Rating: 
Summary: I want to buy this story, but not this movie
Review: I agree - the version with Jane Seymour was better and I wish that was available to buy.
Rating: 
Summary: Watch Chauvelin next time
Review: I agree with the other reviewers that Percy and Marguerite are a disappointment. The first two times I watched it, I wondered why I was spending time with it. For a definitive Pimpernel Leslie Howard reigns supreme fifty years later, as does Anthony Andrews as a 'steamy' second. HOWEVER, for the definitive Chauvelin, watch Martin Shaw play all the nuances of a tormented character. How can you like a man who shoots one of the good guys in the head because he is mad? You do. He is wasted here and should be in better movies that showcase his talent. I think he walks away with all the 'steam' you're going to find in this movie. Hard to do when you're up against a character like the Pimpernel. I think they realized that because he gets better coverage in the second and third episode.Watch Robespierre too. Wonderful villains, guys! This is a movie where the supporting cast is better than the stars. I'm glad I bought it.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable adaptation of the Pimpernel books
Review: I enjoyed this most recent adaptation of the Pimpernel books for many reasons. I liked the casting--I thought that Richard E. Grant was perfect as the chameleon Sir Percy and his alter ego, the scarlet Pimpernel. I thought that he portrayed Sir Percy exactly right, the perfect blend of the foppish effete, bored, (and even stupid) aristocrat and the gutsy, athletic, intelligent rescuer of doomed aristocrats in France. I always felt that Sir Percy's dual nature is the real reason that he is so successful as the Pimpernel. The French cannot determine who they are looking for (the foppish effete, the athletic commando, or someone in between), and by the time they do figure it out, Sir Percy has changed yet again, and successfully escapes. I think that some of the instances in the movies which may seem a bit over the top (Sir Percy did stand out) was also part of his gutsy intelligence. He was so obvious that he was hiding in plain view! The French police and the tribunal assumed that the Pimpernel was elusive, therefore the last place they would look would be at someone who was making no attempt to hide at all. Just because he was not in formal disguise does not mean that he was giving away his intent to save French aristocrats! I also liked the actress who portrayed Marguerite, and I do not agree with some of the comments that she was not beautiful enough for the role, and lacked chemistry with Richard E. Grant. I do not think that Marguerite was described as being drop-dead gorgeous, and thought that both she and Grant portrayed their relationship well. They like and love eachother, but have not yet established complete trust in the beginning. I liked the humor between them. The supporting cast was well-chosen, particularly the actors who portrayed Chauvelin and Robespierre. Robiespierre was absolutely chilling even in his humor!
The movies do not follow the books to a T, but very few movies do (I can think of only one), and on the whole they are close enough, nor do the changes spoil the overall effect of the movies. Pimpernel is really an 18th century action hero in an adventure story, and the movies do justice to this concept very well. I think of him as a prototype to James Bond or Indiana Jones, and if he were a real person, I like to think that he would be a commando in the military, probably the S.A.S., or if he were American, in the Navy Seals. Since the stories are set in the 18th century, he does not have all of the gadgets Bond possesses, but he does share the same sense of adventure and derring-do, and is an excellent swordsman!
There are a couple things that prevent me from rating these movies 5 stars. I wish that the producers had not killed off Lord Tony. One of strengths of Pimpernel is that he works as the leader of a team. One (or even two) person cannot single-handedly fight off the French police, revolutionary tribunals, revolutionary soldiers, and rescue the aristocrats! The other team players provided distractions, misdirecting the police when they got too close to Sir Percy. Or, alternatively, Sir Percy provided the distraction while the others did the rescuing. It would have been nice to see that developed and played out. I could not figure out the purpose of the sex scene in the first movie either. It stands out because it has no relation to anything in the movie at the time, and I wonder whether it was included because the producers thought it necessary for modern audiences or to make the movie somehow more adult.
Nonetheless, these are relatively minor glitches in a series that is very well done overall. Nice period costumes, Prague stands in for 18th century Paris beautifully, good acting and cast, enjoyable story that has intelligence, action, and humor. Rated 4 and 3/4 stars. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: fun
Review: I found I enjoyed this video series. Richard E. Grant, made Percy come alive, with his sly wink and a nod. I would hope that this series will continue, if only American television was this fun!
Rating: 
Summary: The WORST pimpernel ever!!
Review: I give these movies NEGATIVE stars, they are so awful. Even if we forget for the whole duration of these films that they IN NO WAY resemble the Orczy books AT ALL, they would *still* be bad movies. There is almost no coherency or plot in the entire movie. The script is trite and uninteresting. The acting is sub par and the "characters" (if you can call them that) do not evoke any empathy at all. ...
Rating:
Summary: I wish i could give 0 stars...
Review: I have to confess that I did not finish this movie. I couldn't sit through the thing, it was absolutely painful. I have many problems with the film but I will concentrate on the most glaring error. In all of the Pimpernel books, Sir Percy manages to get the aristocrats out of France in all sorts of witty and devious ways. None of these ways include running into the room in front of the guards and fighting out. Also, in all the books I've read, the people who are helping Percy are never caught. Some are even unaware that they are helping the Scarlet Pimpernel. It would have been nice if the movie sort of followed the books, but it didn't.
Rating:
Summary: I wish i could give 0 stars...
Review: I have to confess that I did not finish this movie. I couldn't sit through the thing, it was absolutely painful. I have many problems with the film but I will concentrate on the most glaring error. In all of the Pimpernel books, Sir Percy manages to get the aristocrats out of France in all sorts of witty and devious ways. None of these ways include running into the room in front of the guards and fighting out. Also, in all the books I've read, the people who are helping Percy are never caught. Some are even unaware that they are helping the Scarlet Pimpernel. It would have been nice if the movie sort of followed the books, but it didn't.
Rating:
Summary: The Original Superhero
Review: I love this series! I also have the Leslie Howard original as well as the Anthony Andrews remake - this one stands shoulder-to-shoulder with them. The Baroness Orczy's original novels provided the inspiration for every superhero-with-a-secret-identity to follow. The creators of Zorro, Batman, Superman and the Shadow and others all owe a debt to the Baroness. Richard E. Grant is a kick as the efete Sir Percy and his alter ego. While Elizabeth McGovern is physically miscast as Lady Blakeney, she delivers an honest performance and there is a sexual chemistry between her and Grant. The character of Chauvelin is explored with a depth here that has not been evident in any of the previous version, humanizing him to the point where we actually feel some sense of sympathy toward this agent of Robespierre. As Mademoiselle Guillotine, Denise Black makes Darth Vader look like a pantywaste.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Done!!
Review: I must say that I entirely disagree with some of the other ramarks posted. I find that this was the best version of all. But, though the plots featured may not have been particularly mentioned in the book, they could stand on their own. The characters portrayed in these films are delightful, intriguing, and a pleausre to watch. A last note: Anyone who thinks that THIS scarlet pimpernel is short is clearly in need of glasses!
Rating:
Summary: I challenge you to a duel
Review: I own the scarlet pimpernel boxset and I must say then the third episode is by far the best of the lot, with a strong storyline, searching for the dauphin and the identity of the masked man, great script and a fantastic performances by Richard E Grant and Suzanne bertish with her double identity, I own this episode on video and dvd and would highly recommend it to anyone, the swordfighting scene between them is great.
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