The Scarlet Pimpernel: My Dream Cast

Oh my dears. Oh my deary-dears. You all know (or ought to know, or can imagine) that I love The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy. Recently I converted a friend onto the First-Timers campaign and experienced all the honest pride of a mother exhibiting her favorite child. I can't imagine how it would feel to have written such a book! There was a film made in 1984 starring Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour which I really do love, but I haven't seen the newest version. That being said, I have been putting my wits to the question for a long time of what my TSP Dream-Cast would look like, and here is what I have:

Sir Percival Blakeney:

Benedict Cumberbatch

He could so swing this part. Perhaps a little small-framed, but nothing worse than Anthony Andrews. He could nail the foppishness as well as the intensity, and I cannot think of a better person for this part. Seriously.

Chauvelin:

Andy Serkis

(sans crop of crazy-curly hair)

Small, intense, scheming, and evil to the core, Andy Serkis would OWN this role. 

Marguerite Blakeney:

Romola Garai

Romola. Beautiful, beautiful Romola. Ever since I saw her in her stunning role in Amazing Grace, I have pictured Marguerite Blakeney thus. Don't think Emma Woodhouse, think Barbara Spooner. I think she could carry the gravity, the heart-break concealed under the wit and mockery. She could do this if given the chance.

Armand St. Just:

Rupert Evans

Because Armand's largest fault is his bull-headed, blind passion for a stupid dancer, I think Frank Churchill (aka Rupert Evans) would do the part justice. I like his acting. I like him. And seeing Rupert and Romola in another movie together as brother and sister would be pretty great.

Lord Anthony Dewhurst (Lord Tony):

Dan Stevens

I know he's done with Downton Abbey, so whaddya think: would Dan like a nice side-gig as leaning-post for Benedict Cumberbatch as Percy? I think he'd be perfect for the role. He's just such a nice, solid Brit. You know. He couldn't be mistaken for coming from any other country. He's just....wholesome looking. Perfect for jolly, bluff Lord Tony.

Sir Andrew Ffoulkes:

Tom Hiddleston

He needs a happy-go-lucky-yet-important role, doesn't he? Because from all I've heard, Tom Hiddleston is a pretty sweet guy, and he never gets to play happy roles. He would be really great as an essentially-English man. Truly.

Suzanne DeTourney:

Rosamund Pike

Because she's gorgeous, a fabulous actress, and looks a mite French.

Other Characters:

Robespierre:

Rufus Sewell

Ew. Yeah. He'd do the job. He always looks French to me no matter what, and I think he has cold, fishy eyes. Plus he's a good actor, and has played in a period drama set right about the same time (Amazing Grace again, anyone?) but I chose him for this role because his coloring is right for Robespierre in my opinion. Seriously. He always looks kind of half-crazed. Exactly the sort of guy who could aptly play a character like Robbie. ;)

The Prince of Wales:

Tom Hollander

Because he's little and dweeby but harmless.  And the PoW needs to be little and dweeby and harmless. :)

This late at night my mind forgets what other side-characters there are on the French side, but I will state that Ciarin Hinds needs to make an appearance as a Frenchie. He just looks French. I'm just sayin'. And if I could stick Ioan Gruffud in there somewhere as another Frenchie, it'd make my day and the day of several of my friends. 

So this, my friends, is my Dream-Cast List for a remake of The Scarlet Pimpernel. I tried to be true to what I recall from the book about the various characters. (i.e. Marguerite is clearly stated to have reddish-gold hair. NOT BLACK!) All the actors I have listed are well-known BBC (or closely-related to BBC) actors, and I think would work really well in a film together. All of them have done period-drama work in their careers, and some of them are actively "Period-Drama-Actors". :) I think it's rather perfect.

 So. Who wants to bring this awesome list to the attention of the BBC? We really should. Because I would pay my life's savings to see a film with a stellar cast like this. :)