saint Mene la danse which was produced by Films Du Cyclope and Lux Films and starred Felix Marten as Templar. This marks, to date, the only time a Charteris story has been used as source material by two different productions.
"Arizona" and "Hollywood" were both adpated as episodes of the 1962-1969 television series. "Hollywood" was adapted as "Starring the Saint" which aired on September 26, 1963, in the second season. "Arizona" formed the basis of the episode "The Sign of the Claw" which was shown as part of the third season on February 4, 1969.