Old Movie Classics: London Film Productions

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Scarlet Pimpernel

"They seek him here, they seek him there, Those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven?, Is he in hell? That damned, elusive Pimpernel". (Leslie Howard as Sir Percy Blakeney).

The Scarlet Pimpernel is a 1934 adaptation of the book "The Scarlet Pimpernel", the classic adventure novel by Baroness Orczy. It was produced by Alexander Korda, directed by Harold Young and stars Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon, Nigel Bruce and Raymond Massey.

Alexander Korda, a Hungarian, who had been born in a town not far from the Orczy farm, had recently had great success with the actor Charles Laughton in the film The Private Life of Henry VIII, so he understandably asked the famous British actor to play the role of Sir Percy. But when the announcement went out to the press, the reaction from the Pimpernel's many fans was horror — the pug-nosed Laughton to play the suave Sir Percy? Never! Korda was nothing if not pragmatic and he offered the role to Leslie Howard, with Merle Oberon as Marguerite. Howard set the standard with his portrayal of Sir Percy Blakeney; his version is widely regarded as the best screen adaptation, although Orczy herself believed Oberon was miscast.

Plot Synopsis;

In 1792, at the bloody height of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, the French leadership finds their executions of French aristocrats continually frustrated by the "Band of the Scarlet Pimpernel", a secret society of 20 English aristocrats, "one to command, and nineteen to obey". Among the latest scheduled for education are the Count de Tournay, the former ambassador to Great Britain, and his family. As they wait to be executed they are contacted by the League, who promises escape. As they are being escorted to the cart to be taken to the guillotine, however, the guards separate the count from his family before the Scarlet Pimpernel can stage their escape. Nevertheless, they free the countess and her daughter, spiriting them to safety.

Back in Paris, the leader of France, Maximilien Robespierre, meets with Chauvelin, the republic's new ambassador to Britain, to discuss the problem of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Summoning the Count de Tournay, they offer him freedom in return for information from his contacts as to the Pimpernel's true identity. Unknown to them, the Scarlet Pimpernel is actually Sir Percy Blakeney, a wealthy and well-connected Englishman who cultivates the image of a fop in order to throw off suspicion. Percy's pose is so successful that not even his wife, Marguerite St. Just, suspects him. Though the two are in love with one another, a distance has emerged between them, the result of Sir Percy's frequent absences and Marguerite's denunciation of the Marquis de St. Cyr, an action which led to the execution of the marquis and his family.

The Scarlet Pimpernel / Return of The Scarlet Pimpernel

Through his network of spies Chauvelin discovers that Armand St. Just, Marguerite's brother, is one of the Scarlet Pimpernel's agents. Chauvelin orders Armand's arrest, then uses the threat of Armand's execution to blackmail Marguerite into discovering the identity of the Pimpernel, who is rumored to be in attendance at an upcoming ball. At the ball, Marguerite intercepts a message given to Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, a member of the Pimpernel's band, stating that the Pimpernel will be in the library at midnight. She passes the information along to Chauvelin, who goes to the library to find Percy apparently asleep. While waiting Chauvelin falls asleep; when he wakes up he finds a message from the Pimpernel mocking him.

The next morning Percy and Marguerite travel to their house in the country. After they arrive Marguerite breaks down and tells her husband of Armand's arrest and her deal with Chauvelin. Confronting her, Percy learns the truth behind her denunciation of the marquis; he had her imprisoned for consorting with his son and she subsequently told this to Chauvelin, who was really the one who denounced them and had them executed. Promising to use his influence at court to try to get Armand freed, he leaves for London. Mulling over their conversation afterward, Marguerite notices a detail on a portrait of her husband hanging in the library — a ring with the design of a pimpernel on it. Realizing that her husband is the Pimpernel, she rushes out of the room only to be confronted with a letter from Chauvelin announcing that he had discovered the Pimpernel's true identity as well. Racing back to London, she warns Ffoulkes that Percy's life is in danger. Ffoulkes agrees to mobilize the band to save Percy from Chauvelin's trap.

