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crack_van2003-11-14 04:33 am
pollitt.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2003-11-14 04:33 am
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Horatio Hornblower Overview
Finally, it's done. My apologies for the delay. Recs will be forthcoming.
Aye, Avast!
There are two angles I could take with this overview, but, for the sake of time, space and my sanity, I’m going to focus on one -- the A&E series of films. Also, the two newest additions "Loyalty" and "Duty" have yet to play here in the States, so they will be left out of the overview. Also, in all fairness I have to warn now there be spoilers for the movies, including the fate of one of the much-beloved characters.
A few comments on what I’m not going to overview:
During a 1927 voyage from California to Central America and armed with his then recently-acquired volumes of The Naval Chronicle from 1790 to 1820, C.S. Forester was bitten by the plot bunny that would become the tales and adventures of Horatio Hornblower. Taking inspiration from the pages of the Chronicle -- containing articles written by officers of the Royal Navy detailing topics such as strategy, seamanship, and gunnery -- Forester published ten novels chronicling the adventures of Hornblower, from midshipman to admiral in the British Royal Navy during the eras of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. With the publication of the first Horatio Hornblower novel in 1937, Beat to Quarters, thousands fell for the Hornblower saga. If you’re interested, seriously, go and read them, the A&E movies, while I love them so, chronicle only part of what Forester put to the page.
If history (especially Regency-era British history/naval history) interests you in any way, then I demand you sit down this instant and rent/purchase the films A&E made of the Horatio Hornblower saga. Watching on screen the trials and tribulations of these men -- longing for loves left on the English shore, fighting against the French (and sometimes one another), struggling to survive life in peace and at war -- captivates the imagination. When Horatio, Archie and their fellow crewmen view the vast ocean from above the sails, the viewer shares their excitement. This is the era of the great British Empire, of bloody revolution and the fall of the monarchy and the rise of Napoleon in France and a time when intrigue could be accomplished as much in the bedroom as in the halls of court. However one feels looking back today, with our 21st century filters up, on this bygone era, there is a sense of honor and pride that the people of the era possessed -- a kind of honor that could lead to a duel, or to the sacrifice of one life to save another. With the cast A&E assembled, the viewer comes to care for these men, and even with the knowledge of how the past turned out, one can't help but find themselves wondering if the 'good guys' will win. And sometimes they do. Other times, just as in real life, they do not, and when that happens it's heartbreaking.
But enough of the intellectual and historical meat to sink one's teeth into, let's get to the chocolate in the peanut butter. The Hornblower films offer up rum (and port, wine and other alcoholic drinks), sodomy (even if it's just implied) and the lash. There's comedy and tragedy, sickness, love, angst, death, sacrifice, rain-soaked men holding onto their unconscious (ship)mate, sword fights, duels, war, romance.
Oh yes, and there's always
Horatio's on-deck shower (would you *look* at that Gluteus Maximus) while the crew looks on.
Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd):
The protagonist extraordinaire and hero of our tale. Horatio begins as a green youth, learning the politics of the ship and crew and beginning to test the leadership that is borne within him and by the end of the six movies, he has grown into a strong and determined man and leader. Horatio's obsession with duty and honor provide both his most noble moments as well as those times where you'd like to smack him upside the head. Through the movies, we watch Horatio realize the politics of survival and leadership - while his image is of the noble and moral leader, Horatio is, after all, still just a guy who occasionally acts out of his own self-interest. Under the command of Pellew, Horatio's natural born ability for leadership is honed - he inspires loyalty from his crew and in return, he offers respect and genuine friendship.
Archie Kennedy (Jamie Bamber):
In the books, "Midshipman Kennedy" had no more than a few lines of text, thus making him a walk-on part. For the films, however, the writer and director decided to expand Kennedy’s role (even going so far as to give him a first name) and place him in the role as friend for Horatio (which made it interesting for later movies, when the book-canon best friend to Horatio is William Bush). The side-kick. We're given insights into Archie's past first in "The Duchess and the Devil", where we find out that he is somewhat fluent in Spanish and his life at home was one of culture -- he's a familiar to Drury Lane and on his sickbed, he quotes Shakespeare. He's already familiar to the sea when Horatio steps aboard the Justinian, and he suffered physical, mental (and most likely sexual) abuse at the hands of Jack Simpson while on the Justinian. A great and loyal friend, Archie admits within the walls of the Spanish prison that he's jealous of Horatio's success and his quick ascension up the ranks -- it's never easy to be simply the sidekick to the hero. Archie stands by Horatio's side through war, peace and everything in between, and this loyalty eventually takes him to the witness stand during Horatio's trial for mutiny (an offense punishable by death). Mortally wounded, Archie testifies he is to blame for the mutiny and thereby offers his greatest gift to Horatio -- freedom.
Sir Edward Pellew (Robert Lindsay):
Captain of the Indefatigable. Pellew was based on a real life historical figure, although the real life captain was known to be a gruff man not prone to emotional comments. In "The Wrong War", Pellew admits Horatio is "as dear to me as my own son". Through Pellew's command of the ship, Horatio takes his example of what a successful and strong leader is. Pellew becomes fond of his protégé and either paces the quarterdeck or groans mightily when Horatio takes off on his adventures. Whether by example or through use of his influence, Pellew assists Horatio in rising up the naval ranks.
