Even the black and white version is better than this dog.
Lady Blakeney is supposed to be beautiful or at least pretty. In this movie she is a middle-aged homey hag wearing a truely awful fuzzy wig.
Why on earth would Sir Percy ever marry someone like that.
And thats a fundamental flaw that this version never overcomes.
Plus as has been said before, in the books, very few people actually die, certainly never any of Percys friends or helpers.
Merle Oberon is suited to Marguerite as she is in the story of The Scarlet Pimpernel, aloof and exotic; Jane Seymour is a softer, more innocent version, but still classically beautiful; and even Sophie Stewart, in the little known sequel to the 1934 film, is diminutive and pretty.
So much for modernisation! I think a reversal of the two main couple in the series - Anthony Green and Beth Goddard, as Sir Andrew and Suzanne de Tournay, and Richard E. Grant and Elizabeth McGovern - would have made for a better portrayal. Anthony Green is lovely, and Beth Goddard at least young, if nothing else!
Sarah
"Tony, if you talk that rubbish, I shall be forced to punch your head" - Lord Tony's Wife, Orczy
It was decent but quickly forgotten.
Hard to believe hat Richard E Grant was so sought after one time. Maybe Martin Shaw should had played the Pimpernel.
Its that man again!!
I just saw this for the first time the other night. A longtime fan of the books I need somewhere to vent. It was absolutely atrocious! I know a lot of people complain about Marguerite being reduced to an emotionless background character, but what really struck me as so sinful is that what we just saw was *not* The Scarlet Pimpernel! The Pimpernel was cunning and careful; he relied on disguise and his brains, not gadgets and guns. I have no idea what they were aiming for with the characterization. The entire story came off as clumsy, confusing, and just a bit too brutal for my taste.
The Scarlet Pimpernel was meant to be a superhero; larger than life. That is why his adventures are so entertaining. If he ever got captured, you were naturally concerned for him but more curious how he was going to get out of it. It usually was some elaborate plot he had put in the works long ago. You're left cheering for him because it was usually a dramatic escape out of an impossible situation. Honestly, not only was I unsure if this weak Pimpernel could pull off an escape, I wasn't really concerned for Grant's Percy. If he had died, it wouldn't have bothered me too much.
The 1982 version nailed the characters, IMO, so I am admittedly slightly biased. I feel these people butchered the story as well as the characterizations. I am very dissappointed and only hope now with more than a decade behind them, some interested filmmaker will take the story up again and give us justice!
I really enjoy her:) This was my introduction to The Scarlet Pimpernal and since then it has become my favoriet series (Lord Tony's Wife is my favorite book:)
I like all the movies, and this tv series, but I would love for someone to try just one more time to make a movie and stick to the way the book was. I know it didn't have much action so add that in, but keep the characters the way they were:)