Hornblower: The Even Chance (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Andrew Grieve

Writers:

C.S. Forester (stories)
Russell Lewis (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | War

Plot:

Horatio Hornblower begins his naval career, but a deadly feud with a despicable mate is causing complications.

Plot Keywords:

Duel | Horatio Hornblower | Gambling | Military | Historical Fiction

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Ioan Gruffudd	...	Midshipman Horatio Hornblower
Robert Lindsay	...	Capt. Sir Edward Pellew
Dorian Healy	...	Midshipman Jack Simpson
Michael Byrne	...	Capt. Keene
Robert Bathurst	...	Lt. Eccleston
Duncan Bell	...	Midshipman Clayton
Paul Copley	...	Matthews
Sean Gilder	...	Styles
Simon Sherlock	...	Oldroyd
Chris Barnes	...	Finch
Jamie Bamber	...	Midshipman Archie Kennedy
Colin MacLachlan	...	Master Bowles
Roger May	...	Lt. Chadd
Vincent Grass	...	Capt. Forget
Richard Lumsden	...	Midshipman Hether
Frank Boyce	...	Midshipman Cleveland
Simon Markey	...	Dr. Hepplewhite
Oliver Montgomery	...	Lt. Chalk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luana Mota	...	Young Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Grieve

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
C.S. Forester		stories Hornblower and the Even Chance. Hornblower and the Cargo of Rice, Hornblower and the Man who Felt Queer
Russell Lewis		screenplay

Produced by
Andrew Benson	....	producer
Pavel Douvidzon	....	associate producer: Russia
Delia Fine	....	executive producer
Vernon Lawrence	....	executive producer
Stepan Pojenian	....	associate producer: Russia
Peter Richardson	....	line producer

Original Music by
John E. Keane		(as John Keane)

Cinematography by
Neve Cunningham

Film Editing by
Keith Palmer

Casting by
John Hubbard
Susie Parriss

Production Design by
Andrew Mollo

Art Direction by
Jan Chaney
Mike Joyce
Cliff Robinson

Set Decoration by
Christian Huband

Costume Design by
John Mollo

Makeup Department
Kevin Alexander	....	hair stylist
Kevin Alexander	....	makeup artist
Christine Allsopp	....	makeup supervisor
Veyatie MacLeod	....	hair stylist
Veyatie MacLeod	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Lorraine Goodman	....	production supervisor
Philip Leach	....	executive in charge of production
Leela Poedra	....	production manager
Andrew Wood	....	production manager
Tatyana Shakhgeldyan	....	production manager: Russia (uncredited)
Sasha Stratievsky	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)
Viktor Taranov	....	production manager: Russia (uncredited)
Sasha Voronin	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Yulia Zhuravleva	....	assistant production manager: Russia (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Giles Butler	....	assistant director
Alexander Gibb	....	assistant director
David Mason	....	assistant director
Valentina Plugaru	....	assistant director
Mary Soan	....	second unit director

Art Department
Gerry Graham	....	painter
Dean Hawley	....	painter
Brian Henry	....	property master
Alison S. Richardson	....	property buyer
Matthew Robinson	....	draughtsman
Mickey Spence	....	plasterer
Alan Sprawson	....	stand-by carpenter
Ilia Iovu	....	assistant art director: Russia (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Crouch	....	dubbing editor
St. Clair Davis	....	boom operator
St. Clair Davis	....	sound maintenance
Colin Martin	....	dubbing mixer
Christian Wangler	....	sound recordist
Julie Ankerson	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Dave Sloss	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Graham Aikman	....	special effects assistant: pyro supervisor
Dave Ford	....	special effects
Garth Gutteridge	....	special effects
Martin Gutteridge	....	special effects
Dave Havard	....	special effects
Garth Inns	....	special effects
Derek Langley	....	special effects
Melvyn Pearson	....	special effects
Terry Schubert	....	special effects
John Smith	....	special effects
Dominic Tuohy	....	special effects
Lee Winter	....	special effects
Dima Stesenko	....	special effects supervisor: russian crew (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Peter Field	....	model unit
Roy Field	....	director of photography: model unit
Martin Gutteridge	....	director: model unit
Martin Saville	....	model making consultant
Mark Thomas-Stubbs	....	digital effects

