Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters

TV Movie
1999
1h 40m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Ioan Gruffudd and Estelle Skornik in Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters (1999)

Lt. Hornblower and his mates are sent to accompany a doomed royalist invasion of revolutionary France.Lt. Hornblower and his mates are sent to accompany a doomed royalist invasion of revolutionary France.Lt. Hornblower and his mates are sent to accompany a doomed royalist invasion of revolutionary France.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

4.4K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Primetime Emmy
- 2 wins & 9 nominations total

Trivia
Captain Pellew's line, "As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean," is a quotation from the second part of 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Coleridge. It was first published, anonymously, in 1798.

Goofs
General de Charette refers to restoring His Catholic Majesty. That title was used by the kings of Spain. The kings of France were known as the Most Christian King.

Quotes
Major Edrington: [Watching as Hornblower struggles to mount a horse] Now I see why you chose the Navy.

Connections
Featured in The Story of the Costume Drama: The Greatest Stories Ever Told (2008)

Soundtracks
The Girl I Left Behind Me
Traditional

User reviews14

Featured review

6/10

The Frogs and the Lobsters

Captain Pellew sends Hornblower to France with the French royalist Colonel Moncoutant (Anthony Sher.) He reminded me of Monsieur Faberge, a Brut.

The British have teamed up with their enemy with the hope of helping the royalists to overthrow the revolutionaries. Hornblower accompanied by Major Lord Edrington (Sam West) find that Moncoutant is too busy exacting revenge against the villagers they are based in. Hornblower falls for the beautiful schoolteacher.

It is not long before Pellew and Hornblower separately realise that this unholy union is doomed. Hornblower is appalled by what he sees the royalist soldiers do. Major Erdington a man of sardonic dry wit tries his utmost to keep things diplomatic with the French royalist soldiers and the angry Hornblower.

Less seafaring action in this one, especially as Pellew is struck as there is no wind for the sails of his ship. Romance is in the air for Hornblower with the schoolteacher who tries to keep her and the children safe.

There is character development for Archie Kennedy who becomes more experienced in battle, a good performance from Sam West and an over the top one from Anthony Sher.