Hornblower: Duty (2003) (TV)

Director:

Andrew Grieve

Writers:

Stephen Churchett (screenplay)
C.S. Forester (novel)

Release Date:

3 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | War

Plot:

Admiral Pellew interrupts Hornblower's wedding reception and tasks him to locate a British ship which has disappeared off the French coast, where Napoleon's troops are engaged in covert activities.

Plot Keywords:

Duty | Wedding Reception | Wedding | Honor | Christmas

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Ioan Gruffudd	...	Commander Horatio Hornblower
Robert Lindsay	...	Admiral Sir Edward Pellew
Paul McGann	...	Lieutenant Bush
Lorcan Cranitch	...	Wolfe
Tony Haygarth	...	Master Prowse
Julia Sawalha	...	Maria Mason
Barbara Flynn	...	Mrs. Mason
Paul Copley	...	Matthews
Sean Gilder	...	Styles
Jim Carter	...	Etheridge
Ron Cook	...	Steward James Doughty
Jonathan Coy	...	Captain Bracegirdle
Jonathan Forbes	...	Midshipman Charles Orrock
David Birkin	...	Jerome Bonaparte
Camilla Power	...	Betsy

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Falmouth, Cornwall, England, UK

Company:

Meridian Broadcasting

Trivia:

The blue and white print gown worn by Julia Sawalha (Maria) to church is the same costume worn by a guest at the Easter Ball in "Wives and Daughters" (1999).

Goofs:

Factual errors: After the long boat is destroyed the French are shown loading a shell into a field piece. It makes a rolling sound as it goes down the barrel. This would be inaccurate. A shell fit tightly enough to require ramming, and a shell would have been carefully positioned in the barrel so the fuse would face away from the powder charge.

Quotes:

Admiral Sir Edward Pellew: You see things, sir, that others do not. One thing you do not question is your loyalty to your King. One day, Hornblower, you'll fight for more than England.
Commander Horatio Hornblower: What is there more than England?
Admiral Sir Edward Pellew: [He pointedly does not answer]

Movie Connections:

Follows Hornblower: Mutiny (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Yankee Doodle

great made-for-TV movie

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!