The Elusive Pimpernel (1950, UK)

A remake of the traditional swashbuckler of a foppish British aristocrat who carries out under cover raids to rescue French nobles from the guillotine at the time of the French Revolution.

In colour and with plenty of location shooting and evidently a much bigger budget than the 1938 version, this film is very patchy: it sets the scene well, but the characterisations and dialogue are largely poor. Nonetheless it's a good opportunity to see "before they were famous" actors including Jack Hawkins, David Niven as a not-quite-dashing-enough Pimpernel, Patrick Macnee as a bottle juggler and others.

True to the book, there is a scene where Niven as the pimpernel, is smuggling French aristocrats in a farm cart, dressed as an old crone (top picture). Later when everyone in Mont Ste Michel seems to be English, one of them is improbably disguised as a nun.

As well as playing the Prince Regent of Great Britain, Jack Hawkins played the footpad attacking Lord Anthony -- the man standing in this picture.

In America, this film was released in 1954 as The Fighting Pimpernel.

HF March 2004

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