Everybody in London is talking about the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel and its secret leader. But no one knows who are the League’s members and the identity of the leader who signs his orders with the drawing of the flower Scarlet Pimpernel. That’s somewhat like the Batman. So there’s lot of action, plans, conspiracies and mysteries.

Anyway, the French revolutionaries across the English Channel too have been breaking their heads over these Scarlet Pimpernel folks who have been venturing into France to rescue the French noblemen from the wrath of the revolutionaries. The revolutionaries then try blackmailing to extort information about the Pimpernels from a Frenchwoman, Marguerite St Just who’s been residing in London and married to a wealthy Englishman, Sir Percy Blakeney, who is considered as a useless dandy by his wife. But why is this lady in trouble? Well, her brother is suspected to be one of the League members and has been imprisoned in France by the blood-thirsty revolutionaries.

Needless to say, it’s all set in the late 18th-century Britain and France. To be precise, it all happens in the story The Scarlet Pimpernel. So here’s the backgrounder: The story was first written as a play by Baroness Emmuska Orczy and staged in 1903 at a theatre in Nottingham. But no one liked it. However, one of its producers, Fred Terry, got the last act rewritten and took the play to London in 1905. The responses were not all bad, but there were unkind words too. However, Baroness Orczy had faith in her abilities. So in 1905, the play got published as a full-fledged novel. It got the Baroness massive fan-following in Britain, and wealth as well. She and her family could lead a life in luxury out of the wealth from the novel.

Today, the novel is considered as a classic. No wonder then that The Scarlet Pimpernel got adapted into films, television series and musicals, and has been translated into 16 languages so far. One of the best known film adaptations of this novel is the 1934 version directed by Harold Young, and starring Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon and Raymond Massey among others. This 97-minute film was shot at the Denham Studios in Buckinghamshire, England.

Leslie Howard plays the role of Percy Blakeney. He was possibly the first successful British stage actor who became successful in Hollywood as well. He’s also known for his role in the film Pygmalion which he co-directed. Among her leading ladies on screen were Norma Shearer, Mary Pickford, Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart.

 Oh yes, in case you are wondering who’s the leader of the League, then you better read the novel or watch the film. Here’s a clue though: Looks and perceptions can be deceptive.