Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Andrew Grieve

Writers:

C.S. Forester (novels)
Chris Ould (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | War

Plot:

Lt. Hornblower and his mates are sent to accompany a doomed royalist invasion of revolutionary France.

Plot Keywords:

Invasion | Guillotine | Bridge | Schoolteacher | Navy

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Ioan Gruffudd	...	Horatio Hornblower
Robert Lindsay	...	Capt. Sir Edward Pellew
Antony Sher	...	Colonel Moncoutant
John Shrapnel	...	General Charette
Samuel West	...	Major Edrington
Peter Vaughan	...	Admiral Lord Hood
Jean Badin	...	Fauré
Jamie Bamber	...	Acting Lt. Archie Kennedy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Copley	...	Matthews
Jonathan Coy	...	Lt. Bracegirdle
Sean Gilder	...	Styles
Ian Lindsay	...	Collins
Colin MacLachlan	...	Master Bowles
Simon Sherlock	...	Oldroyd
Estelle Skornik	...	Mariette

Directed by
Andrew Grieve

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
C.S. Forester		novels
Chris Ould		screenplay

Produced by
Andrew Benson	....	producer
Delia Fine	....	executive producer
Vernon Lawrence	....	executive producer
Peter Richardson	....	line producer

Cinematography by
Alec Curtis

Costume Design by
John Mollo

Makeup Department
Elizabeth Minshull	....	hair stylist (as Liz Minshull)
Elizabeth Minshull	....	makeup artist (as Liz Minshull)

Art Department
Augusto Mayer	....	art director: Portugal

Sound Department
Rudi Buckle	....	production sound mixer
Colin Codner	....	boom operator
Sue Lenny	....	sound effects editor
Dave Sloss	....	foley recordist
Julie Ankerson	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Graham Aikman	....	special effects assistant: pyro supervisor
Jeremy Lovett	....	special effects senior technician: model unit

Visual Effects by
Mark Thomas-Stubbs	....	digital effects

Camera and Electrical Department
David Bourke	....	best boy
Paul Donachie	....	focus puller
Tom Gates	....	gaffer
Jon Head	....	grip
Micky May	....	generator operator
Jamie Summers	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gordon Harmer	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Matthew Tucker	....	first assistant editor
Marc Eskenazi	....	on-line editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Anna Callaghan	....	production assistant
Matt Cooke	....	production runner
Dani Gordon	....	assistant to producer
Pauline Granby	....	production accountant
Amanda Lean	....	script supervisor
Erhan Ozogul	....	assistant accountant
Gerry Savage	....	nurse
Adele Steward	....	production coordinator
Chris Tarry	....	assistant accountant

Production Companies

• Meridian Broadcasting
• United Film and Television Productions

Distributors

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

Other Companies

• Celtic/Picture Palace  developed by

Also Known As:

Horatio Hornblower: The Wrong War (USA)

Runtime:

Brazil:100 min

Country:

UK

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Peniche, Portugal

Company:

Meridian Broadcasting

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Early in the movie Captain Pellew and Lieutenant Hornblower board their ship's boat to return to the ship. Pellew boards the boat before Hornblower. This is contrary to naval customs of the day (and present). The senior officer always boarded a boat last (and left it first).

Quotes:

Major Edrington: In that case, I suggest we look to ourselves for command.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Hornblower: Loyalty (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Girl I Left Behind Me

Hornblower an excellent series!

I was so surprised by the excellence of this movie which is the third I have seen and now look forward to seeing the complete series. Even my wife who is not particularly interested in naval history was entranced by it. Having read Patrick O'Brian's naval history Aubrey & Maturin series I have become fascinated by this period of history. Master and Commander was a movie made from a combination of two of O'Brians's book and also was a realistic portrayal but somehow Hornblower has given another dimension to life and living in these wooden ships. The Hornblower filmed series adds a memorable visual quality to this history and I can heartily recommend them.