The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)
18th century English aristocrat Sir Percy Blakeney leads a double life. He appears to be merely the effete aristocrat, but in reality is part of an underground effort to free French nobles from Robespierre's Reign of Terror.
- Harold Young
- Geoffrey Boothby
- Lajos Biró
- S. N. Behrman
- Robert E. Sherwood
- Arthur Wimperis
- Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Rating: 7/10 by 62 users
Alternative Title:
Das scharlachrote Siegel - DE
Алый первоцвет - RU
Country:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Français
Runtime: 01 hour 37 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0
Plot Keyword: husband wife relationship, double life, secret identity, french revolution, guillotine, dandy, aristocrat, 18th century, troubled marriage, scarlet pimpernel, reign of terror, fop, 1790s
Leslie Howard portrays the ultimate good Samaritan in this enjoyable Alexander Korda adaptation of Baroness Orczy's tale of the murderous aftermath of the French Revolution. Married to the glamorous Merle Oberon, whom he believes selfishly betrayed the "St. Cyr" family to the guillotine, he, and his gang of lieutenants, daringly rescue aristocrats from under the very noses of the evil "Chauvelin" (Raymond Massey). Soon they are all walking a very tight rope between freedom and death after "Chauvelin" is sent to London to track down the "Scarlet Pimpernel" and where he tricks Oberon into betraying our intrepid rescuers. Howard is at times a little too theatrical with his foppish - "sink me" characterisation but Harold Young still creates a wonderfully tense drama with great performances from a particularly menacing Massey, and the supporting cast - Nigel Bruce amongst them - make this, for my money, the best silver screen adaptation of this novel.