William Bush (Paul McGann):
Second Lieutenant of the HMS Renown, in the books Bush becomes Horatio's confidant and best friend and in the films, although he doesn't hold quite the same status with Horatio (yet), he becomes a confederate all the same. Bush plays close to the vest in "Mutiny", offering advice and mediation as the officers plan the mutiny, and in "Retribution" Bush reveals his daring side - fighting beside Horatio and Archie as they defend the Renown and then face the hangman's noose. He is also Archie's cellmate during their imprisonment and confessor. He is a brave officer and with Archie's death, will take his place as partner-in-crime with Horatio in subsequent films.
Smaller roles:
Jack Simpson (Dorian Healy):
The terror of The Justinian. He was once an acting lieutenant, but when Horatio boards the Justinian, he's merely an senior midshipman. His physical and mental abuse of his fellow crewmembers pushing them to the brink of suicide. When he makes a false accusation against Horatio, the subsequent duel leads to the death of a fellow midshipman. Simpson uses his bitterness to continue is reign of terror until he is killed in an attempt to stab Horatio in the back after an inconclusive duel.
Major (Lord) Edrington (Samuel West):
In "The Wrong War", Edrington is the commander of the British troop that will aid the French Royalists in their attempt to retake the country and restore the monarchy. Although he first arrives on the scene as a stuffed-shirt pain in the arse, Edrington's wit makes for some wonderful scenes.
The Duchess (Cherie Lunghi):
Aka, Katherine Cobham, an actress. She provides some great banter with Horatio - which leaves him flustered and/or confused - and is an example of a smart and bawdy female character who can not only make a man blush, but she uses her charm and talent to secure him a parole, her undergarments to help conceal top secret papers and her intellect to be considered an equal.
Matthews (Paul Copley):
A seasoned seaman, Matthews begins the series as one of the hardened sailors under Horatio's first command who, through the series, grows to respect and admire the young Horatio.
A few popular (slash) pairs:
Horatio/Archie - my favorite and a complete creation thanks to the A&E movies
Horatio/Pellew - a mentor/student kind of relationship. Pellew has a lot of affection for Horatio and Horatio respects Pellew.
Horatio/Edrington - a bit of a roll in the hay with the Lord and the sailor.
Horatio/Edrington/Archie - for fun.
Horatio/Bush - in the books, William and Horatio are very close, and there's a great respect and affection between the men. Also, after Archie's death, Bush and Horatio can seek solace with one another.
Archie/Simpson - usually non-con and very dysfunctional.
I realized I went rather long-winded with the recapping of the films, and in fear of putting people to sleep, I've whittled down the summaries to a (somewhat) more manageable amount. I will gladly wax poetic/send the long-winded recaps, however, to anyone who would like further information. *g*
We first join the Hornblower saga in January of 1793 when a young Midshipman Hornblower boards The Justinian, where seasickness and a terrorizing bully of a senior Midshipman named Jack Simpson await him. Like a kid being sent to his first year of summer camp, the opening scene for "The Duel" is of a young (he's supposed to be 17) Horatio, wearing a dripping bicorn hat with his name "H. Hornblower" engraved onto his trunk. Upon arriving at the ship, a smiling Midshipman who we are soon introduced to as "Mr. Kennedy" helps Horatio aboard. Kennedy's first name, we learn, is Archie. Archie's grand tour of the ship he originally referred to as "Purgatory" informs Horatio that due to a severe case of boredom, the crew has become idle and only a war with France (who is experiencing the French Revolution at about the same time) could bring them back to full attention. During this tour, we are introduced to more midshipmen -- including Clayton, who will play an important role in the episode. The next day the villain-with-the-bad-hair, former-Acting-Lieutenant-but-currently-just-senior-Midshipman Jack Simpson, lumbers into the mess, christens Horatio with the less-than-affectionate nickname "Snotty" and proceeds to stare daggers at Archie, who has a noticeable habit of staring off into space. Archie, we learn, along with his fellow crewmembers, have suffered mightily under Simpson, and as a result of the trauma Simpson has inflicted, Archie is prone to 'fits' (seizures). More than once during their time with Simpson, Archie, Clayton (who acts as a caretaker to both Horatio and Archie) and Horatio contemplate suicide as a means of escaping Simpson's wrath. When Simpson accuses Horatio of cheating at cards in front of a fellow crewmen, Horatio challenges him to a duel -- to the shock and disbelief of Archie and Clayton (who steps up to stand as Horatio's second). Feeling guilty over not having dealt with Jack years before, Clayton knocks Horatio unconscious and takes his place in the duel -- which sadly ends in a mortal wound for Clayton. *cue first touching death scene with Horatio*
A breakout of war with France, and the transfer of the Justinian's crew to the Indefatigable are about the only thing that keep Simpson and Horatio from tearing each other apart. Following a rousing nationalistic speech about the power of the British Royal Navy, the Indefatigable's commander, Captain Pellew, berates Horatio over the duel that cost Clayton his life. To teach the up-and-coming Midshipman Hornblower a lesson, Pellew places him in charge of Simpson's old division. The division, compiled of a group of old seadogs, are informed by a confident-on-the-outside Horatio that they will have to earn his trust, which they do in the next scene - a battle with the French troops. For his display of courage in battle and compassion for his men, Horatio earns his division's respect, which does not sit well with Simpson when he returns to the scene, especially when Horatio's given his first command on the deck of a captured French schooner complete with a loyal crew. For this final duel, Simpson - enraged and disregarding the rules of engagement - attempts to stab Horatio in the back but is killed by Pellew before he can complete his goal.