Stunts
Oleg Botin	....	stunts
Jorge Casares	....	stunt arranger (as Jordi Casares)
Ángel Gómez Fernández	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Donachie	....	focus puller
Graham Frake	....	director of photography: second unit
George Grieve	....	clapper loader
Paul Hill	....	gaffer
David Keogh	....	best boy
Keith Mead	....	grip
Ian Murray	....	chargehand rigger
Ian Murray	....	rigger
Steve Murray	....	camera operator
Dean Thompson	....	focus puller: second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gordon Harmer	....	wardrobe master
Lee Clayton	....	costume cutter (uncredited)
Lee Clayton	....	tailor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Marc Eskenazi	....	editor: video tape
Vincent Narduzzo	....	telecine colorist
Matthew Tucker	....	assistant film editor

Transportation Department
Oleg Gres	....	unit transportation coordinator (uncredited)
Vladimir Skakun	....	unit transportation coordinator: Russia (uncredited)

Other crew
Martin Bibbings	....	technical advisor
Anna Callaghan	....	contact: London
Anna Callaghan	....	production assistant
Dani Gordon	....	assistant to producer
Dani Gordon	....	production assistant
Pauline Granby	....	production accountant
Susan Hogg	....	script executive
Amanda Lean	....	script supervisor
Ian McDougal	....	marine coordinator
Erhan Ozogul	....	assistant accountant
Shelagh Pymm	....	publicist
Richard Rutherford-Moore	....	armorer (as Richard R. Moore)
Gail Samuelson	....	pre-production coordinator
Gerry Savage	....	unit nurse
Adele Steward	....	production coordinator
Chris Tarry	....	assistant accountant
Zhuravleva Julia	....	production assistant: Russia (uncredited)
Zinaida Kravchenko	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Teodor Matveev	....	army supervisor: Russia (uncredited)
Lina Merculova	....	production coordinator: Russia (uncredited)

Production Companies

• A&E Television Networks
• Celtic Films
• Ecou Films (participation)
• Meridian Broadcasting
• United Film and Television Productions

Distributors

• A&E Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• A&E Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• A&E Television Networks
• Cinema Club (2002) (UK) (VHS)
• Cinema Club (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• ITV DVD (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Independent Television (ITV)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates (model unit: Pinewood)
• Movie Magic

Other Companies

• Celtic/Picture Palace  series developed by
• East-West Creative Association  filming undertaken with the assistance of
• Turk Phoenix Ltd.  boats provided by

Also Known As:

Horatio Hornblower: The Duel (USA)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | UK:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine

Company:

A&E Television Networks

Trivia:

According to the Hornblower novels by C.S. Forester, Hornblower was tone deaf and would have heard music as noise. He also suffered from seasickness until he got his sea legs.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When they are supposed to be stranded in a ship's boat in the Atlantic, out of sight of France, the coast is plainly visible behind the French captain of the Marie Galante when he and Hornblower stand-off with guns just before the Indefatigable is sighted.

Quotes:

Oldroyd: Come along-ee, Frenchie; um, this-a way-a.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Hornblower: Retribution (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Heart of Oak

Top Notch Entertainment

I viewed this show with some trepidation, as the name Hornblower to me (as with many others) is synonymous with Gregory Peck. But this is a different Hornblower and the magic is very much the same - fancy uniforms, good guys and bad guys, lots of sailing ships and lot of blood and thunder. What more can one ask for?

Add to this an excellent cast, from the principals down and you come up with a rip roaring piece of entertainment. The producers on the whole avoided the urge to "modernise" the story, the speech and demeanour of all concerned rang true, this in itself is worthy of note.

So, if like me , you were reluctant to see this show as you didn't want your memories of the Peck movie spoilt - do take the opportunity if it comes to your screen again. It is a classic example of when the British do something well, they do it extra well - Recommended.