The Scarlet Pimpernel

This is adapted from two of the Baroness Orczy's books as we head to an 18th century Paris where the terror is in full swing and the newly empowered citizenry are beheading aristocrats left, right and centre. Even Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette have been spliced. There is one hope for those imprisoned, though, and that comes in the form of an enigmatic rescuer. "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is proving the bane of the lives of Robespierre (Richard Morant) and his government, so he details his national security chief Chauvelin (Ian McKellen) to discover his identity and make sure he goes under the blade, too. Chauvelin reckons the best way to do this is to head to London, just as his actress girlfriend "Marguerite" (Jane Seymour) finds herself increasingly disillusioned with the tactics of the revolutionaries and fond of the foppish Englishman "Sir Percy" (Anthony Andrews). Initially resentful of her change of allegiance, he begins to appreciate that her connection with the wealthiest man in the land - who counted the Prince Regent (Julian Fellowes) as a friend - could prove invaluable as he seeks his new nemesis. The situation becomes all the more desperate and dangerous when the safety of the imprisoned eight-year-old Dauphin becomes a cause of concern, and so with both the "Pimpernel" and the remaining French royalists trying to get him out of the dreaded Temple prison, things are almost as perilous for Chauvelin should he fail as for our elusive master of disguise should he get caught. This is a bit on the long side, and some of the make-up effects have struggled to keep up with the times, but Andrews manages the role of "Sir Percy" with some skill opposite a McKellen whose characterisation presented us with a man of ruthlessness, guile and precisely no idea how to tie a cravatte. There is betrayal aplenty on display here; the romantic elements are kept under control and though I think I still preferred Leslie Howard in the title role - though that is as much down to Merle Oberon's superior performance as "Marguerite", this is an enjoyable drama that has seen considerable effort gone into it's production design. It does look like a television movie, but it works well.