"The Fire Ship", the second in the series, opens with the Indefatigable at sea in Gibraltar where they rescue the legendary (and reckless) Captain Foster and his crew. After an attack by an enemy (Spain - who were allied to the French) ship, Foster had seized command of a supply ship and set it ablaze rather than let the supplies end up in the hands of the enemy (who had been raiding supply ships for some time). Much to the dismay of Pellew, Foster becomes a source of admiration for Horatio, who admires the leadership Foster possesses and the loyalty he exacts from his crew. While thinking of his own opportunities for leadership, Horatio takes the first step towards that goal as he studies for his lieutenant’s exam. The loss of supplies and the addition of Foster and his crew to the Indefatigable means half-rations for the men and talks of mutiny whispered around the decks. The source of the mutinous chatter is traced to a seaman named Bunting - who has been spreading rumors that the ship's officers have been glutting themselves while the crew goes hungry - and of course, Horatio takes it upon himself to set the record straight with Bunting. Good intentions, yes. Successful? No. To make matters worse, Horatio is ordered to accompany a diplomat, Tapling, to Algeria to secure more supplies - which leads to the discovery that the newly acquired grain and cattle had come from a plague-ridden town. Quarantined with Tapling, Bunting (who was caught trying to steal food and promptly beaten) and his crew Horatio finds time to study for his exam, although he worries that his defiance of Foster's wishes (skip the quarantine and bring the supplies to the ship) could lead to a negative reaction from Foster at his Lieutenant's Examination. When the quarantine expires and no signs of the plague have manifested with any of the crew, they return to the Indy just in time for the Lieutenant’s exam. During the oral exam, Horatio is able to show by action rather than words his abilities as a leader when a fire ship (a ship ablaze sent into the midst of the fleet to burn it) is discovered. Accompanied by one of his chief examiners, Horatio puts a plan into action that will save the British fleet and secure his ascension to the rank of lieutenant.
In "The Duchess and The Devil", we're treated to a selection of delicious moments - hurt/comfort, sword fighting, romance, rain-soaked Horatio... As the movie opens, Acting Lieutenant Hornblower leads a raid on the French sloop Le Reve - a sword-clashing encounter that results in Horatio being offered the honor of sailing his prize home to England with a crew and a passenger - the mysterious and lusty Duchess of Wharfedale. The Duchess takes a fancy to our hero, who waivers between flattery/considering the offer and embarrassment at the attention. On the voyage home, the Le Reve is attacked for the second time, this time by the Spanish, and Horatio, his crew, and the Duchess find themselves being conveyed to a Spanish prison. Faced with imprisonment and in need of a hiding place, Horatio asks the Duchess to conceal top-secret papers entrusted to him by Captain Pellew. And she does so -- in a pocket of her breeches concealed by her skirts. Upon arrival at the prison, Horatio finds Archie, who had been taken captive during the raid of the French ship in "The Duel". Suffering from starvation, isolation, beatings from escape attempts and his fits - Archie is prime material hurt to Horatio's comfort -- he even refuses to take part in an escape and leave Archie behind. The Duchess -- as we discover, not only speaks Spanish and is given freedom on the island - obtains temporary parole for Horatio, allowing them to walk together. As Archie's will to escape, and even to live diminishes, Horatio refuses to give up on him, certain Archie would do the same if roles were reversed. When Archie insists that Horatio would never have been captured, that he envies Horatio's luck and successes, Horatio refuses to give in, admitting that he won't survive without Archie's help. As Horatio continues to receive attention from the Duchess, some of Horatio's men begin to question his loyalty and judgment, especially when it is revealed that the Duchess is no duchess, but rather an actress, Katherine Cobham, who, after assuring Horatio the papers are still safe, departs on a ship off the island. Which then leads to ... a foiled escape attempt by one of Horatio's men, Horatio being sent to solitary confinement, the Indy showing up, Katherine's ship being attacked and wrecked (she is rescued, though, with papers still safe), the Indy saving the day, Pellew groaning about Horatio and Archie returning to the prison to serve out their sentence and their subsequent release by the warden for their heroics in saving Katherine's ship.
