Sir Percy Blakeney, Chauvelin, and heoism...

[fajrdrako]

I love The Scarlet Pimpernel. One of the most romantic books ever written; one of the most romantic movies ever made. I like the Anthony Andrews version (with Ian McKellen as Chauvelin) best, which tends to horrify the Leslie Howard fans - which is okay, since Leslie Howard is wonderful and I like that version too. I hated the Richard E. Grant Pimpernel, but can't completely discount that version because Martin Shaw, Elizabeth McGovern, Denise Black and Jamie Bamber were all so good that it compensated for having a dead-loss Pimpernel.

Sir Percy Blakeney is one of the literary progenitors of Francis Crawford of Lymond, which would appeal even if he had nothing else going for him. But he does. All that muted heroism, all that deception and being misjudged... Ahhh. He's yet another heroic con man of the style I love so much.

So why am I happy that when I do the "Which character are you in The Scarlet Pimpernel meme, I get the villain? Well, maybe because Chauvelin is such a wonderful villain, so beautifully charismatic when done by McKellen or Shaw, such a Grey Eminence powerhouse....




This test brought to you by Blakeney Manor.

Find out:Which Scarlet Pimpernel character are you?

Cool beans!

(Later, you become Magneto and square off in a really big chess game against Patrick Stewart, which leads to some serious re-grouping and you decide to mend your evil ways and travel back to the time of Middle Earth where you become Gandalf the Grey and help all the little people.)

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And, I add, earlier you were a curly-haired Professional who got to shoot big guns and run a lot and hang out with Bodie, the best partner ever.

Comments

[elebridith]

I haven't read the book yet, but the CD of the musical is on my to-buy-list. Would love to see the whole thing, but sadly it's one of those you rarely get to see...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I should reread the book. I'd already seen at least two movie versions when I read it. It's old-fashioned but there's so much about it that I loved... I read a number of the sequels, too. Loved the setting and the tone.

As for the Broadway show - on Sunday F. Murray Abraham was talking about how the immediate and ephemeral qualities of live theatre was part of its pleasure, and that's true, but there's a flip side to that: that if you don't get to go to a production, if you can't get to London or Toronto or New York to see these things - you're pretty much out of luck because when it's over, it's over. And each production is unique.

I did see the non-musical stage play, and found it very boring.