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The Elusive Pimpernel (1950 Film)
''The Elusive Pimpernel'' is a 1950 British period adventure film by the British-based director-writer team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, based on the novel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' (1905) by Baroness Emmuska Orczy. It was released in the United States under the title ''The Fighting Pimpernel''. The picture stars David Niven as Sir Percy Blakeney (a.k.a. The Scarlet Pimpernel), Margaret Leighton as Marguerite Blakeney and features Jack Hawkins, Cyril Cusack and Robert Coote. Originally intended to be a musical, the film was re-worked as a light-hearted drama. Plot During the French Revolution, the Scarlet Pimpernel, who is really Sir Percy Blakeney in disguise, risks his life to rescue French aristocrats from the guillotine and take them across the English Channel to safety. As cover, Sir Percy poses as a fop at Court, and curries favour with the Prince of Wales by providing advice about fashion, but secretly he leads The League, a group of noblemen with similar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Powell
Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company The Archers, they together wrote, produced and directed a series of classic British films, notably '' The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'' (1943), ''A Canterbury Tale'' (1944), '' I Know Where I'm Going!'' (1945), '' A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946, also called ''Stairway to Heaven''), '' Black Narcissus'' (1947), '' The Red Shoes'' (1948), and '' The Tales of Hoffmann'' (1951). His later controversial 1960 film ''Peeping Tom'', while today considered a classic, and a contender as the first "slasher", was so vilified on first release that his career was seriously damaged. Many filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and George A. Romero have cited Powell as an influence. In 1981, he received the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award along with his partner Pressburger, the highest honou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Scarlet Pimpernel
''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having opened in Nottingham in 1903. The novel is set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The title is the ''nom de guerre'' of its hero and protagonist, a chivalrous Englishman who rescues aristocrats before they are sent to the guillotine. Sir Percy Blakeney leads a double life: apparently nothing more than a wealthy fop, but in reality a formidable swordsman and a quick-thinking master of disguise and escape artist. The band of gentlemen who assist him are the only ones who know of his secret identity. He is known by his symbol, a simple flower, the scarlet pimpernel (''Anagallis arvensis''). Opening at the New Theatre in London's West End on 5 January 1905, the play became a favourite of British audi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Niven In The Elusive Pimpernel By Michael Powell And Emeric Pressburger
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the third king of the United Kingdom of Israel. In the Books of Samuel, he is described as a young shepherd and harpist who gains fame by slaying Goliath, a champion of the Philistines, in southern Canaan. David becomes a favourite of Saul, the first king of Israel; he also forges a notably close friendship with Jonathan, a son of Saul. However, under the paranoia that David is seeking to usurp the throne, Saul attempts to kill David, forcing the latter to go into hiding and effectively operate as a fugitive for several years. After Saul and Jonathan are both killed in battle against the Philistines, a 30-year-old David is anointed king over all of Israel and Judah. Following his rise to power, David ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patrick Macnee
Daniel Patrick Macnee (6 February 1922 – 25 June 2015) was a British film and television actor. After serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, he began his acting career in Canada. Despite having some small film roles, Macnee spent much of his early career in playing small roles in American and Canadian television shows. In 1961, he landed the role of secret agent John Steed in the British television series '' The Avengers''. The show was a success running for eight seasons from 1961 to 1969 and was revived in 1976 as ''The New Avengers''. The show was a major breakthrough for Macnee and led to his roles in many films including '' This Is Spinal Tap'' and '' A View to a Kill'' as well as continuing to appear in both British and US television shows up until 2001. Early life and career The elder of two sons, Macnee was born in Paddington, London, England, on 6 February 1922; [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Longden
John Longden (11 November 1900 – 26 May 1971) was an English film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1926 and 1964, including five films directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Biography Longden was born in the West Indies, the son of a Methodist missionary, and was educated at Kingswood School, Bath, Somerset. Originally intending to be a mining engineer, he worked for two years in a coal mine in Yorkshire, where he started acting in amateur theatrical companies. An introduction to Seymour Hicks saw him start acting on the legitimate stage, beginning with a walk-on part in ''Old Bill, MP''. He played in ''My Old Dutch'' with Albert Chevalier, then spent time with the Liverpool and Birmingham repertory theatres. He also appeared in ''The Farmer's Wife'', produced by Barry Jackson at the Court Theatre in London for two years. About this time Longden began to appear in silent films. He signed a contract with Gaumont British Pictures to write and act, earning a not ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philip Stainton
Philip Stainton (9 April 1908 – 1 August 1961) was an English actor. Stainton appeared in several Ealing comedies and major international movies. He specialized in playing friendly or exasperated uniformed policemen, but also appeared in other comic and straight roles in British and Australian productions. After beginning in repertory, in the postwar years he worked steadily in bit and featured parts in theatrical films; twice being directed by John Ford and once by John Huston when they shot on European or overseas locations. He first visited Australia as part of a touring company presenting Agatha Christie’s play '' Witness for the Prosecution''. Stainton and his actress wife immigrated to Australia in the late 1950s to appear in a series of live television plays as the medium was beginning in that country. From 1957 to 1959 he had the distinction to headline the first Australian sitcom ''Take That'' which was broadcast in Melbourne by HSV-7. He also adapted and pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eugene Deckers
