The Purple Mask (1955) DVD-R

Starring Tony Curtis, Colleen Miller, Gene Barry, Dan O'Herlihy, Angela Lansbury
Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone

Print: color
Runtime: 82 min.
Genre: adventure

France, 1803: 11 years after the Revolution, a royalist underground is led by a new 'Scarlet
Pimpernel', the Purple Mask, who rescues nobles in distress and kidnaps Napoleon's
officials for ransom, aided by the spy services of a group of lovely models headed by
Laurette (really the Duc de Latour's daughter). But even she doesn't know the Purple
Mask's real identity as foppish dancing master Rene...
 

The Purple Mask is a movie set in 1803 in France when Napoleon Bonaparte rules the country. During this time, Rochet, the Minister of Police wishes to arrest The Purple Mask, the Royalist hero. He is disguised and no one knows his true identity. Rochet pretends to arrest the Count De Chauvac in order to trap The Purple Mask, who rescues nobles and kidnaps prominent people for ransom money. The Purple Mask then captures Rochet and sends a ransom note. On hearing this, Napoleon sends for Brisquet, an expert swordsman who has been sent away from Paris due to his constant dueling and instructs him to kill the Purple Mask. In a Paris cloth store, which is owned by Marquis Majolin, his niece, Laurette de Latour accepts a date with police captain, Charles Laverne. Laurette is actually secretly part of a ring of Royalist rebels which includes her uncle, Madame Valentine, the Baron de Morleve, the shop girls, etc. She learns from Laverne that there is a plan to kill a Royalist prisoner. She realizes that this could only mean the execution of her father, the Duc de Latour who is in prison. She informs the Royalist leader, Marcel Cadonal about this. It is here that she meets The Purple Mask who is disguised as Count Rene de Treviere who pretends to be a dandy.

Marcel then devises a plan where a fake Purple Mask will allow himself to be captured and fooling Napoleon into believing that he has captured the original Purple Mask. Later, Rene turns up at the dress shop and introduces himself as the fake Purple Mask. Soon, the Royalists decide that it is better if Rene is killed not realizing that he is the real Purple Mask. In fact, they want the original Purple Mask to rescue the Duke. When Rene reaches the governor’s mansion, he allows himself to be captured by Rochet’s men. He is brought before Rochet and Brisquet, who is disguised as the governor. He reveals to them that the guards are actually Royalists and captures Brisquet. Rene later brings Brisquet to Majolin who is thrilled at his victory. Rene is warned by Laurette that some of the Royalists might betray him. Both of them profess their love for each other and he professes to release her father soon. Napoleon receives the ransom note for Brisquet, but Rochet refuses to pay for it and recalls the ladies’ shop where he was abducted. Laverne guesses it is Laurette’s shop and then arrests Majolin’s group. Rene soon learns of the arrest and gathers the support of the Royalists and offer Brisquet freedom in exchange for the Duke’s.

Brisquet accepts and double crosses him by imprisoning Rene and the Duke with Majolin’s group. Here, it becomes known that Rene is in fact the Purple Mask. Laurette is shocked on hearing this. While they wait for the execution to take place, the Royalists disguise themselves as the police guards. In the morning, the imprisoned group is taken to the guillotine. The Royalists help them to escape and Rochet is overpowered by them. Brisquet and Rene duel and Rene offers Brisquet’s life in exchange for allowing the Royalists to leave France. Napoleon agrees to the condition and Rene and Laurette prepare to leave for England.

The movie was shot in Technicolor and directed by Bruce Humberstone and stars the following actors. It was released in 1955.

• Tony Curtis……Count Rene de Treviere
• Colleen Miller……Laurette de Latour
• Gene Barry……Charles Laverne
• Dan O’Herlihy……Brisquet
• Angela Lansbury……Madame Valentine
• George Dolenz……Marcel Cadonal
• John Hoyt……Rochet
• Donald Randolph……Majolin
• Robert Cornthwaite……Napoleon
• Stephen Bekassy……Baron de Morleve
• Paul Cavanagh……Duc de Latour
• Myrna Hansen……Constance