The Elusive Pimpernel

The Elusive Pimpernel - 1994 | 109 mins | Drama | Colour

The Production Team

Director: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Asst Director: Sydney Streeter.
Producer: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Associate Producer: George R. Busby.
Script: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. (from the novel The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy)
Cinematography: Christopher Challis.
Editing: Reginald Mills.
Art Direction: Arthur Lawson.
Production Design: Hein Heckroth.
Costume Design: Ivy Baker, Nandi Heckroth and Bernard Sarron.
Make-Up Artist: Betty Cross and Jimmy Vining.
Special Effects: W. Percy Day.
Sound: Red Law and Charles Poulton.
Music: Brian Easdale.

The Cast

David Niven - Sir Percy Blakeney
Margaret Leighton - Marguerite Blakeney
Cyril Cusack - Chauvelin
Jack Hawkins - Prince of Wales
Arlette Marchal - Contesses de Tournai
Gérard Nery - Philippe de Tournai
Danielle Godet - Suzanne de Tournai
Raymond Rollett - Bibot

Plot Synopsis

In revolution-torn Paris of 1792, 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' rescues aristocrats from the guillotine and smuggles them to safety across the English Channel. Citizen Chauvelin determines that he will capture and unmask this folk hero and travels to England, suspecting the Pimpernel to he Sir Percy Blakeney. He forces Sir Percy's wife Marguerite, to help him by threatening to expose her brother Armand.

Marguerite despises her husband as a worthless fop, while Percy for his part mistrusts Marguerite, believing she betrayed a French family to the government. Chauvelin learns the Pimpernel's identity and, realising the truth herself, Marguerite races to Mont St Michel, the rendezvous of the Pimpernel and his men, only to be captured by the Chauvelin. Percy offers his own life in exchange for Marguerite's, but escapes the firing squad. As Chauvelin's men surround the castle they realise too late that the advancing high tide has cut off the Mont. The Pimpernel escapes by boat, he and Marguerite at last confident of each others trust.