Going Through the Era's {Matinee Saturday} - 1930's

I'm linking up to Bramblewood Fashion's Going Through the Era's event!

This week {March 4th-10th} is the 1930s.

Today's theme is...Matinee Saturday!

{do movie reviews of movies from the era. share your favorite Actors/Actresses, fun movie trivia, etc....}

Oh goodness!  

There are so many wonderful films from the 30s, and I had an understandably difficult time deciding which movie to review...

Mr. Smith Goes to the Washington

The Adventures of Robin Hood

Captain Blood

You Can't Take It With You

Little Women

Dodge City
Gone With The Wind

Not to mention the lovely films starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers!

I finally decided on one that is less well known...

The Scarlet Pimpernel

{1934}

It's 1792, at the pinnacle of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror.  Paris is in the hands of a mob - a bloodthirsty, vengeful mob - who rejoice at the sound of the guillotines blade descending on the necks of men, women and children.  Those "cursed aristos", the innocent victims of a bloody revolution.   But there is hope.  Rescuing aristocrats from beneath the very blade of madame guillotine, a secret league of twenty men is at work, lead by one brave man.  

"One to command, and nineteen to obey."

That man is The Scarlet Pimpernel.

While not the first or last adaptation of Baroness Orczy's thrilling adventure novel, this is quite possibly the best of them all.  Full of daring adventure and romance, it captures the spirit of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

With a simply outstanding performance by Leslie Howard as the Scarlet Pimpernel, the daring master of disguise, and his alter ego Sir Percy Blakeney, the fop whose chief concern is that his cravats be properly starched and tied.  The transformation from one personality to the other is seamless, flawless and fascinating to behold.

Beautiful, charming and clever Lady Blakeney, formerly Marguerite St. Just, is delightfully portrayed by Merle Oberon.

Creepy and cold, sneaky and slimy, and, above all, treacherous.  Raymond Massey's Citizen Chauvelin is all of that and more.  The character you love to hate is quite hate-able, I assure you.

"Sink me! what a mess."

 I hadn't watched this movie in a while, so I re-watched it today.  Goodness!  I'd forgotten how wonderful it is!  The characters...the witty dialog...the suspense. 

It's, quite simply, a masterpiece.

 .....

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) is in the public domain and available to watch for free in it's entirety here.

.....

Have you ever watched this film?  What were your thoughts on it?

Happy Trails, y'all!

 

Miscellany

Today is a simply gorgeous day!  Blue skies and sun! =D


Have you heard the news?  My dearest Kellie is hosting...

Yesterday, I discovered a marvelous blog - a blog devoted entirely to The Scarlet Pimpernel!  =D

Sink me!

My latest obsession is the 60s TV series Mission: Impossible.

It. is. awesome. period.

Source: google.com via Natasha on Pinterest

The Impossible Missions Force team from seasons 2 and 3....
Cinnamon Carter, Rollin Hand, Willie Armitage, Barney Collier and Jim Phelps.

Rollin, the Man of a Million Faces, is completely awesome.

Source: google.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Even my incredibly picky friend Ani (Matthew), agrees with me on that. ;)

Fun Fact: Martin Landau (Rollin) and Barbara Bain (Cinnamon) were married.  It's always fun to see a husband and wife together in film. :)

Ok, enough MI...for now;)

My actor for this week is Charlton Heston.

I requested as many of his films as possible from the library.

I'm quite steeped at this point.

Recommended flicks:

Ben-Hur

The Ten Commandments

El Cid

The Big Country

Source: doctormacro.com via Natasha on Pinterest

Charlton Heston did much of his own driving in the chariot race.  Very cool=)

One that I haven't watched yet is The Far Horizons.  It's the story of the Lewis and Clark Corp of Discovery.  Highly fictionalized, I imagine, and with a rather interesting cast including Fred McMurray, Donna Reed and Charlton Heston.  I'll let you know how that goes. :)

I think it's time I got outside and enjoyed the delicious weather.
Have a wonderful, blessed day everyone!