The Saint (TV Series) Sophia (1964) User Reviews

Oliver Reed does his New York Gangster Voice

[TheFearmakers · 9/10 · 31 August 2020]

In some of his early movies, particularly THE SYSTEM and THE PARTY'S OVER, British actor Oliver Reed gave his future roles away with imitations that are, in those cases, poking fun of either Americans or the typical cinematic Gangster...

The latter being used in the episode SOPHIA where THE SAINT finds himself in rural Greece where the episode's titular character (played by a gorgeous Imogen Hassall), the daughter of a stubborn, old-fashion pub owner, is anticipating her supposedly rich New Yorker cousin...

And in that, Reed's antagonistic Aristides Koralis, with a voice like a Bogart-era heavy, is about as dramatic as his name; and with the usual wide, menacing eyes, he's pretty frightening...

But eventually realizes the meager village, that he initially looked down upon as he plans to snag a treasure recently discovered by an anthropologist, is tougher than he thinks, making this role not only his usual smug and hardened but frightened, vulnerable, cagey, doomed.

Starring Oliver Reed as John Travolta

[CatsAreGods · 8/10 · 25 November 2019]

Seriously, the resemblance is uncanny...even with an American gangster accent!

Apart from that, this is a very satisfying story line, very believable, and on top of all that...directed by Roger Moore himself! A must see for Saint fans.

Wow! Two of the Most Handsome Englishman of All Time!

[jimmywhale · 10/10 · 2 September 2013]

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of "The Saint," especially since it contained two of the most handsome British actors of the 1960's -- Roger Moore and the great Oliver Reed. Both actors never looked better, and they are in top form here -- Moore playing the charming yet devilish Templar, and Reed as the duplicitous but sexy bad boy.

Plot centers about an old Greek man and his niece running a bar/hotel outside of Athens. Reed enters as a relative, and becomes embroiled in the theft of an ancient artifact. It's all certainly hokey and labored, but also lots of fun, and some thrills with the sloe-eyed Reed actually dominating the proceedings.

Worth it for the actors involved

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 22 May 2018]

SOPHIA is a Saint episode from the latter stages of series two, generally worth a watch thanks to the presence of two luminous stars of the British screen: Oliver Reed and Imogen Hassall. The former plays a sinister, shady relative character whom Templar investigates on a sunny Greek island. Reed had already appeared in THE SAINT and this is a lesser performance compared to the other, but he's still good value. The tragic Hassall was known as one of Britain's most voluptuous and vivacious actresses and she's just starting out here, but gives an emotionally charged performance.

Sophia

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 10 December 2022]

Simon Templar joins up with Professor Hamish Grant at an archaeological dig at a rural part in a Greek island.

The Professor finds a valuable artefact, made of gold and it attracts the attention of Aristides Koralis (Oliver Reed.) He's a gangster who left for New York as a kid.

Now he has returned on the run from American gangsters he stole from. Arriving at his uncle's village, he is arrogant and has his eye on Sofia (Imogen Hassall), his cousin.

She and her father run a small impoverished inn. Sofia is engaged to a local but has her head turned by Aristides who gives her a valuable necklace.

The Saint notices that Aristides is carrying a gun, running away from trouble and will steal again.

Templar sets up an elaborate plan to make sure Aristides does not hang around for long.

This certainly is a hokey story. Enlivened by Reed and Hassall. Reed certainly has a ba American accent, Hassall is fiery and sexy. The studio set designers worked overtime to pass it all off as Greece.

Oliver Reed and Moore

[aramis-112-804880 · 16 December 2023]

Two of the biggest movie stars of the 1970s (Roger Moore and Oliver Reed) square off on the small screen.

The Saint is vacationing in "Greece" (which means some phony Grecian accents by the likes of Imogene Hassall) when a poor innkeeper and his lovely daughter are visited by their "rich" cousin from America.

That he's tied in with organized crime is suggested by his mention of juke boxes. At the time the "juke box" racket was a variation on the protection racket. Store owners had to "buy juke boxes" to make sure they weren't damaged. Reed's character is probably hiding out.

Oliver Reed, who at the height of his fame spoke in nothing but a whisper and made it menacing, does a creditable American accent (I'm an American). Kudos.

Still, the fake accents of the others stick in my craw. I don't care if actors are "too old" for their parts or whether they're from where they pretend to be, so long as the acting is good. Here Hassall and the rest are far over the top. What might've been a great episode becomes a curiosity piece.

Reed, more renowned for his fabulous underplaying in the movies, gets a bit frantic but it's justifiable under the circumstances.

Why wasn't Reed a Bond villain?