Tuesday, October 17, 2017

The Scarlet Pimpernel-Not a Review because that's too much work

No actually I just wanted to say I read The Scarlet Pimpernel a few days ago and 
IT
IS
AMAZING
HOW DID I NOT READ IT BEFORE
That's really all.
No, but like, it's the perfect novel. It has adventure, and romance, and comfortable English inns and manors and dangerous French cities and roads. It has a beautiful witty lady and her idiot husband, and a brave, elusive, anonymous Englishman.
Also
Does anyone not already know who the Scarlet Pimpernel is?
Okay, so my deal was, I was pretty sure, but I didn't know. I mean, I had heard his name so many times that when the guy was introduced I suspected it, but I made myself doubt like a lot. I wasn't surprised when Marguerite discovered the truth, but I didn't know it right from the beginning. I wasn't sure I remembered.
But that definitely made the book more interesting. It kept me guessing.
(So, if you're like me, I'm pretty sure I didn't give it away. And I don't think I will in this post. Kay.)
BUT LIKE
THE ENDING
THE ENTIRE ENDING
LIKE THE LAST 70 PAGES
(I warned you, this isn't a review. It's far too scattered and ungrammarly.) (Which I prove by using that not-a-word.) (Oh yes the word I'm looking for is ungrammatical.) (Anyway.)

GUYS IT'S JUST SO GOOD.

I also watched the movie (yeah, the movie, like with Jane Seymour, 1982) with the girl that made me read it in the first place (don't worry I don't resent it, indeed I am most grateful) and it was... well.

Let's just say I probably shouldn't have watched the movie  so soon after reading the book. I knew exactly what was wrong and different and such and, well...y'all know me. I'm a stickler for accuracy to the book. I tried to enjoy it as a movie separately, buuuut... Yeah.

I mean, come on, they skip The Fisherman's Rest altogether, and they barely squeeze that intense scene between Sir and Lady Blakeney where like AAAAAA into like 30 seconds
(that sentence didn't make sense. I'm sorry. Good luck.)
and like the last 50 pages are basically, um, skipped. At least most of them are.
Like what??
Anyway
Like I said, I probably shouldn't have seen it so soon after reading the book, I know it's a well-loved movie.
I will say the casting was fabulous. And it was hilarious. Sir Percy Blakeney was fabulous and hilarious and perfect. (I was not at all opposed to the addition of his catch-phrase, "Sink meh!")
 (Also he's remarkably handsome.)
I am afraid I annoyed my dear friend with "that wasn't how it was in the book!" and such, but she did respond with "I know!!!" and she made comments too, so maybe it was fine.

Dearie me, what a scattered, rambling, ungrammarly tical post. Really what I wanted to do is, instead of doing a point-by-point review, let me ask:
What are your favourite parts? What did you think of the movie? What do you want to know my opinion about? And we can discuss it in the comments. :D

Aside from that, in case a) people care about this stuff too or b) you haven't read/seen The Scarlet Pimpernel:
-I finished watching the first four seasons of When Calls The Heart and AAAAHHHH my heart it's so good. Thoughts on that?
-I swear I was about to say something else too. Dangit.
-What. The. Heck. It had something to do with my life that y'all might be interested in...
-Quick question: Do y'all consider those replacement profanities I used to be, like, as bad as the real thing? Cause I've met some people who do and I'm curious. If so, I do apologize. Dreadful habits.
-*hums to myself, staring off into space*
-Was I writing a blog post? How nice.
-I believe I've tortured you all quite long enough. Goodness gracious. I wonder that any of you are still around!

Hope you're all having a perfectly lovely week!

(Oh! One more teeny tiny thing. I want to read another Dickens, which one should I read next? What's your favourite?)

18 comments:

  1. GAH YOU FINISHED SEASON 4 OF WCTH!!!!! I finished it such a long time and have had no one to talk to about it!!!!! My heart still hurts.....

    I actually watched the movie before I read the book. I love the movie even though its not accurately based on the book, it's still one of my favorite movies!

    I've only read two Dickens books. A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations (actually I started reading Great Expectations and got bored so I didn't finish it)

    Great post!

    -Lilah
    lilahsmusicals.blogspot.com
    catholicgirlstuff.blogspot.com

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    1. I KNOW RIGHT THE ENDING I cried over one thing and then I cried over another and it was just--aaaaahhh. And now Season 5 isn't until next year!! How shall we bear it?!

      Haha, gotcha. Yeah, I would agree that as a movie itself it's good!!

