OVERLOOKED PROGRAMMER: THE SAINT'S RETURN, a.k.a THE SAINT'S GIRL FRIDAY (1953)

 Louie Hayward played Simon Templar, the Saint, in the first film from RKO, The Saint in New York 1938), after which the character was portrayed by George Sanders for the next five films.  When Sanders jumped ship to portray the Falcon, a blatant rip-off of the Saint character, also for RKO,  Hugh Sinclair became Simon Templar for the next two films.  By the time Sinclair's The Saint Meets the Tiger had finished shooting in 1941, a major legal dispute arose between RKO and Leslie Charteris, the Saint's creator, claiming copyright infringement.  The Saint movies were put on hold during the legal foofaraw until 1943, when The Saint Meets the Tiger was finally released.  The rights to a further film, based on Charteris's Saint Overboard had been purchased in the 30s, but was never made.  

Some consider The Saint's Return, made in 1953, to be the ninth RKO Saint film, but the film was made in England by Hammer Studios, based on a contract between Hammer and Charteris.  RKO's only involvement was to handle the film's US release, under the title The Saint's Girl Friday, six month's after the UK release.  The Saint's Return marked the return of Hayward, the original Saint portrayer, as well as, after a ten-year hiatus, the return of the Saint franchise -- an apt title for this film.

When a old girl friend reaches out to Simon Templar for help, he rushes back to the United Kingdom, only to find that she has been killed in a suspicious car crash.  The Saint's old nemesis, Chief Inspector Claude Eustace Teal, tells Simon to stay out is it, it was like waving a red flag in front of a bull.  There's a crooked gambling ring, run by a mysterious unknown man, and a corpse that somehow found its wat into the Saint's refrigerator.

An interesting flick, but, all in all, pretty weak tea.

Also featured are Charles Victor as Inspector Teal, Thomas Gallagher as the Saint's assistant Hoppy Uniatz, and Naomi Chance as the Girl Friday of the title. Also included are capable British actors  Sydney Tafler, Sam Kydd, Harold Lang, Russell Napier, Jane Carr, and Ian (the actor, not the 007 guy) Fleming.  The overwhelming reason to watch this movie is the super gorgeous Diana Dors the British answer to Marilyn Monroe) who has a small part.(

Directed by Seymour Friedman, with a screenplay by Allan MacKinnon from a story by Charteris and himself.

Feel free to pause this on scenes with Diana Dors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=741rFfAPowY