The Scarlet Pimpernel [1934] / Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel [1937]

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Editorial reviews

Product Description
Leslie Howard plays Sir Percy Blakeney, an 18th century English aristocrat leading a double life. On one hand, he appears to be merely an effete aristocrat, but he is also the Scarlet Pimpernel and is part of an underground effort to free French nobles from Robespierre's Reign of Terror. Based on the novel by Baroness Orczy.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.

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Customer reviews

review by: Funky Phil date: 2009-05-30 rating:
Scarlet Pimpernel double CD
I bought this cd as I wanted the version of the Scarlet Pimpernel featuring Leslie Howard in the leading role, but then Raymond Massey is perfectly cast as Citizen Chuavelin. This is a superb version of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Unfortunately the 2nd film 'Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel' does not have the same actors in the leading roles and so it falls short of expectations. It is an adequate adaptation.

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review by: rss date: 2009-05-02 rating:
A Scarlet Chance
It's a wonderful movie from a classic book, with superb actors... br /but just for old 30s bw's "aficionado"

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review by: hw date: 2009-03-16 rating:
Excellent version of this classic adventure
I've seen two actors who played the part of Sir Percy wonderfully - one is Leslie Howard and the other Anthony Andrews in a more recent version. But if I had to choose, I would choose Howard, solely because he's even more haughty than Andrews and his foppishness just a touch better. br / br /The prerequisites for this part are looks and voice. The Pimpernel must be extremely handsome, and his voice must be simply perfect - the deceiving foppish tone and the practical tone of the adventurer. Both these actors have it all! br / br /This is the kind of movie that's so good you soon forget it's b/w. As for the story, no-one surely needs to be told anything about it, it's so wellknown. br / br /I would recommend anyone wanting a movie of this classic tale to not hesitate - buy both these versions. br / br /I can't comment on the second movie on this disk as I haven't yet seen it. But even if it's nowhere near as good as the first, anything with Leslie Howard surely can't be very bad. br / br /

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review by: date: 2009-02-26 rating:
6 out of 5 stars for The Scarlet Pimpernel - but I couldn't even watch the sequel
This must be Leslie Howard's best performance, the best film version of Scarlet Pimpernel and one of the best screen adaptions of a classic book. The 'cravat' scene must be one of the most amusing episodes in film history. br / br /The plot has been changed somewhat, especially the end, but the film creates such a sense of unity and rightness that I sometimes forget that 'that's not how it goes in the book'. Of course, if you didn't read the book, or don't remeber it or don't mind when movies deviate from the novels they were inspired by, there's nothing at all to worry about. br / br /Merle Oberon is a suitably beautiful but disenchanted French wife to Leslie Howard, who is a master at his changes of personality from 'Sir Percival Blackeney' to 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'. The film sticks to the spirit of The Scarlet Pimpernel even when it deviates from the letter. br / br /I'm afraid I can't give an accurate description of the sequel. After Leslie Howard's performance, every other Pimpernel was bound to flop.


review by: Steve date: 2009-02-22 rating:
Original Fresh; Sequel Stale
In "The Scarlet Pimpernel," Leslie Howard is outwardly a fop but, like Zorro, he has a secret identity -- the Scarlet Pimpernel, who rescues aristos from the guillotine after the French revolution. His secret identity is hidden even from his wife. This business of hiding one's true nature adds a frisson that the sequel lacks. In "The Return," Sir Percy is already out of the closet. Sink me!

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