The Elusive Pimpernel (The Fighting Pimpernel)
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger
Written by	Baroness Orczy (novels) Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger
Produced by	Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger
Starring	David Niven Margaret Leighton
Cinematography	Christopher Challis
Edited by	Reginald Mills
Music by	Brian Easdale
Distributed by	British Lion Films Carroll Films (US)
Release dates	6 February 1950 (UK) 17 April 1954 (NYC) 1955 (US general)
Running time	109 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	₤133,354 (UK)[1]

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 by Baroness Emmuska Orczy. Despite having been shot in color, it was released in the United States in black and white^[2] and retitled The Fighting Pimpernel. The film stars David Niven as Sir Percy Blakeney (aka The Scarlet Pimpernel), Margaret Leighton as Marguerite Blakeney and features Jack Hawkins, Cyril Cusack and Robert Coote. Originally planned to be a musical, the film was re-worked as a light-hearted drama, not entirely successfully.^[2]

During the French Revolution, the Scarlet Pimpernel, (David Niven), who is really Sir Percy Blakeney in disguise, risks his life to rescue French noblemen from the guillotine and take them across the English Channel to safety. As cover, Sir Percy poses as a fop at Court, and curries favor with the Prince of Wales (Jack Hawkins) by providing advice about fashion, but secretly he leads The League, a group of noblemen with similar views.

Chauvelin, French Ambassador of the Revolution to England (Cyril Cusack) wants to find out who the Pimpernel is and bring him in to meet his fate under French justice. When evidence points to Sir Percy, Chauvelin blackmails Blakeney's wife, Marguerite (Margaret Leighton) by threatening to expose her criminal brother Armand (Edmond Audran), but Marguerite doesn't believe her husband is capable of being the daring Pimpernel.

• David Niven as Sir Percy Blakeney/ The Scarlet Pimpernel
• Margaret Leighton as Marguerite Blakeney
• Jack Hawkins as Prince of Wales/Footpad attacking Lord Anthony
• Cyril Cusack as Chauvelin
• Robert Coote as Sir Andrew ffoulkes
• Arlette Marchal as Contesses de Tournai
• Gérard Nery as Philippe de Tournai
• Danielle Godet as Suzanne de Tournai
• Edmond Audran as Armand St. Juste
• Charles Victor as Colonel Winterbotham
• Eugene Deckers as Captain Merieres
• David Oxley as Captain Duroc
• Raymond Rollett as Bibot
• Philip Stainton as Jellyband
• John Longden as The Abbot
• Robert Griffiths as Trubshaw^[3]

Cast notes

• Patrick Macnee, who played the "Hon. John Bristow", later became well known for playing "John Steed" in The Avengers. The Elusive Pimpernel was his sixth film appearance.
• Richard England, who played the part of the captain of the schooner Daydream, was the real-life owner of the boat that was used in the filming, The Nellie Bywater.^[4]

The Elusive Pimpernel was financed by Samuel Goldwyn and Alexander Korda. Neither director Michael Powell nor star David Niven was very interested in doing the film, but had their minds changed by threats of contract suspension. (Rex Harrison had been originally announced as the star.^[5]) Powell wanted to make the film as a musical, but was not allowed to, and the casting of Margaret Leighton was done over his objection. Goldwyn forced numerous additions and changes to the film but when Powell delivered the final cut, Goldwyn refused to make the final payment, which caused Korda to sue him.^[6]

The film was shot in 1949^[7] at various British film studios in Boreham Wood, Elstree and Shepperton, Surrey. Location shooting took place in Bath, Dover, in Savernake Forest, on the Marlborough Downs, and in the stables of Carlton House Terrace, St. James's, London. In France, filming took place in the chateaux of the Loire Valley and on Mont Saint-Michel.^[6][8]

The Elusive Pimpernel was released in the U.K. in 1950, but because of the falling out between Korda and Goldwyn, didn't get an American distributor until July 1953 when Carroll Pictures acquired the rights. The film then premiered in New York City on 17 April 1954.^[6]

Niven's unhappiness at being forced to make the film later led to him severing his contract with Samuel Goldwyn.^[9]

• The Elusive Pimpernel reviews and articles at the Powell & Pressburger Pages
• The Elusive Pimpernel at IMDb
• The Fighting Pimpernel at the TCM Movie Database
• The Elusive Pimpernel at AllMovie
• The Elusive Pimpernel at the BFI's Screenonline. Full synopsis and film stills (and clips viewable from UK libraries).