Opening a brothel of his own in Singapore proves challenging for an American pimp as local gangsters try to squeeze him out of the market in this Peter Bogdanovich movie. 'Saint Jack' is not often cited in discussions of Bogdanovich's best work, and the movie's near descent into obscurity nowadays is understandable if unfortunate. The film is, after all, extremely low key and very lethargically paced as the plot mostly focuses on the pimp's day-to-day activities, trying to engage American Vietnan War GIs by recounting his own experiences in Korea, watching various girls strut their stuff and escorting around a British accountant he befriends. With its strong focus on day-to-day events, the film never quite amounts to a tight narrative, however, there are sufficient highlights along the way to render the experience worthwhile. These include a fun cameo from a cigar-smoking Bogdanovich, lead actor Ben Gazarra commenting sarcastically about the accountant (BAFTA nominated Denholm Elliott) wanting to play squash when he "can't even breathe" and an absolutely unforgettable parody of 'Goldfinger' as performed by striptease artists. Bond aficionados might also take interest in an unusual brief turn by George Lazenby near the end of the movie. While not widely seen, 'Saint Jack' has a sizeable fan-base from those who have viewed it, and there is no denying how intriguing the central premise is of Gazzara as an ethical man trying to make an honest go of it in an (arguably) unethical profession where nobody is honest. One's mileage will, however, likely vary.
Review of Saint Jack