      Hmm, all right. I need to read A Tale of Two Cities at some point. Great Expectations...well, so far I've heard a lot more negative reviews than positive, so we'll see. :D Thanks!

      Thanks so much for your comment, Lilah!!

      Delete
  2. OH MY GOSH I JUST FINISHED THE BOOK TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (well, the audiobook, but whatever) HOW FABULOUSLY FANTASTIC!!!!
    AAAAAAAAA SIR PERCYYYYYYYYYYY YAAAAASSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Seriously, where is my Sir Percy?? I NEED ONE RIGHT ABOUT YESTERDAY.
    AAAGGGHHH I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Odd's life, I really cannot say anything without yelling in all caps can I? (in Sir Percy's voice)

    OH WHYYYYHYHYHYHYYYYY CAN'T I EVER STOP FALLING IN LOVE WITH FICTIONAL CHARACTERS?????

    The last time I saw the movie, I was young and impressionable and- basically I fell asleep because I was tired so I don't even know what happened.
    I also read the book once for school a million and two years ago, so it was just spiffing reading (listening, whatever) to it again!!

    One of my favourite parts is when Sir Percy is sleeping in the dining room (wasn't it?) when Chauvelin is looking for the Scarlet Pimpernel just GAH! DYING.
    Basically EVERY scene with Percy is my favourite, but especially when *SPOILER ALERT* Marguerite finds out that the Jew is Percy UM I LITERALLY COULDN'T STOP SMILING. IF MY FAMILY WEREN'T RIGHT THERE, I WOULD HAVE SQUEALED AND JUMPED FOR JOY.
    But ya know, I try to pretend like I'm a little bit sane around my family.
    NOT SO ON THE INTERNET, M'DEAR, NOT SO.
    As I'm sure you know XD
    YAH ANYWAY, LOVE THIS POST SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

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    1. AAAHH REALLY?! THAT IS FANTASTIC!!!

      YESSS SIR PERCY

      Don't worry, I read it in Sir Percy's voice right away. Odd's life, and all. :D

      RIGHT?! SAAAAMMMEEE

      Hahaha, I see. All right then.

      YES RIGHT I LOVE THAT SCENE
      AND EVERY OTHER SCENE WITH PERCY, YES

      ABOUT THAT I suspected he was the Jew, but I didn't really dare think so. It was either too likely or too unlikely, you know what I mean? I kept hoping, though, and YES I COULDN'T STOP SMILING EITHER and I may have exclaimed aloud "Yes!! I knew it!!!" maybe more than once, maybe not. :p
      SAME I would have been squealing, etc. were it not for my family right there, giving me strange looks as it was. :D
      Really, you don't pretend to be sane on the internet? I hadn't noticed. ;D ;D <3

      THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENT!!!

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    2. GOSH YES ME TOO!! I don't remember much of my reaction at that particular point the first time I read it, but this last time, I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS HIM OR NOT AND I WAS ON PINS AND NEEDLES!!!!
      Completely fabulous!!

      HA. HA. HA. you're hilarious darling. Simply hilarious.

      OH! So I totally forgot to answer your question in light of the above rant I OBVIOUSLY needed to scream about, SO I WILL NOW!
      (but not screaming this time. hehe)

      I don't think using dang or heck or anything like that as bad as the real thing. Like my mum says, it's not necessarily the word that is bad (sometimes) but the way you say it that makes it bad. Like, say, if you use the D word in actual anger, actually meaning it. You know?
      Also, I find, using words that sound amusing when I'm angry help cool my anger. Like "dagnabit" "contamination" "stink" or even "stank".

      Delete
    3. Oh yes thanks for answering that! That makes sense. Thanks. :D

      Delete
  3. Oh my word!! Rae! You're hilarious! "Was I writing a blog post? How nice." Hahaha. This post was simply darling. I love your rambling posts.

    Don't have time to say much, but I just wanted to let you know I really enjoyed this post. And I'm glad you enjoyed The Scarlet Pimpernel. And I totally understand what you mean about watching a movie so soon after reading the book and finding so many inaccuracies in it. With regards to The Scarlet Pimpernel I watched the movie first so I never really compared it to the book exactly, but I still understand what you mean. (And I actually have a tendency to pick the movie apart anyway...even though I like it...so...)

