good back-story, and good acting

A lot of fun.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

When it comes to revolutions it's possible to go too far, and they have gone it. They're chopping off head after head while the crowd cheers. It's the aftermath of the French revolution, the 1780s, and the Reign of Terror prevails, perhaps another case of the cure being as bad as the disease. Most social movements follow a similar path only in revolutions the results are more dramatic. Fidel Castro worked his way down to government mailmen. I'm going to call this "revolutionary inertia." Inertia means an object continues its motion until acted upon by an opposite force. The Salem witch trials resulted in more than twenty hangings and only stopped when he girls started accusing community leaders. That's all for now, and thank you for your kind attention.The citizens have deposed the King and taken over France and the first thing they do is start beheading whatever aristocrats they can find reason to. Everybody's getting it in the neck, and the guillotine is in the public square, the executions surrounded by screaming mobs of the newly empowered and bloodthirsty. Intolerable.So a wealthy Englishman, Anthony Andrews, while posing as an effete and shallow fop, periodically disguises himself, visits Paris, and with the help of some comrades smuggles handfuls of aristos out of the country. The Committee on Revolutionary Protocol or whatever it's called is furious with this mysterious "Scarlet Pimpernel" who seems intent on helping suspects escape the bloodbath. We don't actually see any heads tumbling into baskets, thank God. There is a good deal of action and suspense that underlines the intrigues we see developing in the story -- clattering tumbrils, galloping horses, an occasional knife duel.Especially annoyed is Ian McKellen as the Minister of Executions or whatever he's called. And he SHOULD be. Andrews, still in his guise of a peacock, has managed to swipe McKellar's beloved Jane Seymour. Seymour, of course, knows nothing of Andrews' secret persona and neither does anyone outside of Andrews' small circle of conspirators.Jane Seymour is delicious in her 18th-century finery, despite a fright wig of such proportions that it carries its own weather system. Andrews is all right with both identities except that NOBODY in his right mind could endure the presence of Sir Percy Blakeney, Andrews' fop identity, for more than one or two awkward moments. Really, the guy could clear a room without using a gun. "They seek him here, they seek him there. Those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven? Is he in hell? That damned elusive Pimpernel," is some doggerel he improvises in the presence of the revolution's head honchos, much to their annoyance. Sir Percy struts around in his meticulous dress carrying a tiny magnifying glass through which he examines persons of a lesser breed, his head tilted back, his nostrils quivering.Best performance is by Ian McKellen who is truly in love with Jane Seymour and is emotionally damaged by seeing her drift away into the arms of that English snob. But he does an extraordinary job of projecting his anguish, torn between his love for Madame Seymour and his allegiance to Madame Guillotine. You know something -- McKellen is a youngish man here, not the wrinkled and wretched fairy of "Gods and Monsters." In fact he's handsome and rather rugged. He resembles Leonard Nimoy so much that there were times I thought it WAS Leonard Nimoy. Is it possible that McKellen and Nimoy are one and the same person? No? Has anyone ever seen the two of them together in the same room? I thought not.

