Horatio Hornblower: The Fire Ship (1998)

While Lt. Hornblower studies for his promotion examination, he is distracted by the serious supply problems that face his crew.

Director:

Andrew Grieve

Writers:

Mike Cullen (screenplay), C.S. Forester (novels)

Stars:

Ioan Gruffudd, Robert Lindsay, Denis Lawson

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ioan Gruffudd	...	Acting Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower
Robert Lindsay	...	Captain Sir Edward Pellew
Denis Lawson	...	Captain 'Dreadnought' Foster
Ian McNeice	...	Tapling
Andrew Tiernan	...	Bunting
Jonathan Coy	...	Lieutenant Bracegirdle
Ian McElhinney	...	Captain Hammond
Paul Copley	...	Matthews
Chris Barnes	...	Finch
Sean Gilder	...	Styles
Simon Sherlock	...	Oldroyd
Colin MacLachlan	...	Master Bowles
Rupert Holliday-Evans	...	Steward
Frank Boyce	...	Midshipman Cleveland
Peter Corey	...	HM Consul Duras

Storyline

Still serving aboard the HMS Indefatigable, Horatio Hornblower has been promoted to acting Lieutenant. Neutral Spain has concluded a peace treaty with France and the British now have another enemy to face. They soon come across a sunken British supply ship and rescue its Captain, 'Dreadnought' Foster, a man with a reputation for bravery that some consider borders on foolishness. Hornblower is also pleased to learn that Captain Pellew has scheduled him for the next round of Lieutenants exams. Tempers are short with the crew after they are put on half rations due to the lack of supplies. After acquiring more supplies, Hornblower finds himself in charge of a supply ship when it is feared that plague may also be aboard. He soon makes it to Gibraltar, but when the enemy send a fire ship into the harbor, he must act quickly to avert disaster.

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Plot Keywords:

plague | horatio hornblower | sinking | quarantine | promotion | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | War

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Details

Official Sites:

A&E's Behind the Scenes

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

11 April 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Horatio Hornblower: The Fire Ship

Filming Locations:

Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine

Company Credits

Production Co:

A+E Networks, Ecou Films, Meridian Broadcasting

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The question given at Hornblower's Lieutenant examination, that of what to do in response to a "full a-back", relates to the sails of a ship suddenly flattening against the mast due to a change in wind. The correct answer (which Hornblower clearly does not know) is to put the helm over, haul up the mainstay and spanker sails, and then shift the helm in the opposite direction in order to fill the after-sails with wind in order to regain headway. Once the wind has been recovered, the ship should then brace up the sails and bring the ship's course directly in front of the wind. The maneuver to regain wind after a fall a-back is known as "chapelling", or "Chapel Ship", and would have been something which Hornblower absolutely should have known.

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Goofs

During the examination, Captain Foster describes a situation "with Dover bearing north two miles" and a "nor'easterly wind" that "veers four points". That would put the wind at east, but Hornblower is told that he would have Dover under his lee, whereas he would, at worst, have Folkestone under his lee and that eight miles off. Unless the wind were to veer a further twelve points at gale force, the tide would never put a dismasted vessel anywhere near Dover.

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Quotes

Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower: Where's Mr. Tapling?
Matthews: He refuses to rise from his bunk, sir.
Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower: Does he indeed?
[Below decks]
Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower: Good morrow, Mr. Tapling! When shall you grace us with your presence above decks?
Tapling: Never. There is no point.
Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower: The Moors have come to fetch their gold.
Tapling: The Moors? Don't let them aboard, set sail at once.
Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower: The gold is theirs by right.
Tapling: I will not see them, send one of the men.
[...]

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Connections

Followed by Hornblower: Duty (2003)

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Soundtracks

The British Man-of-War
Traditional

User Reviews

Adventure on the high seas

Quite an interesting story from the makers of 'Sharpe'. The plot, based on the novels of C.S. Forester, is well acted, especially from young Ioan (Titanic) Gruffudd. The cast, including Derby actor Robert Lindsay, is well suited. The story runs at quite a good pace and the plot keeps you on the edge till the end. Hopefully I.T.V. will make another series of this good sea faring adventure.