The Scarlet Pimpernel Boxed Set
by Edward Bennett, Patrick Lau
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DVD details
Actor: Denise Black, Julie Cox, Peter Jeffrey, Robert Langdon Lloyd, Robert PerkinsDirector: Edward Bennett, Patrick Lau
Brand: A and E Home Video
Producer: Delia Fine
Producer: Hannah Rothschild
Producer: Johan Eliasch
Producer: Julian Murphy
Writer: Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Writer: Richard Carpenter
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Subtitled)
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 294 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-05-30
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: A&E Home Video
DVD Reviews of The Scarlet Pimpernel Boxed Set
DVD Review: VERY Disappointing - NOT Recommended for Percy Fans
Summary: 2 Stars
I am a big Percy Blakeney/Scarlet Pimpernel fan and have read Orczy's book at least 3 times. Based on the strength of a customer review on this webpage, I purchased the boxed DVD edition, featuring Richard E. Grant & Elizabeth McGovern. The scripts were written by Richard Carpenter.
I was VERY DISAPPOINTED by this screen version of the story. I do NOT recommend it to any true Percy fan.
I have viewed 3 movie versions of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and this one is by far the worst. Perhaps screen-writer Carpenter never read the book; perhaps he simply decided to take ENORMOUS LICENSE with the characters. In either event, the script eliminated much of what was delightful about Orczy's Percy and turned Marguerite into a mild-mannered wimp without the wit or resources to save herself from her own stupid decisions. Even worse, Marguerite was constantly in need of being rescued by her husband or, ironically, her former lover/the series villain, Chauvelin.
Here are some reasons for my conclusions:
Percy Blakeney, whom Orczy described in her book as the "master of disguise" never ONCE dons a disguise in this movie series (unless you consider wrapping a black scarf around the lower face a disguise). And **HELLO!!** wouldn't the French be a tad bit suspicious of 3 black-cloaked, black-masked figures strutting around the streets of Paris in broad daylight? (The French certainly arrested other characters for less!) These scenes were so contrived, they were painful. And yes, while it was certainly clever to have Percy escape ala James-Bond gadgetry -- this contrivance negated Orczy's portrayal of Percy as a man whose WIT was his first and primary weapon for defense and escape. In fact, I found Percy (in this DVD collection) to be more fond of slicing and dicing enemies, than of using his unmatched cunning to save himself and his compatriots. This twist on Percy was truly, truly disappointing -- the author must be turning in her grave.
As for the romance in Orczy's story... Neither the actor nor the screen-writer were EVER able to convince me that Percy was the kind of man whom a woman (or a nation) could adore. Richard E. Grant portrayed Percy as cold & verbally abusive to Marguerite. Percy ridicules her publically several times -- and Marguerite's dialogue is written so that she never quite "gives" as good as she gets.
But Marguerite's dialogue is not the point. THE POINT is that Percy, in the book, was a tormented man who loved a wife whome he feared he could not trust. Never once did Grant's acting convey such breadth; his verbal sniping (as written and acted) was cruel and self-aggrandizing. Even when Percy is supposed to be "play-acting" this ridicule of Marguerite in DVD #3 to set up a plot element later in the story, the contempt in the dialogue, as delivered by Grant, felt very REAL.
Screen-writer Carpenter's rendition of the so-called "romance" in this movie version touches the very uncomfortable theme of emotional abuse, especially through Grant's interpretation of the dialogue. Rather than delivering his lines with subtlety (a nod to his hidden feelings of affection for his wife), Grant's Percy most often comes across as a high-handed male autocrat who expects Marguerite to submit meekly to his rule. While this type of husband/wife relationship may have been historically accurate in 18th Century Britain, I do not believe that the Percy of Orczy's book would have handled himself in this way. Indeed, Percy was supposed to be the consummate gentleman underneath all the frippery. And he was supposed to be genuinely in love with his wife.
One of the rare, potentially romantic moments in DVD #1 was completely bungled by both leading actors. Grant's one-liner about Marguerite being his "life" is delivered with such unbelievable dispassion that it borders on mockery. (And please: Marguerite's dimwitted mutterings about unrequited love at this crucial point in the plot -- when Percy is accusing her of complicity in a French family's murder -- was INSULTING to every woman of intelligence in the audience! I just wanted to throttle actress McGovern AND the screenwriter.) Yes, yes, the original book hinged on this ongoing misunderstanding in the Blakeneys' marriage, but the dialogue could have been written and acted much better.
But if you don't consider the lack of plausible romantic elements a good reason to avoid this series, read on. The problems with this verison of Orczy's Pimpernel go far beyond the love story.
