- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: 'THE SAINT' PREMIERES IN LONDON
- Date: 14th April 1997
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 14, 1997)(RTV - ACCESS ALL) KILMER (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) SAYING I'M ABOUT 15 DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THIS MOVIE. I ASKED PHILLIP NOYCE WHEN WE STARTED BECAUSE I'D ENJOY HIM HAVING BE ENGLISH WHEN HE WASN'T SOMEBODY ELSE. PART OF THE DESIGN OF THE sTORY WAS TO SHOW THE ACTUAL BEGINNING ... I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE RESULT
- Embargoed: 29th April 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA34D9L9J3WULYEWK6C6AYWEUG1
- Story Text: The Empire Cinema in London's Leicester Square played host to the British premiere of the remake of "The Saint" this week.
Hundreds of fans crowded the famous square to await the arrival of the film's star, American actor Val Kilmer.
The film's director, Australian Phillip Noyce, also attended and was one of the first to arrive.
But the crowd's biggest cheers were reserved for Kilmer, who arrived wearing rose-tinted spectacles to match his suit.
Kilmer stars as Simon Templar, the suave thief who is a master of disguise, as he plots to steal the money-spinning formula for cold fusion from the Russians.
Kilmer's choice of spectacles were just the latest style change for the actor -- he dons no fewer than nine disguises in the movie to play Templar.
The character was invented by author Leslie Charteris and screened on television in the 60s and 70s with Roger Moore and later Ian Ogilvy as the eponymous hero.
Phillip Noyce described Simon Templar as his first literary hero.
"To a young lad growing up in Australia where we had elevated Ned Kelly, the bushranger, who was a murderer to some, a saint to others, to the level of national hero, this seemed like the perfect hero," he said.
Kilmer arrived at the premiere alone. His co-star Elizabeth Shue did not attend.
"She was the most fun part about the film, because it turned into a love story and that was a lot of fun," he said.
It was Kilmer's suggestion to increase Simon Templar's love interest, fuelling rumours of an off-screen romance with Shue.
Kilmer has denied the rumours.
The actor recently divorced British actress Joanne Whalley-Kilmer after a seven-year marriage.
Other celebrities who attended the premiere included Duran Duran's Simon le Bon and his wife Yasmin. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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