I had long wanted to see Leslie Howard in PIMPERNEL SMITH, having enjoyed his SCARLET PIMPERNEL for many years. Unfortunately, the film seems almost forgotten these days. I finally stumbled across a copy, and was surprised to find that--long before George Lucas, Steven Speilberg and Harrison Ford--we had an archaeologist hero fighting against the Nazis. It would be nice for this film to get more exposure, as it's sadly overlooked and underappreciated.
shareI agree with you wholeheartedly, BijouBob!! This film is sadly neglected.
I adore the idea of an intelligent, gentle man being a hero in the face of such extreme danger. His brains, and his willingness to take action at the right time, win the day. Indy may be more popular, but Professor Smith will always be my true hero!
PS I bet you will recognize my signiture ;-)
--Lisen--
The mind of man is bounded only by the Universe.
The blurb on the back of my video actually says: 'The film is full of playfulness and suspense, direct ancestors to the best qualities in Raiders of the Lost Ark - another tale about an archaeology professor who leads an adventerous double life.'
This is probably because my copy of the video was released in the 80s.
However, there will always be the major difference that Indiana Jones was written with the idea of the supernatural whereas Pimpernel Smith is grounded in reality.
This film is neglected and I prefer it ten fold to The Scarlet Pimpernel. Somehow this film being a propaganda film actually makes it better and Howard's speech near the end is so sure and powerful that I forget the film was made four years before its predictions turned out to be true. I am constantly saddened that Howard himself did not survive the war.
I have shown this film to friends my age (late teens to early twenties) who would never dream of watching this 'type' of film and each one has been astounded at how good this film is. Imdb's rating is too low.
joyfital
"Don't drink the wine!"
I agree, it's tragic that Leslie Howard didn't live to see his beloved England safe again after World War II. He was a true patriot and highly revered by his fellow Brits. It's sad too to think of what lovely movies he might have directed or produced in the future. There were rumors that he was interested in setting T.E. Lawrence's story to film. I love David Lean and his Lawrence of Arabia, but it would have been interesting to see what Howard made of it.
shareHoward's Speech:
May a dead man say a few words to you, General, for your enlightenment? You will never rule the world, because you are doomed. All of you who have demoralised and corrupted a nation are doomed. Tonight you will take the first step along the dark road from which there is no turning back.You will have to go on from one madness to another, leaving behind you a wilderness of misery and hatred, and still you will have to go on because you will find no horizon and see no dawn until at last you are lost and destroyed. You are doomed, captain of murderers, and one day ,soon or later, you will remember my words.
Great stuff!
Best part of the movie ... besides the Swiss Miss that wanted to feed the sex starved teacher !-)
sharelong before George Lucas, Steven Speilberg and Harrison Ford--we had an archaeologist hero fighting against the Nazis.
I wonder if Steven ever mentioned it, I watched this today and it is a gem of a movie - makes you wonder if he ever saw it as so many different character traits are moulded to make Indiana.
Sam Spade - Cunning
Brad Braden - raw masculnity and of course the costume
Pimpernernel Smith - Wit and Intellect
...Many one of these day he'll own up![bigrin]
'Meet the new boss...Same as the old Boss'
An interesting point. Thanks for pointing this out.
shareNotice that Howard sort of reprised "The Pimp" in 49th Parallel (1941). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033627/
Marlon, Claudia and Dimby the cats 1989-2005, 2007 and 2010.
-- and again (or earlier) in "The Petrified Forest". I love Howard -but really, his acting was sort of a one-trick pony.
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Apart from that, Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?
Although Smith is an archaeologist and fighting the Nazis, that are the only similarities.
Its that man again!!