Sunday, April 12, 2009

Paperback 218: The Saint Goes West / Leslie Charteris (Avon 635)

The Make-Your-Own-Commentary Experiment continues - fire away (in Comments)

Paperback 218: Avon 635 (1st ptg, 1955)

Title: The Saint Goes West
Author: Leslie Charteris
Cover artist: illegible

Yours for: $12




Page 123~

"She died soon after. Too many sleeping tablets." Groom's voice had an almost ghoulish flatness. "She was pregnant. She was trying to get into pictures, but I guess she never got any further than the casting couch."


~RP

12 comments:

justjack said...

Few people realize it, but Leslie Charteris actually had it in mind for the character of The Saint to be played by Victor Mature. But he was contractually obligated at the time to film "Demetrius and the Gladiators," so...

"Danger and Death:" weren't they a dog act on the old Shubert circuit? George Burns used to talk about them.

JamiSings said...

I love the shocked, Lucielle Ball like look on the blond's face. "But Saint, I want to be in the show!" And how do you keep that red lipstick on when you're sleeping?

For a man standing in a room with a sexy big lipped blond who's nearly been stabbed, the Saint looks awfully disinterested. All he seems to care about is the little haloed stick-figure above his head.

She has a knife in her bed, he has a gun in his hand, how phallic can you get?

Back cover is kind of boring. Primary colors in a film strip. Woop-de-doo.

Elaine said...

This cover implies that Blondie (an MM look-alike) is staring at someone or something that literally makes her fingers curl! I think it's clear she was expecting something or someone else; meanwhile, Saint is just too taken with his little logo to tend to matters at hand. And does he really hang out in that slinky silk robe?

Nicole "Gidget" Kalstein said...

"As "The Saint" tried to decide whether or not to shoot the beautiful woman, an angel appeared above his shoulder. He looked at it dubiously while wondering where his shoulder devil was."

Eunice said...

It is Victor Mature and Lucille Ball, ha! You ask me neither of them seem interested in the dagger.

Shouldn't "mecca" be capitalized?

The Saint's right hand looks disproportionately small.

The stick-man with a gun. A symbol so nice they used it thrice.

"Danger and Death!" is eyecatching, "DANGER and DEATH!" is kinda silly.

I'm trying to imagine what "ghoulish flatness" sounds like. I'm not sure it's possible.

Alix said...

Why does it look like there's a tiny extra finger on her left hand?

Pull up yer straps, woman!

Dirt Diggler said...

" The Saint goes West alright .... Mae West."

Tulse said...

Whose fingers bend like that? Honestly, this chick is some sort of digit contortionist.

lrf said...

She actually looks a lot like William Powell:

http://www.williampowell.org/uploads/6/8/5/1/685169/2513319.jpg

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

I've got the saint goes west on my shelf. will read it one day.

Dan said...

Anyone who looks at this cover and focuse on her hands needs to get his eyes checked. Quickly.

Stoutcat said...

I dunno, he looks rather Rodney Dangerfield-ish to me.

"Listen Blondie, I don't get no respect, no respect at all..."