Horatio, now a commissioned lieutenant, finds you can't win them all in "The Wrong War". The Indy is called to ferry a force of French Royalists from their asylum in Britain back to France in an unsuccessful attempt to restore the monarchy. Captain Pellew is unconvinced of the success of the mission - both because of his lack of faith in the Royalist general and the fact that the Republican army had intercepted a copy of the invasion plan. Horatio, forced to play peacekeeper between the Lord Edrington (the captain of the British troops who will aid the Royalists and a pompous creature, to boot) and the Marquis de Moncoutant, who's just a *bit* too obsessed with the guillotine and how he'd like to see the heads of the Republicans roll. When he's not keeping the peace, Horatio is also put in charge of defending a stone bridge along the expected route of the Republican army and at the same time, he begins an (ill-fated) romance with Mariette, who was a servant of the Marquis. As the men prepare for battle, Archie wonders if they'll die in "the wrong war" and Horatio is starry-eyed about his French peasant girl (who, as you might guess, doesn't make it to the end credits and it's Archie who's there to comfort the bereaved Horatio). Despite the unsuccessful reinstating of the monarchy, and the blowing up of the bridge, the final scene of the movie (the final scene of the first series, actually) is of Horatio and Archie atop the main mast, watching the horizon in front of them where adventure awaits.
Which then brings us to the final two films of the series - "The Mutiny" and "Retribution". It's here that Horatio and Archie's relationship moves from Horatio acting as more of a protector to Archie and more to a partners-in-crime relationship. And they fall into a tight clique with their (slightly)senior officer, Lt. Bush (who, in the novels, is Horatio's best friend). Set in 1802 in Jamaica, Acting Third Lieutenant Hornblower is visited in prison by Commodore Pellew - who is non-plussed, as only a father (in this case father-figure) could be, to see Horatio back in prison, especially when the threat of the noose is very real. Why, you might ask, is the noose a threat? Well, it was mutiny, sir.
As we find out in flashback, Horatio and Archie found themselves serving on the HMS Renown under the legendary hero, Captain Sawyer. On a mission to take advantage of a slave uprising in the West Indies -- in a stroke of English luck the slaves were revolting against their Spanish masters in a time when Spain and England were still at war -- Captain Sawyer's behavior became more and more troublesome. Sawyer's disdain for his officers -- he sees conspiracy everywhere and punishes accordingly -- and his double rationing of rum for the crew, which often leads to bloody brawls makes service on the ship a living hell. Among those walking on eggshells in an attempt to avoid inciting any further ire from the Captain are First Lieutenant Buckland, Second Lieutenant Bush, Third Lieutenant Hornblower, Fourth Lieutenant Archie Kennedy, Midshipman Wellard, and Dr. Clive, the ship's physician and close friend to the captain. Despite their caution and defending of the Captain, the threat of mutiny continues to grow, and Horatio realizes it is a mutiny he could, and would, lead. This isn't the green sailor of the first film, this is a man ready to lead. When that final string does snap, Horatio leads the mutiny and despite having officers that outrank him, he is the one to whom they defer. With Sawyer removed from duty, "Retribution" picks up immediately where "Mutiny" left off with Horatio at the command and the officers working to clean up the mess of their overthrow. They cannot forget their mission, however, and Horatio offers a plan to launch a surprise attack on the Spanish fort by land. Proving that where Horatio leads, his men will follow, the attack does not go as planned and the end result, back on the deck of the Renown, ends bloodily -- including the wounding of Lt. Bush and Archie. On the Renown, the crew loyal to those loyal to Sawyer desert the ship and Sawyer, gaining some lucidity, finds himself confined to a straight jacket.
Back in Kingston (the flashbacks are interspersed throughout the story as parts of testimony) at the court-martial of the officers. The presiding officers at the tribunal include Captain Hammond, who finds Horatio's actions gratingly ambitious, and Pellew, who defends his protégé. Most importantly, reputation must be maintained, and the navy is in need of a scapegoat to keep Sawyer's name and reputation unsoiled. As the stories conflict one another during testimony, the survival instinct forces itself above honor -- leaving morality in the gray area. In the end, Archie, mortally wounded during the last battle against the Spanish, defies Dr. Clive's orders and takes the stand and takes the blame for the mutiny thereby giving the Navy their scapegoat and Horatio his freedom. Back in his cell, Archie thanks Horatio for his friendship and for the honor to serve next to him. *cue last, to this point, emotional deathbed scene*
And now we in the US wait for "Loyalty" and "Duty" to continue on the HH adventures.
[PLEASE remember to right click and save to watch these.]
Aye, Avast!
There are two angles I could take with this overview, but, for the sake of time, space and my sanity, I’m going to focus on one -- the A&E series of films. Also, the two newest additions "Loyalty" and "Duty" have yet to play here in the States, so they will be left out of the overview. Also, in all fairness I have to warn now there be spoilers for the movies, including the fate of one of the much-beloved characters.
A few comments on what I’m not going to overview:
During a 1927 voyage from California to Central America and armed with his then recently-acquired volumes of The Naval Chronicle from 1790 to 1820, C.S. Forester was bitten by the plot bunny that would become the tales and adventures of Horatio Hornblower. Taking inspiration from the pages of the Chronicle -- containing articles written by officers of the Royal Navy detailing topics such as strategy, seamanship, and gunnery -- Forester published ten novels chronicling the adventures of Hornblower, from midshipman to admiral in the British Royal Navy during the eras of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. With the publication of the first Horatio Hornblower novel in 1937, Beat to Quarters, thousands fell for the Hornblower saga. If you’re interested, seriously, go and read them, the A&E movies, while I love them so, chronicle only part of what Forester put to the page.
