Hornblower: Mutiny (2001)

Hornblower and his comrades come under the command of a revered but obviously mentally unstable captain and eventually must mutiny.

Director:

Andrew Grieve

Writers:

T.R. Bowen (screenplay), C.S. Forester (books)

Stars:

Ioan Gruffudd, Robert Lindsay, David Warner

Nominated for 7 Primetime Emmys. Another 6 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Ioan Gruffudd	...	Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower
Robert Lindsay	...	Commodore Sir Edward Pellew
David Warner	...	Captain James Sawyer
Nicholas Jones	...	Lieutenant Buckland
Paul McGann	...	Lieutenant Bush
Jamie Bamber	...	Lieutenant Archie Kennedy
Philip Glenister	...	Gunner Hobbs
Paul Copley	...	Matthews
Sean Gilder	...	Styles
David Rintoul	...	Dr. Clive
Terence Corrigan	...	Midshipman Wellard
Gilly Gilchrist	...	Randall
Paul Brightwell	...	Sergeant Whiting
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Moses Rockman	...	Bowman

Storyline

Sir Edward Pellew visits Horatio Hornblower who is jail in Jamaica awaiting his trial on a charge of making a mutiny. His problems began six months earlier when he was appointed Third Lieutenant aboard the HMS Renown under the famous Captain James Sawyer. It soon becomes apparent to several of the officers, including Horatio's friend Archie Kennedy who is aboard ship as Fourth Lieutenant that the Captain is suffering from madness of some sort. He is cruel and sees conspiracies everywhere. Both Horatio and Midshipman Welland prove to be the particular objects of his wrath. The situation is not helped by an inexperience First Lieutenant who does not command the Captain's respect and a newly arrived Second Lieutenant who doesn't seem ready to challenge the Captain in any way.

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Plot Keywords:

ambiguous scene | moral choice | naval mutiny | naval battle | refusing to obey orders | 

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Taglines:

He's Back!

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Live action on the quarterdeck or the gundeck in this and further episodes of Hornblower was shot on HMS Victory. Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, ordered in 1758, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is best known for her role as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. Since 1922 she has lain dry dock at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard England, and preserved as a museum ship. She has been the flagship of the First Sea Lord since October 2012 and at 253 years of age is the world's oldest naval ship still in commission.

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Goofs

When Styles and Randall are fighting, it is obvious they are intentionally not hitting each other, and are really "movie fighting".

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Quotes

Capt. James Sawyer: Liberty, equality, stupidity!

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Connections

Follows Horatio Hornblower: The Wrong War (1999)

User Reviews

Series better as "Master and Commander" movie

Big budgeted Brit TV-series based on the books of C.S. Forester, set during the Napoleonic wars in the beginning of the 19th century.

Hornblower starts of as a midshipman and the series follows him as he climbs up through the ranks.

Only the British can make such a spectacular historical series. No costs or means have been spared to recreate life at sea in those times. Not much of CGI or whatvever, the ships and fight are all real. When Hornblower is trapped on a sinking ship, there is no money for some elaborater special effect so they just sink it for real. Plots are full of twists and turns and are never predictable. Series is very intelligently scripted, great charactarisation and humour is provided when needed.

It seems this series was the inspiration for US movie "Master and Commander" with Russel Crowe. It's the same theme, same era and nearly same plot. If you are familiar with the Hornblower series , Master and commander is almost a kind of rip-off, although it is based on another bookseries. Master and Commander is an OK movie but it just pales in comparison with this simply brilliant series. I think this is again proof that TV is getting better then cinema.



It is not the first adaptation of the CS Forester saga on Hornblower . In 1952 Hollywood made a very worthy effort with "Hornblower" by cramming three books into one movie. Starring Gregory Peck as Hornblower and Virginia Mayo as the love interest. Directed by actionspecialist Raoul Walsh, it's a real winner.

Details

Official Sites:

A&E Television Networks

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Horatio Hornblower: The Mutiny

Filming Locations:

South Devon, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

A+E Networks, Meridian Broadcasting, United Film and Television Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1