The Scarlet Pimpernel The Scarlet Pimpernel was a fictional character who served a positive purpose and, for some, was very inspiring. The time period in which the film is set is a very unstable and radical time. Percy, the main character and the Scarlet Pimpernel, is willing to put his life in danger to stand up for what he believes in. Although he does this very intelligently, he is very brave and intelligent in how he executes his plans. Sir Percy was willing to make a fool of himself to keep his identity as the Scarlet Pimpernel a secret. The film is set in Paris during the revolution and viewers can see major changes taking place during the move. People were put to death for minor crimes such as cutting down a tree deemed important because it was planted as a sign of independence. People who were thought to pose a threat to the revolution or the Republic were put to death by guillotine. The film showed how people can be unfairly blamed and arrested for a crime they did not commit. When situations like this occur in history, panic and chaos erupts, partly due to the fear of being falsely accused of a fictitious crime and partly due to some people's desire for power and death. The film contains more than one theme. The former shows the importance of courage and sacrifice and the latter shows the ruthlessness and betrayal that occurs in government. In Scarlet Pimpernel the “government defense officer” believes he is being betrayed by the woman he wants to marry and then cheats on her.