Overview:
Why you should watch it:
If history (especially Regency-era British history/naval history) interests you in any way, then I demand you sit down this instant and rent/purchase the films A&E made of the Horatio Hornblower saga. Watching on screen the trials and tribulations of these men -- longing for loves left on the English shore, fighting against the French (and sometimes one another), struggling to survive life in peace and at war -- captivates the imagination. When Horatio, Archie and their fellow crewmen view the vast ocean from above the sails, the viewer shares their excitement. This is the era of the great British Empire, of bloody revolution and the fall of the monarchy and the rise of Napoleon in France and a time when intrigue could be accomplished as much in the bedroom as in the halls of court. However one feels looking back today, with our 21st century filters up, on this bygone era, there is a sense of honor and pride that the people of the era possessed -- a kind of honor that could lead to a duel, or to the sacrifice of one life to save another. With the cast A&E assembled, the viewer comes to care for these men, and even with the knowledge of how the past turned out, one can't help but find themselves wondering if the 'good guys' will win. And sometimes they do. Other times, just as in real life, they do not, and when that happens it's heartbreaking.
But enough of the intellectual and historical meat to sink one's teeth into, let's get to the chocolate in the peanut butter. The Hornblower films offer up rum (and port, wine and other alcoholic drinks), sodomy (even if it's just implied) and the lash. There's comedy and tragedy, sickness, love, angst, death, sacrifice, rain-soaked men holding onto their unconscious (ship)mate, sword fights, duels, war, romance.
Oh yes, and there's always
Horatio's on-deck shower (would you *look* at that Gluteus Maximus) while the crew looks on.
Characters:
Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd):
The protagonist extraordinaire and hero of our tale. Horatio begins as a green youth, learning the politics of the ship and crew and beginning to test the leadership that is borne within him and by the end of the six movies, he has grown into a strong and determined man and leader. Horatio's obsession with duty and honor provide both his most noble moments as well as those times where you'd like to smack him upside the head. Through the movies, we watch Horatio realize the politics of survival and leadership - while his image is of the noble and moral leader, Horatio is, after all, still just a guy who occasionally acts out of his own self-interest. Under the command of Pellew, Horatio's natural born ability for leadership is honed - he inspires loyalty from his crew and in return, he offers respect and genuine friendship.
Archie Kennedy (Jamie Bamber):
In the books, "Midshipman Kennedy" had no more than a few lines of text, thus making him a walk-on part. For the films, however, the writer and director decided to expand Kennedy’s role (even going so far as to give him a first name) and place him in the role as friend for Horatio (which made it interesting for later movies, when the book-canon best friend to Horatio is William Bush). The side-kick. We're given insights into Archie's past first in "The Duchess and the Devil", where we find out that he is somewhat fluent in Spanish and his life at home was one of culture -- he's a familiar to Drury Lane and on his sickbed, he quotes Shakespeare. He's already familiar to the sea when Horatio steps aboard the Justinian, and he suffered physical, mental (and most likely sexual) abuse at the hands of Jack Simpson while on the Justinian. A great and loyal friend, Archie admits within the walls of the Spanish prison that he's jealous of Horatio's success and his quick ascension up the ranks -- it's never easy to be simply the sidekick to the hero. Archie stands by Horatio's side through war, peace and everything in between, and this loyalty eventually takes him to the witness stand during Horatio's trial for mutiny (an offense punishable by death). Mortally wounded, Archie testifies he is to blame for the mutiny and thereby offers his greatest gift to Horatio -- freedom.
Sir Edward Pellew (Robert Lindsay):
Captain of the Indefatigable. Pellew was based on a real life historical figure, although the real life captain was known to be a gruff man not prone to emotional comments. In "The Wrong War", Pellew admits Horatio is "as dear to me as my own son". Through Pellew's command of the ship, Horatio takes his example of what a successful and strong leader is. Pellew becomes fond of his protégé and either paces the quarterdeck or groans mightily when Horatio takes off on his adventures. Whether by example or through use of his influence, Pellew assists Horatio in rising up the naval ranks.
William Bush (Paul McGann):
Second Lieutenant of the HMS Renown, in the books Bush becomes Horatio's confidant and best friend and in the films, although he doesn't hold quite the same status with Horatio (yet), he becomes a confederate all the same. Bush plays close to the vest in "Mutiny", offering advice and mediation as the officers plan the mutiny, and in "Retribution" Bush reveals his daring side - fighting beside Horatio and Archie as they defend the Renown and then face the hangman's noose. He is also Archie's cellmate during their imprisonment and confessor. He is a brave officer and with Archie's death, will take his place as partner-in-crime with Horatio in subsequent films.
