The Saint (TV Series) The Element of Doubt (1962) User Reviews

Kill all the lawyers

[zeppo-2 · 12 April 2006]

Strange early entry in this long series as apart from the introductory segment at the beginning, the Saint doesn't make a big appearance until we are well into the story. Not a bad thing as the rest of the cast shine in this, a particularly good turn by David Bauer as the nauseous, slimy criminal lawyer, Carlton Rood. You just can't wait for this creepy piece of work to get what's coming to him.

When Simon does turn up, the plot has been well laid out, Carlton Rood has got crooked, murdering businessman, Joe Sholto, off scot-free, due to his legal machinations. Simon soon devises a scheme to turn the tables on both men to bring them to justice.

Good well worked out story with a suitably pleasing conclusion. Although Roger Moore's American accent when pretending to be a writer, does leave something to be desired!

A static story that lacks Roger Moore

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 20 December 2017]

THE ELEMENT OF DOUBT is a rather unappetising episode of THE SAINT which seems to have been written as a stand-alone story with the Roger Moore scenes tacked on at the beginning and the end. For the majority of the running time, this one's about a slimy and corrupt lawyer who specialises in getting the guilty off scot-free. Production values are fine but the static nature of the story makes it long-winded and the subject matter is oddly depressing, only picking up at the climax.

Where's The Saint?

[bensonmum2 · 5/10 · 4 June 2020]

Simon isn't very happy with a hoodlum getting off free or his win-at-all-costs attorney. So, Simon decides to take matters into his own hands in the name of justice.

There's nothing really wrong with The Element of Doubt, but (and I'm starting to sound like a broken record) it doesn't feel like an episode of The Saint. In this case, Roger Moore's Simon Templar isn't even involved until there are only about 15 minutes left. There are at least 30 minutes of runtime where I all but forgot Moore was even in the show. The courtroom drama is fine and reasonably entertaining, but without Simon, it's not really The Saint.

A couple other things that bothered me: (1) Everyone seems upset by defence attorney Carlton Rood's (a nice performance from David Bauer, by the way) courtroom tactics. I don't get it. He doesn't do anything any other competent attorney wouldn't do. His role is to represent his client to the best of his ability and, if possible, get the charges dropped against, And at that, he's successful. Does he do anything illegal? No. Does he do anything unethical? Maybe, but it's up to the prosecuting attorney to object and deal with. Rood shouldn't be blamed because he out-foxed and out-maneuvered the prosecuting attorney while he sat on his hands. (2) Once Simon finally does make an appearance, his plan to seek justice is so obvious and so juvenile that there's no way it should have worked. A smart guy like Rood would have seen through Simon's plan and that ridiculous accent straight away. I just wasn't impressed with anything The Saint did in this episode.

5/10

Bookend Saint

[jonnyporter · 4/10 · 30 August 2022]

A lawyer famous for getting people off (who are obviously guilty) is the star of this episode. The famous, Simon Templar is a guest star in his own show. This feels more like an episode of PERRY MASON. I found the story interesting enough but we get about 30 minutes or more of courtroom drama, which feels tedious ( for what we expect from this show) and draws out the episode. The bit part actors are fine enough but this lacks the style and charm we come to expect from a Simon Templar adventure. This script feels like it was a reheated reject from some other show and they just tacked some dialogue for Moore and a couple of scenes at the beginning and end.

The Element of Doubt

[Prismark10 · 3/10 · 8 May 2022]

The Saint turns Perry Mason in this subpar episode set in New York.

Joe Sholto is a hood who always gets off thanks to his slimy defence attorney Carlton Rood.

A warehouse fire started by Sholto leaves a cop dead and the cleaner blinded.

The Saint turns the tables by setting up Rood.

This is a silly courtroom story, the kind that the producers of Perry Mason would have binned.

As for Simon Templar, he eventually turns up in his own show.