As Valentine’s Day approaches, will you be looking for something achingly romantic to read? Throughout my life, I’ve read so many romantic stories, and some have stayed with me … probably because I have re-read them so many times! But probably the most romantic book, the one that fueled so many of my romantic dreams as I was growing up, is … drumroll, please … The Scarlett Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. I read it when I was in 6th grade. I can still remember going to our school’s library, checking it out, and sitting down to read as much of it as I could before English class was over and I had to go to social studies. My house was pretty noisy as a kid, so I remember heading out to the old swing set in the back yard and sitting on the teeter totter to read through to the exciting and swoon-worthy finish.
I had recently seen the 1982 TV movie starring Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour, and it swept me away – so in the days of no Netflix, Amazon, or even VCRs, I got the book so I could keep re-living the tale. Since then, I have re-watched the Anthony Andrews version a number of times. I have also seen the 1934 version with Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon and the 1999 version with Richard E. Grant and Elizabeth McGovern. I have even seen the stage musical. But the book features moments of heart-fluttering romance and dashing derring-do not included in any of the dramatizations I’ve seen.
This season of love is a perfect time to re-visit the old classic or read it for the very first time (I am so jealous of you if you get to enjoy this one for the very first time!) Or watch any of the film versions – the Andrews/Seymour version is, by far, my favorite. And in this version, a young Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, plays the King of England. The Scarlett Pimpernel is available in libraries and readily available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle format. Enjoy!
Geralyn Corcillo
loves getting reviews that say “I will re-read this…” or “I know I will read this again and again…” because then she knows that she has provided a bit of magic for a reader – the kind of magic she has been getting from books her whole life! Chat with Geralyn on her Facebook page by commenting on her many posts – she will comment back – she loves to connect with readers!
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Oh Ger, one of my favorite books! I was lucky enough to see a stage production at Riverside Community College many many years ago. We had season tickets and great seats. The lead actor’s mother sat next to us and she was so excited for her son. She kept whispering “Isn’t he great.” He was fabulous–thankfully! (Not that I would have told her if he wasn’t.) Still, she made a fun performance even better.
How exciting! I saw the stage show at the Pantages or some place like that – I loved that song when all the fops – The League of the Scarlett Pimpernel – are all decked out in their bright pink and yellow feathery fopppery singing about their secret feats of derring do– “We’re men!”
That was my favorite, too. I cracked me up.
🙂