In an effort to capture Percy, Chauvelin has both Armand and the Count de Tournay transferred to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Despite the vigilance of Chauvelin's men, the Pimpernel succeeds in freeing the two men. One of the prison guards tells Chauvelin that the Pimpernel will be at a tavern that evening. Marguerite goes there to warn Percy, only to be arrested by Chauvelin and his troops. At the appointed time Percy arrives at the tavern, where he confronts a gloating Chauvelin. Percy distracts him long enough for Armand and the count to board the ship, but as he prepares to leave Chauvelin announces that he has Marguerite in custody. Percy surrenders on the condition that Marguerite is freed; once she is released he is led away by soldiers to be shot by a waiting firing squad. Chauvelin exults at hearing the sounds of Percy's execution, but Percy returns to the tavern very much alive, revealing that the men in uniform were in fact the members of the band. Locking Chauvelin in the basement, Percy joins his wife on the ship for the trip back to England and freedom.

The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel

I loved the Scarlet Pimpernel movies and watching them again here has brought back heaps of nostalgia to me from my childhood. I am enjoying making the Old Movie Classics blog somuch lateley as it is causing me to stumble across so many movies which evoke nostalgia from the days when i was a kid. This movie is one of them.
The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel is a 1937 British thriller film directed by Hanns Schwarz and starring Barry K. Barnes, Sophie Stewart, Margaretta Scott and James Mason.It is a sequel to the 1934 film Scarlet Pimpernel based on the stories by Baroness Emmuska Orczy.
The Scarlet Pimpernel Boxed Set

France, 1794. Citizen Chauvelin lays a trap for his long-standing nemesis Sir Percy Blakeney (Barry K. Barnes) by kidnapping his wife (Margaretta Scott).

Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel belongs to the Public Domain and is free to watch or download

You can also download free HERE!

Review (IMDB)

The only element this film lacks is 'star quality', other than that, it's a very worthy sequel to the 1934 'Scarlet Pimpernel'. The story is based upon Orczy's 'The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel', with elements of 'Elusive' (Marguerite's arrest and Percy's escape) and even 'Sir Percy Hits Back' (Chauvelin's fate) added to make the action flow better on film. Barry K. Barnes, despite not being as fair or famous as Howard, makes for a passable fop (sounding like Leslie 'Ding Dong!' Phillips with a speech impediment: "Stap me, Senorita, don't dwag me into it!"), a revered leader of the League, and a truly devoted and romantic husband. In fact, this film is probably more in the spirit of Orczy's books than any other, with the characters portrayed nearly exactly as you would find them written; there is a great deal of heart and natural charm in the sequel, which I always find lacking in the Howard/Oberon version. Barnes does not have the commanding screen presence of his predecessor, and as such is sometimes lost amongst the sea of League faces, but he is far more believable as the 'husband in love with his own wife' and as a friend to nineteen brave men. Sophie Stewart is similarly indistinctive as Marguerite, but I think she brings more to the role than Oberon: at once 'the sweetest woman in France', naive and easily lead into danger, and a brave and noble wife, willing to sacrifice her own life for that of her husband's, when she needs to be strong.

Diminutive and bright-eyed, Stewart is endearing as a rather more innocent Lady Blakeney. Francis Lister plays a diplomatic and reserved Chauvelin, who fears for his own life as the Terror reaches its peak and Robespierre hunts out 'the men at his elbow', traitors amongst his own supporters. The discredited agent parries words with the dictator, and enlists Theresia Cabarrus, lover of Tallien (a young James Mason, given a rousing speech at the end of a minor role), in a final bid to destroy the Pimpernel. Margaretta Scott is formidable and intelligent as the Spanish double agent who is introduced to Sir Percy and Marguerite as an actress seeking the protection of the English court. Marguerite is of course immediately taken in, Sir Percy is naturally more wary of her motives.

There is some recycled footage (as well as the odd recycled actor), but ultimately this film stands alone from its more well-known and oft-shown stablemate. The neat dialogue flows better, without the heavy-handed patriotism injected into the original story (strange, with World War Two looming even closer); fiction is supported by historical details from the eighteenth century (the popularity of cricket, dancing the cotillion, songs such as 'Aupres De Ma Blonde' and the rousing toast 'Here's a Health unto His Majesty'), which is surely a novelty for such an early film; there is more League action (and three members are actually given names from the book!), as well as more scenes of friendship between Sir Percy and his band of men; plus some excellent disguises (the deaf colonel had me in stitches: "Grilled trout?", "Yes, all right, I'll have half a bottle"). All in all, there is no reason not to watch this compact, entertaining little film, especially now that it's available on DVD, and I consider it a definite must for all fans of the Pimpernel.