The Elusive Pimpernel

Unrated

4/17/19541h 49m

Theatrical Release (US)

Overview:

A British aristocrat goes in disguise to France to rescue people from The Terror of the guillotine.

Director:

Michael Powell

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$480,000.00

Revenue:

$140,000.00

Key words:

Cast

David Niven

~ as ~

Percy "Scarlet Pimpernel" Blakeney

Margaret Leighton

~ as ~

Marguerite Blakeney

Cyril Cusack

~ as ~

Chauvelin

Jack Hawkins

~ as ~

Prince of Wales

Arlette Marchal

~ as ~

Contesses de Tournai

Gérard Néry

~ as ~

Philippe de Tournai

Charles Victor

~ as ~

Colonel Winterbotham

Danielle Godet

~ as ~

Suzanne de Tournai

Edmond Audran

~ as ~

Armand St. Juste

Eugene Deckers

~ as ~

Captain Merieres

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 3 year(s) ago
7
David Niven takes on the mantle of Baroness Orczy's hero in this classy but a little lightweight take on the escapades of the "Scarlet Pimpernel". Hugely successful at smuggling doomed artisto's from under the nose of the Reign of Terror, the French authorities charge "Chauvelin" (Cyril Cusack) to track down the culprit. He has some leverage with the new and glamorous "Lady Blakeney" (Margaret Leighton) and so offers her the life of her brother if she will agree to help him. She just happens to be married to the foppish "Sir Percy", but is he so useless as his persona suggests? Niven is on quite good form in this; there is enough intrigue to keep it moving along well and Leighton can always be relied upon to deliver competently (even if this is far from her best effort). It's not the best Powell & Pressberger film, but it is still a polished adventure with a soupçon of humour as we head to an exciting last fifteen minutes. Perhaps not as good as Leslie Howard's 1934 iteration, but Niven looks like he enjoyed making it and I enjoyed watching it, too.