- Actors: Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon, Raymond Massey, Nigel Bruce, Bramwell Fletcher
- Directors: Harold Young
- Format: Black & White, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language English
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Madacy Records
- DVD Release Date: 7 July 1998
- Run Time: 95 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- ASIN: 6305066825
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 161,298 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
"That damned elusive Pimpernel" finds a dashing embodiment in Leslie Howard, who has the steel to be an action hero and the wit to hide behind his alter ego: a British fop. Based on Baroness Orczy's novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel focuses on the efforts of this British dandy to aid members of the French aristocracy in escaping the guillotines of the French revolution. He also romances Merle Oberon, a beauty forgotten by recent generations and engages in a wonderfully wicked duel of wits with the humourless enforcer for the French Republicans (Raymond Massey). If somewhat short on swashbuckling, it's long on the kind of costume drama that Hollywood seems to have forgotten how to do. The film was remade in 1982 for television, in an equally engaging version starring Anthony Andrews. --Marshall Fine
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The film is the first adaptation of Baroness Orczy's novel, and remains true to the original (although it adheres to the book in scenes that could easily be sacrificed, and summarises other crucial elements that could do with expanding!). The DVD is terrible! I've seen this film in better quality - and the whole film, at that - on television. The picture never stays still and the sound is lost behind background interference and constant 'popping'. Adding to that the fact that some scenes have been cut (Leslie Howard's line 'Cease? I shall love her 'til the day I die, that is the tragedy', amongst others), it is hardly worth buying this copy. Wait until it reappears on a classic movie channel, for the best presentation of this romantic film, or buy the 1982 film on DVD instead!
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This amazing 1934 British Classic deserves better than this terrible DVD release. Sound quality is abysmal, picture quality is equally poor. This DVD seems like a tenth generation video copy and completely spoils the magic of an amazingly entertaining and wonderful film. I was bitterly disappointed in this DVD - I should have realised from the front cover when Merle Oberon was pictured but not billed as Leslie Howard's co star - instead for some strange reason Joan Gardner (playing a rather minor role) is credited.
This DVD is not worth buying. Hopefully a remastered version will eventually come onto the market - save your cash and wait till it does. Your reward will eventually be an hour and a half of exciting escapsim rather than frustration.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
With the Reign of Terror in full swing, and the Committee of Public Safety seeking to murder all of the aristocrats that it can lay its hands on, things seem very bleak. But, there is one man who is standing up to Citizen Robespierre and stealing his victims right out of his grasp, the Scarlet Pimpernel! And so Robespierre calls upon the one man that can catch this troublesome English aristocrat, Citizen Chauvelin (Raymond Massey). Can Chauvelin track down the Pimpernel and snuff out the last hopes of the enemies of the Revolution? Watch and find out! [B&W, created in 1934, with a running time of 1:37 minutes.]
This movie is considered a classic, and it is easy to see why. Overall, I found this to be a great old movie with lots of great acting. Leslie Howard and Raymond Massey both do a great job in their respective roles. Now, admittedly, this film could use some restoration and enhancement - it seriously shows its age.
But, that said, I really enjoyed this movie. If you are interested in seeing a great old classic movie, one with lots of adventure and suspense, then this is the movie to get. I highly recommend it!
This movie is considered a classic, and it is easy to see why. Overall, I found this to be a great old movie with lots of great acting. Leslie Howard and Raymond Massey both do a great job in their respective roles. Now, admittedly, this film could use some restoration and enhancement - it seriously shows its age.
But, that said, I really enjoyed this movie. If you are interested in seeing a great old classic movie, one with lots of adventure and suspense, then this is the movie to get. I highly recommend it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The seek him here they seek him there
Them Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in Heaven?
Is he in Hell?
That damned elusive pimpernel. Read more
Is he in Heaven?
Is he in Hell?
That damned elusive pimpernel. Read more
Published on 26 Dec 2005 by bernie
Is he in heaven, is he in hell?.............................
There is one scene in this film that I have always felt particularly moved by. That is when a royalist appears on top of a roof in Paris in Paris when 'that damned elusive... Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2000
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