Things the Scarlet Pimpernel taught me

[lesbiassparrow]

1. Revolutionary France had an almost unlimited supply of bad teeth and scarred prison officers. (The worse your teeth, the more they trusted you to chop peoples heads off or guard aristos.)

2. Despite all the straw on the floor, French jails did not get you grubby. Nor did your clothes get dirty. You were in perfect, finely coiffed shape for having your head chopped off.

3. Everything in France is a days gallop away from everything else.

Now I must go shake my fist at the TV as they've just killed Marguerite off. THE WARTS HAD BETTER MAKE UP FOR THIS.

ETA: So far in the second series the Pimpernell has dressed up as an old man (twice!) and as a spice merchant. But there is no old woman costume yet. What foolery is this? The Pimpernell should be in ratty skirts and knitting or he is no Pimpernel! Bring on the worsted stockings and warts and ratty skirts! The I the public demand it! Oh, and people sneaking out of jails look rather less well-turned out than they do in the first series.

Comments

[cookiesworld17.livejournal.com]

This is my sister's favourite book of all time, so I had to read your post to her. She was quite horrified to hear they had killed Marguerite off - apparently they didn't do that in the Leslie Howard movie version.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Well, if it makes your sister feel better she's in the first season of this version. I guess they couldn't afford the actress for the second. The disguises probably cost too much. (I am v. traumatized by the idea of a Marguerite-less Pimpernell. Percy had better spend his life mourning her and not take up with some floozy, is all I can say.)

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

This is heresy, you know. Send the BBC (?) to the guillotine.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I think this is an ITV show. But although I would not chop their heads off, I would send them out on the road to break rocks. And think about ways to bring her back to life.

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

It's official. If I ever go to jail, I want it to be in Revolutionary France. (Though I would prefer to keep my head.)

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I think I would like to be like the Romans, living out my life in exile in Marseilles or Rhodes. And keeping your head is always good. :)

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

They can't kill Marguerite off. They just can't! Doesn't the book end with her and Sir Percy sailing off to England where they will live their lives in wedded bliss?
I think I prefer the Leslie Howard/Merle Oberon version - now those were two gorgeous people. Merle was born to wear Regency fashions.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

THEY DIDN'T JUST KILL HER OFF, THEY HAD HIM SNOGGING OTHER WOMEN. That's 5 million types of wrong. THE PIMPERNEL IS A ONE WOMAN MAN.