Sep 22, 2016
On this episode of Ron’s Amazing Stories we present one the golden age of radio’s best plays, The Scarlet Pimpernel.
The tale is set in 1792, during the early stages of the French Revolution. Marguerite St. Just is the wife of wealthy English fop Sir Percy Blakeney, a baronet. Before their marriage, Marguerite took revenge upon the Marquis de St. Cyr, who had ordered her brother to be beaten for his romantic interest in the Marquis' daughter. This all ended with the unintended consequence of the Marquis and his sons being sent to the guillotine. When Percy found out, he became estranged from his wife. Marguerite, for her part, has become disillusioned with Percy's shallow, dandyish lifestyle.
This where our story begins and it is handled quite well by Lux Radio Theater. This production brings back one its stars from the original 1934 movie cast, The Scarlet Pimpernel himself, Leslie Howard. Playing the role of his estranged wife is Olivia de Havilland. Quite the cast, and two of hollywood’s greatest, to be sure. The film was adapted to radio by Lux in 1938 and played in December of that year.