Scarlet Pimpernel

Bramblefox

Bramblefox

New member
So is anyone familiar with this book? Or movie, or play, whichever you've seen first :p I've been semi-obsessed with this story for a little over a year now; the books are written by Baronness Emmuska Orczy and I think there's twelve or so of them. They've got romance, intrigue, action, adventure, mystery, the lot of it! And I discovered the musical a few months ago and totally fell in love with the music. I'd suggest reading the book first if you want the actual story. In the book my favorite character is, predictibly, Sir Percy, but in the 99 A&E movies and the play my favorite character is Chauvelin. 'Cause...who can resist a trench-coated Frenchman, huh?? :D So what say you?
 
I saw the newest version of the movie because I love books/films on the French Revolution...but it had some bad stuff so I turned it off..I tried the old,but it was kinda hard to follow....It sounded like an interesting plot,though.:)
A Tale Of Two Cities,and Les Miserables are my favorite stories set then...:cool:
 
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" (I have read the original book) is remarkable for two things:

(1) The hero gets by on his wits, rather than killing people right and left. The suspense thus created is like the old "Mission Impossible" TV series, NOT the stupid Tom Cruise movies that should have been called "Mission: Tom Cruise Showing Off."

(2) Contrary to the usual portrayal of an aristocracy as evil and undeserving of any sympathy, the Baroness shows that the French Revolution had gone too far, taking revenge on the wealthy beyond all reason or justice.
 
Precisely! That's the reason why I love the Scarlet Pimpernel books so much. After seeing or reading all the hack and gore movies/books that are so popular these days the books are a breath of fresh air.
 
It used to be my absolute favorite and is still high on the list of a about 20 books I will be bringing to college with me. It is among CON, P&P, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes (I have all his books).
 
I have a great copy of the Scarlet Pimpernel...I've actually read at least six of the books but all the ones I want to read are only available in the UK. Phooey.

Has anyone read the sequels? My favorites would have to be El Dorado (I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time!!) and Sir Percy Hits Back, which really brings out the human side in Chauvelin. Even wolves love their children.
 
My days occupation has been reading the e-book version of "The Elusive Pimpernel." It is rather good. I finished it in six hours despite it being 205 (letter-sized at Times New Roman 12 pt font) page long.
 
Out of curiosity, Lava, where'd you find it? I don't think I've read 'The Elusive Pimpernel'...but I may have, I've read a lot of the books.
 
I googled "El Dorado- Baroness Orczy" and found a website called Arthur books with all her books on e-book.
 
No, movies are hardly ever like the book. Take the 1982 SP: it was actually a combination of 'Scarlet Pimpernel' and 'El Dorado', with quite a few embellishments, but I loved it.
 
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