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The Scarlet Pimpernel

"Match courage with courage... meet cunning with cunning!"

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.

Top Cast

  • Leslie Howard

    Leslie Howard

    Sir Percy Blakeney / The Scarlet Pimpernel

  • Merle Oberon

    Merle Oberon

    Lady Marguerite Blakeney

  • Raymond Massey

    Raymond Massey

    Chauvelin

  • Nigel Bruce

    Nigel Bruce

    The Prince of Wales

  • Bramwell Fletcher

    Bramwell Fletcher

    The Priest

  • Anthony Bushell

    Anthony Bushell

    Sir Andrew Ffoulkes

  • Joan Gardner

    Joan Gardner

    Suzanne de Tournay

  • Walter Rilla

    Walter Rilla

    Armand St. Just

  • Mabel Terry-Lewis

    Mabel Terry-Lewis

    Countess de Tournay

Overview

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.

Rating

7.0 / 10
71 Reviews
1 Popular

1 Reviews

  • CinemaSerf
    CinemaSerf
    7 Jun 13, 2022

    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.

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