Smaller roles:
Jack Simpson (Dorian Healy):
The terror of The Justinian. He was once an acting lieutenant, but when Horatio boards the Justinian, he's merely an senior midshipman. His physical and mental abuse of his fellow crewmembers pushing them to the brink of suicide. When he makes a false accusation against Horatio, the subsequent duel leads to the death of a fellow midshipman. Simpson uses his bitterness to continue is reign of terror until he is killed in an attempt to stab Horatio in the back after an inconclusive duel.
Major (Lord) Edrington (Samuel West):
In "The Wrong War", Edrington is the commander of the British troop that will aid the French Royalists in their attempt to retake the country and restore the monarchy. Although he first arrives on the scene as a stuffed-shirt pain in the arse, Edrington's wit makes for some wonderful scenes.
The Duchess (Cherie Lunghi):
Aka, Katherine Cobham, an actress. She provides some great banter with Horatio - which leaves him flustered and/or confused - and is an example of a smart and bawdy female character who can not only make a man blush, but she uses her charm and talent to secure him a parole, her undergarments to help conceal top secret papers and her intellect to be considered an equal.
Matthews (Paul Copley):
A seasoned seaman, Matthews begins the series as one of the hardened sailors under Horatio's first command who, through the series, grows to respect and admire the young Horatio.
A few popular (slash) pairs:
Horatio/Archie - my favorite and a complete creation thanks to the A&E movies
Horatio/Pellew - a mentor/student kind of relationship. Pellew has a lot of affection for Horatio and Horatio respects Pellew.
Horatio/Edrington - a bit of a roll in the hay with the Lord and the sailor.
Horatio/Edrington/Archie - for fun.
Horatio/Bush - in the books, William and Horatio are very close, and there's a great respect and affection between the men. Also, after Archie's death, Bush and Horatio can seek solace with one another.
Archie/Simpson - usually non-con and very dysfunctional.
Movies
I realized I went rather long-winded with the recapping of the films, and in fear of putting people to sleep, I've whittled down the summaries to a (somewhat) more manageable amount. I will gladly wax poetic/send the long-winded recaps, however, to anyone who would like further information. *g*
We first join the Hornblower saga in January of 1793 when a young Midshipman Hornblower boards The Justinian, where seasickness and a terrorizing bully of a senior Midshipman named Jack Simpson await him. Like a kid being sent to his first year of summer camp, the opening scene for "The Duel" is of a young (he's supposed to be 17) Horatio, wearing a dripping bicorn hat with his name "H. Hornblower" engraved onto his trunk. Upon arriving at the ship, a smiling Midshipman who we are soon introduced to as "Mr. Kennedy" helps Horatio aboard. Kennedy's first name, we learn, is Archie. Archie's grand tour of the ship he originally referred to as "Purgatory" informs Horatio that due to a severe case of boredom, the crew has become idle and only a war with France (who is experiencing the French Revolution at about the same time) could bring them back to full attention. During this tour, we are introduced to more midshipmen -- including Clayton, who will play an important role in the episode. The next day the villain-with-the-bad-hair, former-Acting-Lieutenant-but-currently-just-senior-Midshipman Jack Simpson, lumbers into the mess, christens Horatio with the less-than-affectionate nickname "Snotty" and proceeds to stare daggers at Archie, who has a noticeable habit of staring off into space. Archie, we learn, along with his fellow crewmembers, have suffered mightily under Simpson, and as a result of the trauma Simpson has inflicted, Archie is prone to 'fits' (seizures). More than once during their time with Simpson, Archie, Clayton (who acts as a caretaker to both Horatio and Archie) and Horatio contemplate suicide as a means of escaping Simpson's wrath. When Simpson accuses Horatio of cheating at cards in front of a fellow crewmen, Horatio challenges him to a duel -- to the shock and disbelief of Archie and Clayton (who steps up to stand as Horatio's second). Feeling guilty over not having dealt with Jack years before, Clayton knocks Horatio unconscious and takes his place in the duel -- which sadly ends in a mortal wound for Clayton. *cue first touching death scene with Horatio*
A breakout of war with France, and the transfer of the Justinian's crew to the Indefatigable are about the only thing that keep Simpson and Horatio from tearing each other apart. Following a rousing nationalistic speech about the power of the British Royal Navy, the Indefatigable's commander, Captain Pellew, berates Horatio over the duel that cost Clayton his life. To teach the up-and-coming Midshipman Hornblower a lesson, Pellew places him in charge of Simpson's old division. The division, compiled of a group of old seadogs, are informed by a confident-on-the-outside Horatio that they will have to earn his trust, which they do in the next scene - a battle with the French troops. For his display of courage in battle and compassion for his men, Horatio earns his division's respect, which does not sit well with Simpson when he returns to the scene, especially when Horatio's given his first command on the deck of a captured French schooner complete with a loyal crew. For this final duel, Simpson - enraged and disregarding the rules of engagement - attempts to stab Horatio in the back but is killed by Pellew before he can complete his goal.
