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My only knowledge
of A&E’s series of Horatio Hornblower
films come from a friend at work. We talk
about movies from time to time, and he mentioned
to me a few weeks ago how much he loved
the series. There is a TV in our lunchroom,
and when I wandered in one day he called
me over to watch a few minutes of one. I
was quickly impressed by what I saw and
was intrigued enough to want to see more.
Unfortunately, I’ve missed the first
few films that have aired and subsequently
been released on DVD, but noticed that the
two newest adventures, “Loyalty”
and “Duty” were set to be released
this month. When I got the 2-disc set in,
I promptly put the first one into the DVD
player and prepared myself to be entertained.
The first film of the “New Adventures”,
“Loyalty” takes place in 1803
and has the intrepid Horatio (Ioan Gruffud)
finding ways to make ends meet.
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It is a time of temporary peace and he turns
to the card tables as a way to put a little coin
in his pocket. However, peace seems to be short-lived
and Horatio is put in charge of the “Hotspur’
and sent on a reconnaissance mission off the coast
of France. Though glad to have his salary back,
he unfortunately must leave behind his new found
love, Maria (Julia Sawalha).
The next film, “Duty” finds Horatio
becoming a married man, only to be once again
sent off on a mission to search for a missing
sloop, ‘The Grasshopper.’ During the
search, he happens upon two strangers caught in
a storm off the coast of France. They claim to
be Swiss and American, but things are not always
what they seem.
I’ve heard a lot of comparisons of this
series to the film, “Master and Commander”,
but having not seen it, I cannot attest to them.
I can tell you that I found these two Horatio
Hornblower films to be filled with high adventure,
at times bordering on swashbuckling. Though I
would have liked the films to have spent more
time on the seas than on land, I commend the filmmakers
for successfully creating this part of the world
of the Napoleonic War.
I would have to compare them more to the “Sharpe
Series”, which starred Sean Bean. This series
of films took place during the same time period,
and though the budget constraints might have been
tighter, they too offered up great stories and
characters. Considering the fact that there were
also budget constraints on the “Horatio
Hornblower” series, the films look great.
Ioan Gruffud does a wonderful job as Hornblower.
I remember seeing him in “Titanic”
with his small, but memorable role as a ship’s
officer. He had a certain presence in that film,
and here proves his metal as an actor of merit.
In seeing his performance in these films, one
would hope that he might one day capture the attention
of Hollywood.
The DVD set includes commentaries by director
Andrew Grieve, producer Andrew Benson, and costume
designer John Mallo. These commentaries are quite
interesting if you find yourself a fan of the
films.
I should have known that this series would be
good considering the source. I don’t think
its possible for A&E to produce anything less
than quality programming. Having seen and enjoyed
these two films of the series, I think I’m
going to track down the older ones, and perhaps
even settle down to read some of the original
books by C.S. Forester.
Directed by: Andrew Grieve
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Robert Lindsey, Paul
McGann, Jamie Bamber, Paul Copley
Extras: Commentary with Director Andrew Grieve,
Producer Andrew Benson, and Costume Designer John
Mallo
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Stereo
Studio: A&E
Release Date: 12/16/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website
We'll give Horatio Hornblower: The New Adventures
an A.
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