The Scarlet Pimpernel

The Scarlet Pimpernel is one of my favorite movies. It may not be a big-budget blockbuster, but it certainly is intriguing. Hats off to Baroness Orczy for such an amazingly twisted tale, and again to the cast who pulled it off so well. It has that delicately beautiful balance of romance, hidden behind a latticework of deception, intrigue, bravado and hope. A fan of historical fiction, action and romance, I found it to be quite a fascinating little nugget of gold amongst a vast array of shoddy Made-for-TV movies. Anthony Andrews is very good in the role of Sir Percy Blakeney, who- in nearly the very beginning of the movie- utters some of the most romantic lines I've ever heard, as well as some of the most humorous (my personal favorite is: "T'would seem your friend is in distress... to the rescue."). Sitting alone in the house some night in the future, this would be a good flick to put in. Guys, don't expect a lot of explosions (yes, it made me weep to not see them also), but it is still a good one. Besides, there are still some good old fashioned action/chase sequences...

This is a stylish and adorable making that leaves behind it's 1930's original. The period stays intact, you have to pity Chauvelin played by Ian McKellan, the man born to play the role, you believe every step he takes. Jane Seymour, one time Bond Girl does not come off as great but she has a unique beauty and adds strength to the piece. Much of the credit should go to Anthony Andrews, the likeable Brittish actor who turns in a mocking and delightfull performance, an instant great. You can never tell that this movie was made for TV, production values are optimal and much time was spent expanding the story to reach entertainment max.

You never for a second do not believe that sir Percival Blakne is "an utter fool", classic fop, and useless drop kick and then you never for a second do not believe he is 100% competent, a reliable saviour but at the same time vulnerable in his loyalty to his cause. This movie is the definitive proof that you do not need action to have an enduring and entertaining flick, but at the same time they could not resist the numerous enjoyabole sword fights not to mention the redefinition of fun with the climactic duel. The whole 1st rate quality of entertainment in this movie makes it an instant classic as he wrestles with his damned cravat or takes on three roughians as though in rehearsal for competition.

A 10/10 delight.

The Scarlet Pimpernel hardly needs a description, but this particular version is my favourite by some distance. Anthony Andrews steals the show brilliantly as Sir Percy Blakeney, the dandy-ish fop from England who devotes all his time and energy to rescuing hapless French nobility from Madame Guillotine, even when that appears to be furthest from his mind. Underneath the camp act is a man of steely determination and strategic genius. He's rather good with a rapier as well. Anthony Andrews is well supported by a fine cast, including Ian McKellen (long before he found cinematic fame with X-Men and the Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Jane Seymour as Sir Percy's love interest, who has never been better than she is in this role. Although it is a TV movie, it never feels cheap or under-funded. The film rattles along at a good pace and ticks all the right boxes for a true swashbuckler - the hero wins the day, wins the lady, humiliates the enemy and does it all in real style.

This is a delightful version of Scarlet Pimpernel. Despite being made in the early 1980's, it doesn't show its age the way many older films do. Anthony Andrews makes it perfect with his incredible character development (lacking in other versions). Jane Seymour is pretty to look at, but the show belongs to Andrews. Fun to watch, and may encourage people to look at French history.

I first saw this when it debuted. Although I was 17 at the time and a guy (FYI--I'm still a guy but I'm aged a bit since), I LOVED the movie/miniseries. It was way beyond a simple "chick flick" or costume drama. Instead, exceptional acting, music and direction took this far beyond my expectations. In fact, I think it was better than Leslie Howard's movie overall--and that's saying a lot because his is also an excellent film. I was so impressed, I then showed a tape I'd made of the series to my best friend and my girlfriend (now she is my lovely wife) and they both fell in love with the series. And why not? It was exciting, engaging, historically accurate with an interesting guess as to what REALLY happened to Louis XVII and just plain fun! FYI--It's also fun to watch the performance of Ian McKellen--he is so slimy and awful as the bad guy!