Eugene Francis Deckers (22 October 1917, in Antwerp – 1977, in Paris, France) was a Belgian actor. Career After establishing himself on the British stage, Deckers made his first English language film appearance in 1946. Formerly a romantic lead, he specialized in "continental" character roles, playing many an obsequious concierge and imperious diplomat. As he grew older, Eugene Deckers expanded his characterization range to include Germans and Italians as well as Frenchmen. One of his biggest and best roles was as the arms dealer Peters in '' North West Frontier'' (1959). Deckers appeared in Sheldon Reynolds television series ''Foreign Intrigue'' in the early-1950s. In 1954–55, Deckers played at least seven different characters in the French-filmed Sheldon Reynolds television series ''Sherlock Holmes''. After appearing in over fifty film and television roles, Deckers made his final screen appearance in the 1969 film ''The Assassination Bureau''. While working as an ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edmond Audran
Achille Edmond Audran (12 April 184017 August 1901) was a French composer best known for several internationally successful comic operas and operettas. After beginning his career in Marseille as an organist, Audran composed religious music and began to write works for the stage in the 1860s and 1870s. Among these, '' Le grand mogol'' (1877) was the most popular and was later revived in Paris, London and New York. In 1879 he moved to Paris, where some of his pieces achieved considerable success both in France and abroad, including ''Les noces d'Olivette'' (1879), '' La mascotte'' (1880), '' Gillette de Narbonne'' (1882), ''La cigale et la fourmi'' (1886), '' Miss Helyett'' (1890) and ''La poupée'' (1896). Most of his works are now neglected, but ''La mascotte'' has been revived occasionally and has been recorded for the gramophone. Early life and career Audran was born in Lyon, the son of Marius-Pierre Audran (1816–87), who had a career as a tenor at the Opéra-Comique. Lamb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Danielle Godet
Danielle Godet (1927–2009) was a French stage and film actress.Lloyd p.78 Partial filmography * '' The Man Without a Name'' (1943) - Une figurante * ''The Idiot'' (1946) * '' Man About Town'' (1947) - Une spectatrice * ''Ploum, ploum, tra-la-la'' (1947) - Gisèle * ''The Idol'' (1948) - Françoise * ''Une femme par jour'' (1949) - Sabine - la fiancée de Guy * ''La souricière'' (1950) - Jacqueline * ''Night Taxi'' (1950) - Laura Morani * '' The Elusive Pimpernel'' (1950) - Suzanne de Tournai * '' Paris Vice Squad'' (1951) - Madeleine, la secrétaire du commissaire Basquier * ''Nous irons à Monte-Carlo'' (1951) - Jacqueline Chatenay-Maillard * ''Les mousquetaires du roi'' (1951) * '' Double or Quits'' (1953) - Marie Chassagne * ''The Three Musketeers'' (1953) - Constance Bonacieux * '' Boum sur Paris'' (1953) - Hélène * '' Adventures of the Barber of Seville'' (1954) - Rosina * '' Yours Truly, Blake'' (1954) - Michèle Marley / Marion Miller * ''Chéri-Bibi'' (1955) - Cécily ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arlette Marchal
Arlette Marchal (29 January 1902 – 11 February 1984) was a French film actress. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1922 and 1951. She was born and died in Paris. Partial filmography * ''Mon p'tit'' (1922) * '' The Gardens of Murcia'' (1923) - Maria del Carmen * ''Sarati le terrible'' (''Sarati the Terrible'') (1923) - Hélène * '' The Portrait'' (1923) - Madeleine Fontevrault "das Bildnis" * ''La Dame au ruban de velours'' (1923) - Adrienne * ''Un coquin'' (1923) - Renée de Meillane * ''The Bell of Love'' (''La Cabane d'amour'') (1923) - Norine Pastoret * '' Terror'' (1924) - Madame Gauthier * ''Die Sklavenkönigin'' (aka Moon of Israel (USA)) (1924) - Userti * ''Un Drame au Carlton Club'' (''The Carlton Club Drama'') (1924) * ''The Last House on the Beach'' (1924) * '' Madame Sans-Gene'' (1925) - Marie-Caroline, la Reine de Naples * '' Venetian Lovers'' (1925) - Countess Lola Astoni * ''Born to the West'' (1926) - Belle of Paradise Bar * ''The Cat's Pajamas'' (1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Citizen Chauvelin
Citizen Armand Chauvelin (''Citoyen Chauvelin'' in French) is the villain in Baroness Emmuska Orczy's classic novel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' and the various plays and films derived from the work. Overview He is cast as Sir Percy Blakeney's arch-enemy throughout the novel's many sequels and appears in almost all of them. The former ambassador to the Court of St. James's (''The Scarlet Pimpernel'', '' The Elusive Pimpernel''), Chauvelin is both a representative in the National Assembly and the chief agent of the Committee of Public Safety. Chauvelin is also an old friend of the Pimpernel's wife Lady Blakeney, having been a frequenter of her salon in Paris before her marriage (and is depicted in some film treatments as being Marguerite's suitor or lover prior to her marriage to Sir Percy). Chauvelin is a ruthless, amoral patriot who firmly believes that the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel is a threat and a mockery to the French Republic, and uses his position incessantly to att ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George IV Of The United Kingdom
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten years later. At the time of his accession to the throne, he was acting as Prince Regent, having done so since 5 February 1811, during his father's final mental illness. George IV was the eldest child of King George III and Queen Charlotte. He led an extravagant lifestyle that contributed to the fashions of the Regency era. He was a patron of new forms of leisure, style and taste. He commissioned John Nash to build the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and remodel Buckingham Palace, and commissioned Jeffry Wyatville to rebuild Windsor Castle. George's charm and culture earned him the title "the first gentleman of England", but his dissolute way of life and poor relationships with his parents and his wife, Caroline of Brunswick, earned h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
