Post by Zone Fighter on Jan 14, 2005 19:57:05 GMT -8
The novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy (which I have read) has been turned into plays, films and tv movies many times. I picked up the 1934 version, on DVD, for $1 plus tax at Walmart.
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)
Leslie Howard - Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel
Merle Oberon - Lady Marguerite Blakeney
Raymond Massey - Citizen Chauvelin
Nigel Bruce - Prince of Wales
Bramwell Fletcher - Priest
Anthony Bushell - Sir Andrew Ffoulkes
Joan Gardner - Suzanne de Tournay
Walter Rilla - Armand St. Just
Mabel Terry-Lewis - Countess de Tournay
O.B. Clarence - Count de Tournay
Ernest Milton - Robespierre
Edmund Breon - Col. Winterbottom
Melville Cooper - Romney (The Great Artist)
Gibb McLaughlin - The Barber
Moreland Graham - Treadle (the tailor)
John Turnbull - Jellyband (innkeeper)
Gertrude Musgrove - Jellyband's daughter Sally
Allan Jeayes - Lord Granville
Bromley Davenport - Brogard (French innkeeper)
William Freshman - Lord Hastings
Hindle Edgar - Lord Wilmot
Although an Englishman Sir Percy Blakeney cannot stand by and watch innocent French men and women being murdered by the revolutionaries. So, taking the name "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (a flower) he brings together a band of 19 other men and begins a campaign to rescue as many people as he can. Though they can't save as many as they would like the Scarlet Pimpernel and his man save enough to aggrevate the revultionary government. Citizen Robespierre sends Citizen Chauvelin to England to seek out and eliminate the Scarlet Pimpernel, or lose his own head.
By modern standared this film would be a failure, because there is little in the way of action. In large part because its not action packed I enjoy it. Leslie Howard is excellent as both the foolish fop Sir Percy Blakeney and the heroic Scarlet Pimpernel. Raymond Massey is very good as the villain of the piece.
I've also seen another version but I can't recall who was in it. It was a newer version, in color, I remeber that much.
They seek him here, they seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in heaven? Or is he in hell?
That damned elusive Pimpernel!
-- Sir Percy Blakeney
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)
Leslie Howard - Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel
Merle Oberon - Lady Marguerite Blakeney
Raymond Massey - Citizen Chauvelin
Nigel Bruce - Prince of Wales
Bramwell Fletcher - Priest
Anthony Bushell - Sir Andrew Ffoulkes
Joan Gardner - Suzanne de Tournay
Walter Rilla - Armand St. Just
Mabel Terry-Lewis - Countess de Tournay
O.B. Clarence - Count de Tournay
Ernest Milton - Robespierre
Edmund Breon - Col. Winterbottom
Melville Cooper - Romney (The Great Artist)
Gibb McLaughlin - The Barber
Moreland Graham - Treadle (the tailor)
John Turnbull - Jellyband (innkeeper)
Gertrude Musgrove - Jellyband's daughter Sally
Allan Jeayes - Lord Granville
Bromley Davenport - Brogard (French innkeeper)
William Freshman - Lord Hastings
Hindle Edgar - Lord Wilmot
Although an Englishman Sir Percy Blakeney cannot stand by and watch innocent French men and women being murdered by the revolutionaries. So, taking the name "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (a flower) he brings together a band of 19 other men and begins a campaign to rescue as many people as he can. Though they can't save as many as they would like the Scarlet Pimpernel and his man save enough to aggrevate the revultionary government. Citizen Robespierre sends Citizen Chauvelin to England to seek out and eliminate the Scarlet Pimpernel, or lose his own head.
By modern standared this film would be a failure, because there is little in the way of action. In large part because its not action packed I enjoy it. Leslie Howard is excellent as both the foolish fop Sir Percy Blakeney and the heroic Scarlet Pimpernel. Raymond Massey is very good as the villain of the piece.
I've also seen another version but I can't recall who was in it. It was a newer version, in color, I remeber that much.
They seek him here, they seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in heaven? Or is he in hell?
That damned elusive Pimpernel!
-- Sir Percy Blakeney