Guest Author - Nicola Jane Soen

The film is long, but well worth the watch. It is also quite old, this version being made in 1982, but do not let that put you off. It's brilliant! Based during the backdrop of the French Revolution in 1789; it is a sumptuous and decadent period. But with the rise of the revolutionaries the splendidly wealthy aristocracy are carted off one by one to prison and cruelly executed.

The core of the film is about an English aristocratic fop; who is secretly not as dumb and a dandy as he pretends to be. The Scarlet Pimpernel; played by Antony Andrews is brilliant. As Sir. Percy Blakeney he is truly top of the fops!

His clothing is a doll’s dream, resplendent in the most exotic and scrumptious materials and cut of cloth.

But in reality he is a brave and noble hero, putting his brilliant mind into action, as well as his life; and rescuing the French aristocrats from madam guillotine. However the twist comes when he falls in love with Marguerite St. Just. Who is played by played by Jane Seymour.

Is she of the same vain as his thinking? Her former lover Chauvelin, excellently played by Ian McKellen; is rounding up and executing not only the aristocracy but also anyone who agrees with their ideals; or in fact anyone who sympathises with them.

McKellan plays Chauvelin to perfection. He is as nasty, treacherous and coldblooded a villain as anyone could ever come across.

This film is fabulous. Its humour is very funny and the song which Sir. Percy Blakeney personally composes about the pimpernel is marvellous! Other one liner’s are great, and mostly uttered by the pimpernel himself. They imbibe the time period itself with its wit and pomposity.

The sense of Noblesse Oblique (or type of behaviour of the wealthy to show true courage and kindness as an example to everyone) is actually the spirit of the whole film.

However its tragic parts and the betrayal both of Marguerite and the Pimpernel with have you on the edge of your seat; And Cursing Chauvelin!

The ultimate aim; is of course to rescue the Dauphin of France. He is being cruelly and spitefully treated; and brain washed. Chauvelin takes huge pleasure in this. At 8 years old, he is ordered to repeat a catechism daily, that his mother is a whore and his father a traitor. In the quest to break the dauphin and get him on their side; the scruples they use are both disgusting and barbaric.

The film embraces with excellence the times. Suggesting banoth extravagance and poverty; Noblesse Oblique and brutality and also buffoonery and intelligence, just as the period itself really was.

In the reign of George III with foppish his son, the Prince Regent; the scales of opposites of behaviour, money and class really were as bad as the film suggests.

However, beware the clean peasants! They were not that clean! That is one of the bugbears for a history lover! The film really does romanticise the poverty, and this does give a romantic sentiment rather then a grim reality of the actual time period, which were the real reasons for the French Revolution in the first place.

The ending is an edge of your seat finale that will delight the audience and have one yelling HOORAY! And Serves him right!

An excellent film; worth every minute; leaving you saying one of the Pimpernel’s own expletive of ‘Sink Me!’