Of several versions of Baroness Orczy's "Scarlet Pimpernel" made into movies or put on TV, only two excel. The first is the original sound film of 1934 that starred Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon. The second is this TV movie of 1982, starring Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour. This is a longer version – by 45 minutes, that allows for a little more development of the characters, including some of the supporting roles. The one most notable is that of Chauvelin, played here by Ian McKellen. This is a rare remake of a film in which the casts are equally excellent all around. The two pluses of the roles in this "Pimpernel" version are McKellen's Chauvelin and Sir Percy Blakeney, played by Anthony Andrews. With the extra time for these two roles, we see much more of their characters. McKellen gives us a better look at the devious, conniving Chauvelin. And, Andrews paints a perfect and hilarious picture of the fop. His mannerism and portrayal of the dandy is almost over the top. Except for we viewers' knowledge of what this story is about – in which we find Sir Percy's character wonderfully funny, I can image that I would have found him as much a bore and nuisance myself. Those pluses are offset by some of the other aspects of this film. What leaps out most are the costuming and the set. Here we see a manicured set and manicured crowds in the square for the guillotine. Notice the clothing of the people in the crowds. It all looks new – like new stage costumes. It's all clean, fresh and looks neatly pressed. No one has anything on that looks crumpled, crushed or ragged. There are no hats, sweaters, pants or skirts with holes or tears. It has a sanitized feel. This was a time of the French revolution when turmoil ruled on the streets for years. Public services were slipshod, buildings and shops were damaged and stayed in a state of disrepair a long time. General sanitation, hygiene, and cleanliness took a backseat to the intrigue, fear and turmoil of the streets. So, when we see Sir Percy in the costume of an old hag in the midst of this, he really stands out. This is most clear when one watches this film after viewing the first one. In it, Leslie Howard's Sir Percy blends into the crowd so well, that we viewers don't pick him out instantly in crowd scenes. I think this is important since the fame of the Pimpernel is in his elusiveness. In the first film, we can see him getting away with it; but not so much in this one where he stands out more from those around him. The most important parts of the story are depicted well in both movies. This second version, however, is based on two of Orczy's novels, the second being "Eldorado" which first was published in 1913. That accounts for the different scenario for the last escape effort in France. Orczy is a wonderful storyteller who prefers to write fiction in a historical setting. She puts her fictitious characters in an actual time, event or place of history, and makes their story a part of that history. So, besides the romance, drama, comedy or other entertainment we get from the fictional story, viewers also get a look at a time, place and event in history. Of course, this is as the film industry (aka Hollywood) makes it, but most such productions try to stick with accuracy on the historical details.However, this is one of those instances when both the author and filmmaker revise history. This has to do with the young son of the king of France. The movie has the Pimpernel's gang getting the Dauphin out of prison and fleeing to Austria. But, that's not what really happened. The reigning king, Louis XVI was guillotined January 21, 1973, at age 39. His son, just seven years of age was kept in the Temple Prison and then elsewhere for more than 2 ½ years. He was beaten, mistreated, poorly fed and kept in filthy dungeon-like rooms with no sunlight or fresh air. Much mystery and chicanery surrounds that time. The family doctor was called to examine the boy after his long imprisonment, but the doctor died mysteriously before he could see the boy. Another doctor examined him and reported the poor conditions of the boy, as noted above. The boy who would have been Louis XVII died in prison of tuberculosis on June 8, 1796. He was just 10 years old. This movie fairly portrays some of the mob hysteria and crazed behavior by the leaders of the French revolution. And, one of the Frenchman who was saved by the Pimpernel has a line that explains the plight of the former royalists. He says that some of the aristocracy were guilty of mistreatment and oppression of the people; but the vast majority of the aristocrats were good people who were fair and kind. So, the many innocent were being killed along with the bad by this tyrannical government. I should end these comments on a humorous note. Sir Percy arrives to see Marguerite in Paris just as Chauvelin is leaving her residence. Percy says, "Sink me. I must apologize for my tardiness. It was next to impossible finding a carriage. Sink me, if everyone isn't so equal in your new society that no one wants to do the driving anymore. Heh, heh."

GORGEOUS. That goes for the production, Anthony Andrews, and especially Jane Seymour, who by the evidence of this movie was the most beautiful woman in the world--or at least in the movies (still is, as far as I'm concerned). Andrews is letter perfect, handles the dual roles far better than Leslie Howard or Richard Grant, both of whom did the Blakeney fine but fell short as the Pimp. But the real star of the movie is Sir Ian as Chauvelin. Twitchy, repressed, jealous, outraged, and with absolutely no sense of humor, a perfect foil for both Sir Percy and the Pimp. And even attractive enough to justify Marguerite's prior interest in him (prior to meeting Sir P, that is). I'd give it a 10 except for the story, which requires acceptance of some serious stretches of the imagination. The script works like hell to justify Percy's keeping his secret identity from his new wife without appearing a bounder, but doesn't quite manage it. I mean, Clark would sure as heck tell Lois. This focuses in a scene that I can NOT accept period: where Percy stands directly behind Marguerite whispering to her, and she doesn't recognize him! Sorry, it just won't float, especially in a script as witty and fleet-footed as this one. One of the best bosh-swucklers of all time. Oh, and watch Julian Fellowes who plays the Prince of Whales--he wrote the screenplay for Altman's "Gosford Park."

i found this movie in the local library after reading the book several times. i L.O.V.E.D it!!!! it is a fantastic movie and the acting is superb. Anthony Andrews is an extremely talented actor and portrays Sir Percy beautifully, with the lazy speech and face. he really is just perfect for the part and carried it off very well. Julia Roberts is also very good. the filming is fantastic and the story line is almost in sync with the book. the ending is exiting and there is lots of action mixed up with romance, wit and suspense. i don't want to say to much in case i spoil it. all up i think it is a wonderful film and would recommend it to any one who loved a good romance/action. Definitely worth a nine out of ten