"The Fire Ship", the second in the series, opens with the Indefatigable at sea in Gibraltar where they rescue the legendary (and reckless) Captain Foster and his crew. After an attack by an enemy (Spain - who were allied to the French) ship, Foster had seized command of a supply ship and set it ablaze rather than let the supplies end up in the hands of the enemy (who had been raiding supply ships for some time). Much to the dismay of Pellew, Foster becomes a source of admiration for Horatio, who admires the leadership Foster possesses and the loyalty he exacts from his crew. While thinking of his own opportunities for leadership, Horatio takes the first step towards that goal as he studies for his lieutenant’s exam. The loss of supplies and the addition of Foster and his crew to the Indefatigable means half-rations for the men and talks of mutiny whispered around the decks. The source of the mutinous chatter is traced to a seaman named Bunting - who has been spreading rumors that the ship's officers have been glutting themselves while the crew goes hungry - and of course, Horatio takes it upon himself to set the record straight with Bunting. Good intentions, yes. Successful? No. To make matters worse, Horatio is ordered to accompany a diplomat, Tapling, to Algeria to secure more supplies - which leads to the discovery that the newly acquired grain and cattle had come from a plague-ridden town. Quarantined with Tapling, Bunting (who was caught trying to steal food and promptly beaten) and his crew Horatio finds time to study for his exam, although he worries that his defiance of Foster's wishes (skip the quarantine and bring the supplies to the ship) could lead to a negative reaction from Foster at his Lieutenant's Examination. When the quarantine expires and no signs of the plague have manifested with any of the crew, they return to the Indy just in time for the Lieutenant’s exam. During the oral exam, Horatio is able to show by action rather than words his abilities as a leader when a fire ship (a ship ablaze sent into the midst of the fleet to burn it) is discovered. Accompanied by one of his chief examiners, Horatio puts a plan into action that will save the British fleet and secure his ascension to the rank of lieutenant.
In "The Duchess and The Devil", we're treated to a selection of delicious moments - hurt/comfort, sword fighting, romance, rain-soaked Horatio... As the movie opens, Acting Lieutenant Hornblower leads a raid on the French sloop Le Reve - a sword-clashing encounter that results in Horatio being offered the honor of sailing his prize home to England with a crew and a passenger - the mysterious and lusty Duchess of Wharfedale. The Duchess takes a fancy to our hero, who waivers between flattery/considering the offer and embarrassment at the attention. On the voyage home, the Le Reve is attacked for the second time, this time by the Spanish, and Horatio, his crew, and the Duchess find themselves being conveyed to a Spanish prison. Faced with imprisonment and in need of a hiding place, Horatio asks the Duchess to conceal top-secret papers entrusted to him by Captain Pellew. And she does so -- in a pocket of her breeches concealed by her skirts. Upon arrival at the prison, Horatio finds Archie, who had been taken captive during the raid of the French ship in "The Duel". Suffering from starvation, isolation, beatings from escape attempts and his fits - Archie is prime material hurt to Horatio's comfort -- he even refuses to take part in an escape and leave Archie behind. The Duchess -- as we discover, not only speaks Spanish and is given freedom on the island - obtains temporary parole for Horatio, allowing them to walk together. As Archie's will to escape, and even to live diminishes, Horatio refuses to give up on him, certain Archie would do the same if roles were reversed. When Archie insists that Horatio would never have been captured, that he envies Horatio's luck and successes, Horatio refuses to give in, admitting that he won't survive without Archie's help. As Horatio continues to receive attention from the Duchess, some of Horatio's men begin to question his loyalty and judgment, especially when it is revealed that the Duchess is no duchess, but rather an actress, Katherine Cobham, who, after assuring Horatio the papers are still safe, departs on a ship off the island. Which then leads to ... a foiled escape attempt by one of Horatio's men, Horatio being sent to solitary confinement, the Indy showing up, Katherine's ship being attacked and wrecked (she is rescued, though, with papers still safe), the Indy saving the day, Pellew groaning about Horatio and Archie returning to the prison to serve out their sentence and their subsequent release by the warden for their heroics in saving Katherine's ship.
Horatio, now a commissioned lieutenant, finds you can't win them all in "The Wrong War". The Indy is called to ferry a force of French Royalists from their asylum in Britain back to France in an unsuccessful attempt to restore the monarchy. Captain Pellew is unconvinced of the success of the mission - both because of his lack of faith in the Royalist general and the fact that the Republican army had intercepted a copy of the invasion plan. Horatio, forced to play peacekeeper between the Lord Edrington (the captain of the British troops who will aid the Royalists and a pompous creature, to boot) and the Marquis de Moncoutant, who's just a *bit* too obsessed with the guillotine and how he'd like to see the heads of the Republicans roll. When he's not keeping the peace, Horatio is also put in charge of defending a stone bridge along the expected route of the Republican army and at the same time, he begins an (ill-fated) romance with Mariette, who was a servant of the Marquis. As the men prepare for battle, Archie wonders if they'll die in "the wrong war" and Horatio is starry-eyed about his French peasant girl (who, as you might guess, doesn't make it to the end credits and it's Archie who's there to comfort the bereaved Horatio). Despite the unsuccessful reinstating of the monarchy, and the blowing up of the bridge, the final scene of the movie (the final scene of the first series, actually) is of Horatio and Archie atop the main mast, watching the horizon in front of them where adventure awaits.