For starters, Percy is often unsympathetic as a human being: in addition to sniping at his wife and behaving in court like a smart-alecky prig, he shows a dearth of compassion at the death of his loyal lieutenant, Lord Anthony Dewhurst. When Dewhurst is murdered by Chauvelin (in cold blood, I might add), Grant (and the scriptwriter) devote exactly 3 seconds to grief in DVD #1. Grant cavalierly delivers the following dialogue: "Well, Tony knew the risks." (And this Pimpernel is supposed to be a hero whom a nation adores? Whom 20+ young British hotbloods would give up their LIVES for?! Sorry. Didn't buy it.)
If Percy's casting was bad, Marguerite's was even worse. In the book, Orczy's Marguerite was a flamboyant French actress, full of life and passion & hopelessly in love with a husband who, she believes in despair, no longer loves her.
In this DVD collection, Elizabeth McGovern most often appears as a frumpy hausfrau rather than a sparkling coquette. McGovern played Marguerite without wit or common sense, & Carpenter's script didn't help. For example: Marguerite (a bourgeois who should have known better) tries to pass herself off at the gates of Paris as a seamstress. Five seconds later, her lily-white, uncallused hands are inspected by the captain of the guard, and she is hauled off to prison. Carpenter didn't even let Marguerite's character -- the consummate actress -- PROTEST this treatment, much less run, struggle, or attempt to bluff her way out of her predicament. Marguerite simply walks off between her guards!! (::groan::)
In DVD #2, she sits meekly in a convent, waiting for Madame Guillotine's troops to discover her and drag her away. In DVD #3, she spies on 2 characters, learning the double-identity of the villain. The villain leaves, but the sidekick remains; several minutes later, Marguerite returns from a chat with Percy to rummage through the villain's belongings. At this point, neither the actress nor the screenwriter allow Marguerite the common sense to first SEARCH THE AREA FOR THE SIDEKICK to make sure that her snooping goes unobserved. Naturally, this plot contrivance leads to Marguerite's capture later. ::double groan::
I could go on and on about the characterization of Marguerite as a stupid female, but I'm sure you get the point.
And now you're probably wondering if there is ANYTHING to commend you to this series. Well, yes, to be fair, there is: Martin Shaw, who was cast as Chauvelin.
Shaw portrayed Chauvelin as a real human being with passions, prejudices, longings and yes, moments of real malice. He also had occasional moments of nobility. He gave the only consistent performance of real depth in this series. Even in the scenes where Percy completely humiliated Chauvelin, either by word or by sword, Chauvelin somehow remained sympathetic, which, by contrast, left Percy either looking over-the-top arrogant or a tad bit cruel.
In general, the worst storyline of this series is on DVD #2. MADAME GUILLOTINE has enough plot contrivances to gag an ox. The 3rd DVD, THE KIDNAPPED KING, is by far the best of the series -- but, sadly, that isn't saying much.
If you're a glutton for punishment and you really MUST purchase this series, I recommend that you amuse yourself by watching the REALLY BAD ACTING of the extras in the crowd scenes (especially on DVD #1).
However, if you want to watch a REALLY GOOD version of the Scarlet Pimpernel, one that is faithful to Orczy's novel, view the 1980s version that stars Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour. Andrews is comical AND heroic -- a man to fall in love with. Seymour is a spunky, resourceful heroine that will make audiences cheer.
You might also enjoy the Leslie Howard version, with beautiful Merle Oberon as Marguerite, which was released in 1935. Both actors do a credible job with Orczy's characters, and the script is faithful to her book.
Happy viewing!
Description of The Scarlet Pimpernel Boxed Set
SCARLET PIMPERNEL - DVD MovieScarlet Pimpernel Book 3: Kidnapped King returns the series to the swashbuckling adventure of the first film. The dauphin has been kidnapped and both the Pimpernel and the Republicans are on his trail. Marguerite (Elizabeth McGovern) returns to France for a little undercover skullduggery while Percy (Richard E. Grant) travels to Paris and reunites his network of spies and secret agents. Grant plays the effete but snide Percy for all he's worth, a flamboyant snob with a tart tongue, while McGovern's Marguerite is the wayward daughter of the revolution come home for the cause. They're both covers, of course, but the play-acting becomes public theater when they hiss and spit a public breakup in front of the Republican government and Percy skulks out looking every inch the spineless fop. Free of suspicion from all but the cagey Republican agent Chauvelin (Martin Shaw), the Scarlet Pimpernel again rises to save the oppressed, shadow the suspicious, and track down the hiding place of the dauphin's captors. The plot of secret identities and murky alliances climaxes (in the best swashbuckling tradition) with crossed swords but concludes with a sneaky new conspiracy that opens the door for even more sequels. Suzanne Bertish guest stars as the theater star with a secret La Tourain. --Sean Axmaker
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