Hornblower: Duty

I Video'd this and the other new Hornblower movie ("Loyalty") when they were shown on A&E in December 2003, but it wasn't until mid-February that I finally watched them. And then the following weekend, I finally saw the "Master and Commander" movie. It's too bad I watched the Hornblower movies first, because they really ruined "Master and Commander" for me. The acting is so much better in the Hornblower stories. In fact, I think about the only thing "Master and Commander" had over "Loyalty" and "Duty" were sound effects and lack of commercials. What I didn't realize is that these were just the latest (last?) two in a long series of Hornblower made-for-TV movies. Now I want to watch the whole series!

This episode follows on from the previous one, Loyalty. It carries on as Hornblower attempts to find out what the french are up too and keep his crew intact at the same time. The entire Hornblower series of tv movies is on a par with Sharpe starring Sean Bean and set in the same era and with a cast of well know actors I highly recommend anyone to buy the DVD's it's something you can watch again and again, we want more!

The final (to date) episode of the TV Hornblower saga is not one of it's strongest. I'm a great fan of the books, but despite some great performances, the scale of the effects budget along with some dreadful writing, sloppy editing and a few doubtful casting choices make this a good, but never a great series. All throughout, one can't help but compare Ioan Gruffudd's, Hornblower performance to Sean Bean's Sharpe, and sadly he never quite measures up, when this is coupled with some trite dialogue, you just wish some scenes had been edited out. I'm not even sure that, had the series been made a few years later with the benefit of CGI, it would have compensated for these moments. All that said, I hope we do see some further episodes, if only to explore the potential of one of the greatest set of adventure stories ever written.

I watched this series years ago when i rented them from the video store. I remembered reading an interview with Gene Roddenberry wherein he explained how Horatio Hornblower was his basis for the character of James T. Kirk. That had me. The great story, well told immediately capitivated me. With HH, I could clearly see the parallel with JTK--The noble, trickster, swashbuckler. I would watch it all over again. This and Pride & Prejudice (Firth/Ehle) began my love affair and discover of BBC and anything, anyone from the UK. Great storytelling!

I'm a long-time Hornblower fan; I own all the books and have read them so often they're falling apart. I can almost recite the Gregory Peck movie word for word as well! but this series is far, far better and of course more 'gutsy'. I bought the boxed DVD set on its release because it's one of those classic British historical dramas I will never get tired of watching.

While a fair amount of poetic license has been taken with the novels, I still feel I haven't been in any way cheated, or that Forester's characters have been misused. The way the screenwriters melded the different books together to make a full and exciting series is truly excellent, and Ioan Gruffudd shines as Hornblower; he even fits Forester's physical description. Robert Lindsay as Sir Edmund Pellew was brilliant, as indeed were every one of the actors.

I only wish they hadn't stopped!

A terrific series, well worth a look for anyone keen on swashing their buckles.