Which then brings us to the final two films of the series - "The Mutiny" and "Retribution". It's here that Horatio and Archie's relationship moves from Horatio acting as more of a protector to Archie and more to a partners-in-crime relationship. And they fall into a tight clique with their (slightly)senior officer, Lt. Bush (who, in the novels, is Horatio's best friend). Set in 1802 in Jamaica, Acting Third Lieutenant Hornblower is visited in prison by Commodore Pellew - who is non-plussed, as only a father (in this case father-figure) could be, to see Horatio back in prison, especially when the threat of the noose is very real. Why, you might ask, is the noose a threat? Well, it was mutiny, sir.
As we find out in flashback, Horatio and Archie found themselves serving on the HMS Renown under the legendary hero, Captain Sawyer. On a mission to take advantage of a slave uprising in the West Indies -- in a stroke of English luck the slaves were revolting against their Spanish masters in a time when Spain and England were still at war -- Captain Sawyer's behavior became more and more troublesome. Sawyer's disdain for his officers -- he sees conspiracy everywhere and punishes accordingly -- and his double rationing of rum for the crew, which often leads to bloody brawls makes service on the ship a living hell. Among those walking on eggshells in an attempt to avoid inciting any further ire from the Captain are First Lieutenant Buckland, Second Lieutenant Bush, Third Lieutenant Hornblower, Fourth Lieutenant Archie Kennedy, Midshipman Wellard, and Dr. Clive, the ship's physician and close friend to the captain. Despite their caution and defending of the Captain, the threat of mutiny continues to grow, and Horatio realizes it is a mutiny he could, and would, lead. This isn't the green sailor of the first film, this is a man ready to lead. When that final string does snap, Horatio leads the mutiny and despite having officers that outrank him, he is the one to whom they defer. With Sawyer removed from duty, "Retribution" picks up immediately where "Mutiny" left off with Horatio at the command and the officers working to clean up the mess of their overthrow. They cannot forget their mission, however, and Horatio offers a plan to launch a surprise attack on the Spanish fort by land. Proving that where Horatio leads, his men will follow, the attack does not go as planned and the end result, back on the deck of the Renown, ends bloodily -- including the wounding of Lt. Bush and Archie. On the Renown, the crew loyal to those loyal to Sawyer desert the ship and Sawyer, gaining some lucidity, finds himself confined to a straight jacket.
Back in Kingston (the flashbacks are interspersed throughout the story as parts of testimony) at the court-martial of the officers. The presiding officers at the tribunal include Captain Hammond, who finds Horatio's actions gratingly ambitious, and Pellew, who defends his protégé. Most importantly, reputation must be maintained, and the navy is in need of a scapegoat to keep Sawyer's name and reputation unsoiled. As the stories conflict one another during testimony, the survival instinct forces itself above honor -- leaving morality in the gray area. In the end, Archie, mortally wounded during the last battle against the Spanish, defies Dr. Clive's orders and takes the stand and takes the blame for the mutiny thereby giving the Navy their scapegoat and Horatio his freedom. Back in his cell, Archie thanks Horatio for his friendship and for the honor to serve next to him. *cue last, to this point, emotional deathbed scene*
And now we in the US wait for "Loyalty" and "Duty" to continue on the HH adventures.
Fandom/Archives:
- HMS Sailslash The archived fiction for the sailslash list. (Visit here to subscribe
- Hello, Sailor!: A collection of links and pictures for some of the earlier films. Some links are no longer ‘live’, so keep that in mind.
- Archieology 101: All about our dear Mr. Kennedy. A great breakdown of Archie’s role in each film and links to interviews with Jamie Bamber.
- Horatio Hornblower Fan fiction Archive: The archive for the stories that have been posted on the Horatio Hornblower fanfic list [note: this is a het/gen list. For the slashy goodness, sailslash is the way to go].
A vid (or two)
[PLEASE remember to right click and save to watch these.]
- Candle in the Water, by Sarah B. I remember this with very fond memories of childhood and watching the Disney film Pete’s Dragon. In the film, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter sings of her continuing faith that her love at sea will return home to her. This vid is pure wonderful romance -- Archie will always be a beacon for Horatio.
- Tempus Vernum, by PRZed. To. Die. For. It makes my heart ache in a deliciously angsty way. The vid chronicles Archie’s story arc through the six Hornblower films painting a picture of a tragic, beautiful and loyal man and friend to Horatio.
- 5 ½ Minute Hallway. For Archie, there’s always just a little bit further to go.
And some LJ time, too:
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![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
crumpeteers: For the devotees of the Lovely Archie Kennedy - mr_hornblower: General Hornblower conversation and information.
- hornblower_fic: As it says, a community for a myriad of Hornblower tales.
- hh_slash: A place where the (pretty) boys can be (with other pretty) boys.
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I wanted to thank you again for the pimping. Thank you so much! I hope the recs I post also meet with your approval.
And I did so love your post, those jubilant reactions to a new interest/love are just so darn cool :)