THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL:

MADAM GUILLOTINE

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 2 out of 5

Because of: sexual content, violence, language

Rated:

I was first introduced to The Scarlet Pimpernel by a friend who said the version with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour was one of her favorite films. I tracked down the video, watched it, and fell in love with Sir Percy Blakeney and his beautiful wife Marguerite. After that I swiftly began to read the books... as many of them as I could get my hands on. I'd heard a lot about these three adaptations by A&E, mostly in the negative. And after viewing them, I have to agree. My initial thoughts were, "Sink me, what have they done to Percy?" If you're a Pimpernel fan, I think you'll agree with me. If not, well, this wouldn't be the place to start a long love-affair with the books.

The south of France is in a turmoil. The Republic is struggling to destroy the monarchy, and many aristocrats are being forced to flee for their lives. The Marques de Rochambeau and his daughter are among them. Their villa has been set ablaze and most of the servants murdered. Only the Marques, Helene, and their priest have escaped. The priest has been taken in by the local parishioners and concealed, but the old gentleman and his daughter are determined to make for England. Helene is very ill and regretfully her father leaves her behind in the compassionate care of the nuns at the abbey, promising to return for her when it is safe.

Sir Percival Blakeney and his wife are the toast of English society. Wealthy, foppish, and witty, Percy professes his knowledge that he knows the elusive hero of the Revolution, the Scarlet Pimpernel, a figure known for smuggling aristocracy out from beneath the looming blade of the guillotine. What few men know outside the League is that Percy is the Pimpernel. The Marques has made it safely into Britain and now pleads with Percy to send the Pimpernel to fetch his daughter. After some hesitance, Percy secretly agrees and his wife Marguerite pleads to accompany him. Warily he is outnumbered and they journey into France.  But the Pimpernel is not the only one seeking Lady Helene. Gabrielle Damiens, a female advocate for the Republic and known among many as 'Madam Guillotine' for her relentless quest for bloodshed, desires to have the head of the young aristo. 

In the meantime, Citizen Robspierre in Paris fears de Rochambeau will arouse sympathies in England and desires to silence him. The only way in which to do so is through Helene; thus he needs her alive and seeks out a misemployed former favorite, Chauvelin, to track down the girl. Chauvelin is an old adversary of Percy, having lost his position in the government for failing to capture the Scarlet Pimpernel. He is also a former friend and lover of Marguerite. Now they are all on the same trail... Chauvelin, Madam Guillotine, and the Scarlet Pimpernel... 

I wasn't expecting to adore this adaptation, having heard so much against it, and true to form my hopes weren't raised or dashed. It's not quite as bad as many people would profess, but nor does it capture the essence of Percy. It does a great disservice to his character. The story is sometimes engaging. I don't quite know what makes the script fail but in the end it does so. There are flickers of imagination and romance, but they seem to wan under political tensions and an often confusing labyrinth of characters. The only thing truly worthwhile about the piece is Richard E. Grant's performance. He's quite a renowned actor, one I've only recently come to acknowledge. The key here is how he plays Percy... with just enough listless wit, foppish innocence, and deep underlining passion to make him just as enthralling and seductive as we know he had to have been. 

But filmmakers do him a disservice in avoiding one of Percy's greatest talents... the art of disguise. In this film we only ever see the Scarlet Pimpernel dressed as an English aristocrat, which makes it somewhat more incredible. I find it it difficult to believe he would walk through the French countryside bold as a peacock knowing Chauvelin has identified him and wealthy figures will be a target for the Republic. The real Percy also avoided killing people at all costs (this one has a devil-may-care attitude about who he shoots or stabs) and would never have resulted to sexual overtones to disarm Madam Guillotine. Thus said, the film's greatest scene involves a mix-up of identities in which Percy claims to be Chauvelin and cross-examines Marguerite. What our wretched villainess sees is a cold-hearted public official; what she doesn't see is the subliminal romantic wit being traded between them. I  also loved the sub-story involving Helene and a young man who opposes the Republic by forming his own band called the Sacred Hearts. But sadly my praise ends there. 

The adaptation isn't horrible but it's not particularly good either. As Percy would say, "It's monstrous difficult to follow, and has a demned insufferable climax." Content-wise, one expects some violence and language but the sexual content is out of place and disappointing. Marguerite teases her husband verbally while on board ship, sliding her hand beneath the covers and lamenting on the 'rocking of the boat.' Eventually he gives in and kisses her passionately before the scene fades out. One of Madam Guillotine's soldiers spies on her through a keyhole as she bathes (nothing but her arms are seen). The worst flaw comes when Percy, under the guise of Chauvelin, appears to try and seduce her. He goes a little too far. I wouldn't have minded some romantic banter, even some mild flirting, but cornering her on the divan, opening her blouse, and kissing her cleavage is surprisingly out of character for the Pimpernel. As he wrestles her to the floor, stuffs a gag in her mouth, and ties her up, her muffled shrieks set the guards to snickering, certain that something sexual is going on.

Many people are shot and killed. There are implied executions in the town square. We see one man being lead up to the guillotine before the blade falls; then we hear the blade falling several times more while a priest cowers in a darkened room. Several people are slapped violently. Percy and Lord Andrew have to fight their way through a guarded abbey to find Marguerite; they stab some guards. The nuns are all found murdered. A man is knifed in the chest. Profanity includes Percy's favorite terms ('Lud,' and 'demned') as well as some common profanity and mild abuse of deity (including b*tch and whore). Madam Guillotine calls the abbey a brothel, throws a Bible to the floor, and orders the nuns to be executed.

I would encourage readers to view the original 1982 Scarlet Pimpernel, which is far more engaging, easier to follow, is less offensive, and has a higher set of values than A&E's adaptations.

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