(aka "The Fighting Pimpernel" or "Le Chevalier de Londres")
United Kingdom 1950
In austere post-war Britain the Archers, Michael Powell from Kent and Emeric Pressburg from Hungary, produced some of the most deliriously imaginative British films ever made. The Elusive Pimpernel, a remake of the 1934 Scarlet Pimpernel, has been judged inferior to the original and largely neglected. It was intended to be a musical co-produced by Samuel Goldwyn, who in the end only loaned out David Niven to star in it. It was filmed on location notably in Mont Saint Michel, the Royal Crescent, Bath and Touraine.
The film follows the adventures of Sir Percy Blakely, the Scarlet Pimpernel, as
he rescues French aristocrats from Madame Guillotine and matches wits with
Citozen Chauvelin. It deals with Sir Percy’s doubts about his wife who has
helped Chauvelin in the past and although there are action sequences, the film
is much more concerned with cerebral duels than flashing swords.
Filmed in sumptuous Technicolor (though only released in B&W in the USA), it is
a rollicking adventure. David Niven portrays the twin roles of fop and
adventurer with relish; Jack Hawkins does a wonderful turn as the Prince of
Wales and a footpad. There are occasional narrative lapses, but these are of
little consequence. In an interview given by Powell shortly after the film’s
release, he states that he was revisiting his childhood when making the Elusive
Pimpernel. A considerable success as light entertainment, it only suffers when
compared to the Archers' finest work.
Posters
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Theatrical Release: 6th February 1950 UK, 17th April 1954 USA
DVD Review: PPP DVD - Region 0 - PAL
| Distribution |
PPP DVD Region 0 - PAL |
| Runtime | 1:44:28 (4% PAL speedup) |
| Video |
4:3
Original Aspect Ratio |
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Bitrate:
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | Mono |
| Subtitles | None |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: PPP DVD Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: |
| Comments | Internal evidence suggests that this was produced from a British television broadcast from Channel 4, probably using home recording equipment. The picture is reasonably sharp with vivid colors and some faint ghosting. Certainly not worse than poorly produced commercial efforts, it is of acceptable quality. It does show that credible copies of undistributed films can be produced in this manner. |
DVD Menus
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Screen Captures
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Associated Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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A Life in Movies: An Autobiography by Michael Powell |
Michael Powell: Interviews (Conversations With
Filmmakers Series) by David Lazar |
Arrows of Desire: The Films of Michael Powell and
Emeric Pressburger by Ian Christie |
The Films of Michael Powell and the Archers by Scott Salwolke |
The Red Shoes: The Classic Story by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger |
Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden |
Powell and Pressburger: A Cinema of Magic Spaces
(Cinema & Society S.) Andrew Moor |
Gone to Earth (Virago Modern Classics)
Mary Webb, Erika Duncan |
I Know Where I'm Going! (BFI Film Classics S.)
Pam Cook |
Mail cheques, money orders, cash to: or CLICK PayPal logo to donate!
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Gary Tooze
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Thank You!
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