The Scarlet Pimpernel

Based on the novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, Leslie Howard stars as the dashing superhero who rescues innocent victims of the French Revolution by night, and assumes the identity of Sir Percy Blakeney, a foppish British aristocrat, by day. Co-starring as his wife is the beguiling Merle Oberson, whom Sir Percy still finds time to romance in between his heroic night-time adventures. Raymond Massey plays Citizen Chauvelin, of the French Secret Police, and principle antagonist in the film. The influence of this story cannot be understated, as all modern day tales of heroic avengers who fight on behalf of their beleaguered citizens owe a sizable debt to this classic character and his motivations.