    Oh and if it sets your mind at ease, your replacement profanities didn't bother me at all. I don't say them myself but hey, I still have a hard time even saying "stupid" and "dumb" because those were words we didn't say growing up so yeah...I guess you could say my vocabulary is very limited in that regard anyway. ;)

    This was a very rambling comment. Hope you don't mind. :)

    ~Miss March

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    1. Hahaha, I'm glad you think so... :D And I'm glad you like them! Sometimes I shake my head at myself. :D

      Mmm, gotcha. I probably should have watched the movie first. :D

      Oh okay! Thanks for answering that. I'm afraid with things like "stupid" and "dumb" they weren't allowed in our house either, but I've always been the rebellious one and have had my mouth washed with soap for saying those words...multiple times, I'm afraid, with only temporary results. Shocking, isn't it? Haha, a limited vocabulary in that regard is a good thing I would say. ;)

      Of course I don't mind! Thanks for your lovely comment!

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  4. I grew up watching that version of The Scarlet Pimpernel and it wasn't until I was in middle school probably that I read the book so I have thankfully been able to enjoy them both just as separate entities.
    I've watched a much older version (1934) that is more accurate to the book and enjoyable as far as I recall (it's been a while) so you might enjoy that. It has Leslie Howard as the Scarlet Pimpernel and Raymond Massey as Chauvelin. And then Merle Oberon as Marguerite.... I'm not familiar with the actress besides this movie. I don't think the casting is quite as good but as I said it is more accurate and it is still enjoyable.

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    1. Okay, gotcha. That would be nice!
      Oh really! That sounds interesting, thank you!! I'll definitely check it out!
      Thanks for your comment, Lois!!

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  5. Oh, Rae, you really made me smile there at the end:) (My favorite Charles Dickens is Bleak House...idk if you have read that one, but IT. IS. SO. GOOD.)

    Ok, so I haven't read this book yet, but I do need to. So, of course, I haven't seen the movie yet, either. Still, I enjoyed this post nonetheless:)

    As to replacement profanities, I can just say that I personally don't use them, in general, but they don't particularly offend me, either. I suppose it's a topic for another day, because I really could say a lot on the subject. But, in short, I don't think it's at all wrong. (I hope that you actually wanted an answer to that question because here I am answering it...)

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    1. Haha, I'm glad. ;)
      I haven't read Bleak House...that might be next!

      You MUST read the book. And based on previous comments, at this point I would recommend watching the movie first! :D

      I did want an answer to that! You know, because if my readers didn't like them then I'd make an effort not to use them. So thanks! I appreciate your thoughts.

      Thanks so much for your comment, Elanor!!

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  6. haha, I LOVE THE BOOK AND MOVIE TOO.

    Except I got the book in high school and didn't watch the 1982 movie until a few months ago (THANK YOU LILAH)

    I honestly love Percy in both of them. He's so ridiculously heroic.

    Oh..have you heard of Studio C? You'll have to check out their Franny sketches. It's based off of the Scarlet Pimpernel. They nail the fop character very well, I must say.

    Catherine
    catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com

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    1. Oh yes I love Studio C! The Franny sketches have always been some of my favourites, and after I watched the movie I realized they were probably basing Franny off Sir Percy! They're hilarious, and now I should watch them again with Sir Percy in mind. :D :D

      Thanks so much for your comment!!

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  7. Such a lovely post Rae! <3 <3

    Never read The Scarlet Pimpernel, haven't seen the movie either. It's with Jane Seymour, right?

    You've watched When Calls the Heart season 4!!! I'm jealous right now, I'm still waiting for it. :( Now I can't wait any longer, I have to watch it!

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    1. Yes, the movie is with Jane Seymour! You should definitely read the book, and from what I've heard from people's comments, it would probably be better if you watched the movie first. :D

      Ooh, you're a Heartie too?? (Maybe I knew that. Hehe.) Yes now I have to wait for Season 5, which doesn't come out until next year! :( But yeah Season 4 may have been the best season, you should definitely watch it! :D

      Thanks so much for your comment, Rachel!!

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  8. Ooh, I'm reading the book now, and am loving it. Except in my case, I found the old radio program of it first, then the movie (1982 version which I must have watched 15+ times...) and then I got the book. It's probably a good thing that I saw the movie first, since I'm a big stickler for plot skips. But every aspect of it is fantastic and I am continually delighted at every turn!

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    1. Oh awesome!! Yes, it would seem that if you want to enjoy the movie it's good that you watched it first! I hope you absolutely love the book because it's AMAZING. (In case you couldn't tell I thought that. :D)

      Thanks so much for commenting, Leigh!

      Delete

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