Wednesday Wrenches in the Works

[evelyn_b]

What I've Finished Reading

The Adventures of Sally by P. G. Wodehouse was delightful, unexpectedly sweet (even for Wodehouse) and a much more successful use of Comedy American tropes than poor old Psmith Journalist. Sally is a young American heiress who has just come into a large fortune and hopes to use it to benefit her friends and family.

Comments

[scripsi]

I admit that the alienation always irked me. Even at a Young age I wondered why Sir Percy just didn't sat down and talked with his wife properly.

I'm glad you enjoyed the movie! Chavulin is generally better in the adaptions than in the book, for some reason, though a later book do show another side of him as caring and devoted father. But the adaptions usually do a stellar work of him. The 80's version has Sir Ian McKellen doing a wonderfully vulnerable Chavulin. They change the background rather drastically though, with Chavulin and Marguerite (Jane Seymour) having been lovers until she ditches him for Sir Percy (Anthony Andrews). I think that's a change for the better, though, as it gives the three of them a broader span for their interactions. There's also a rather horrible mini series from the 90 with Richard E. Grant as a rather unsympatetich Sir Percy and Elizabeth McGovern as Margurite, who the costume desiger seems determined to make as unattractive as possible. But Martin Shaw is great as a jealous and very ruthless Chavulin.

[evelyn_b]

Even at a Young age I wondered why Sir Percy just didn't sat down and talked with his wife properly.

I guess the reason he doesn't talk about his secret identity is supposed to be "Percy doesn't trust Marguerite not to denounce him immediately and there's no safe way to ask." Which is understandable if still a little unsatisfying, but doesn't really explain why he can't be nicer/less alienating toward her in his fop persona.

If you're going to be a melodramatic sop in private, and literally kiss the pavement someone walked on (but only when she can't see it! because you're Tragic!) then you can muster up the sacrificial energy to pay attention to her in real time once and a while, jeez. :(

(The movie also makes it clear that Marguerite didn't think he was the stupidest man in England when she married him -- the book is kind of ambiguous on this point).

Elizabeth McGovern as Margurite, who the costume desiger seems determined to make as unattractive as possible.

Aww, poor Marguerite! :(

The Scarlet Pimpernel was originally written as a play, so it makes sense for Chauvelin to be better in adaptations -- he's meant to be played by an actor. I'd never seen Raymond Massey or Leslie Howard in a movie before, and they were both super enjoyable.

[scripsi]

I guess the reason he doesn't talk about his secret identity is supposed to be "Percy doesn't trust Marguerite not to denounce him immediately and there's no safe way to ask." Which is understandable if still a little unsatisfying, but doesn't really explain why he can't be nicer/less alienating toward her in his fop persona.

Sorry, I was a bit fuzzy. I meant the whole believing she had willfully betrayed those people. I don't know if I remember this correctly, but I believe Margurite really hates the aristocrat, but that she never meant that he and his family would be killed and she feels dreadful about it. But then Percy more or less accuse her and she gets mad at him and he ends up thinking she is cruel and callous.

If he had just said "Darling, I have heard this awful things said about you, things that I would never, ever believe, but I thought you should know." Then she had probably explained herself properly. For being such a smart man, Sir Percy is awfully quick in believing the worst of his wife.

I don't think I have seen Raymond Massey in anything before, but I love Leslie Howard. I can recommend Pygmalion and Gone With the Wind, but also Pimpernell Smith were he plays a contemporary man (this is during WWII) who spirits away people from Nazi concentration camps. It is an interesting piece of Brittish propaganda and reflects Howard's own views.

[evelyn_b]

I believe Margurite really hates the aristocrat, but that she never meant that he and his family would be killed and she feels dreadful about it. But then Percy more or less accuse her and she gets mad at him and he ends up thinking she is cruel and callous.

I don't have the book with me right now, but I think you're correct!
Yes, you'd think he could have gotten a little more information before jumping to conclusions and then acting all tragic about it. I don't know that I even hate the alienation/reconciliation plot in principle, but yeah. I found myself wondering if it would work better if the Marguerite/Percy alliance had begun as an arranged marriage or marriage of convenience, rather than a supposed love match that fell apart at the drop of a rumor.

Does Pimpernell Smith also have a stupid/frivolous persona? I would hate for Howard not to get a billion more opportunities to break out his Eyelids of Foppery. (Foppertunities?)

[scripsi]

I found myself wondering if it would work better if the Marguerite/Percy alliance had begun as an arranged marriage or marriage of convenience, rather than a supposed love match that fell apart at the drop of a rumor.

I think you are right. :)

Does Pimpernell Smith also have a stupid/frivolous persona? I would hate for Howard not to get a billion more opportunities to break out his Eyelids of Foppery. (Foppertunities?)

He's an archeologist, so a bit more serious. :) And foppertunities is the BEST Word! :D