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: Bush and Hornblower refer to the shell which Hornblower extinguished as a "five inch". The cannon was clearly no more than a 12 pound gun which would have had a bore diameter of about 3.7 inches. A five inch gun would have been too large to be easily moved by hand as shown in the scene.

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: The Duchess and the Devil (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Yankee Doodle

Definitely entertaining

I was channel surfing on a very lazy Saturday mrning and came across the last half of Hornblower: Loyalty. I haven't read the books and hadn't seen any of the series. (Is there an old movie with Gregory Peck?) Anyway, I thought this was VERY well acted. It caught my attention and kept it. Perfect escapist stuff, good performances, action not bad for a TV budget. All in all - fun. I will now look forward to others in this series.