Hellen
I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
Lucybespro
It is a performances centric movie
Brendon Jones
It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.
Mischa Redfern
I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.
TheNorthernMonkee
SPOILERS The French Revolution split the French nation like so many internal wars have split nations before. With royalists and republicans executing each other in equal measures, it's a wonder that many French were left alive by the end of the conflict. In the fourth episode of the majestic Hornblower series, the charismatic member of the King's navy, must fight to save a French town from an extremist Frenchman.Still serving aboard Captain Pellew's (Robert Lindsay) Indefatigable, Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd) is sent to France with an extreme French General (Anthony Sher) to re-associate the General with his village. Arriving at the village however, it isn't long before the General's power gets to his head however, and Horatio must help the beautiful schoolteacher Mariette (Estelle Skornik) and the rest of the village.As a rarity, this episode is spent mostly on dry land, and whilst a nice pleasant change, it does feel slightly more isolated. Lacking in the gritty realism of seafaring, "The Frogs and the Lobsters" feels distinctively more like an opportunity for the brilliant Lieutenant to fall in love in sunny climates, a sort of Club 1700s as it were.Minus the sea, Hornblower often doesn't feel like Hornblower though, and this shows in a weak script and plot which have a tendency to frustrate and annoy. Two phrases never thought to be heard about such an amazing series, they are necessary sadly for this episode and the mediocre following couple.Still, scripting aside, the series continues to benefit from some top notch acting. Gruffudd is once more on top form, as is Antony Sher as the inscrutably evil General Moncoutant. Once more however, the series is helped along by an award winning turn by Jamie Bamber as Hornblower's best friend Archie. Bamber has grown throughout the entire series and he will continue to improve until the characters disappearance from the series.For being part of such a good series, it's emotionally disturbing to want to condemn any episode. Sadly this fourth part is vastly inferior to it's predecessors. You do find yourself engulfed and desperate for more at it's conclusion, but compared with earlier episodes, it remains a big disappointment.
BumbleBoo
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.
TexasRedge
If America only knew how good this was,it would be the highest rated Made-For-TV movie series of all time(hard to believe there are more people out there that would rather watch "The Columbo Mysteries" than Horatio Hornblower- that just goes to show the power of major network name-brand advertising.The Hornblower movie series has been television at its finest. I have seen all 6 of the A&E Horatio Hornblower movies,"The Duchess and the Devil" is my favorite of the 6 films. However I tune in to A&E everytime they air a new Hornblower movie. So far all 6 movies have been based on the Horatio Hornblower adventure novels written by C.S. Forester(the same author who wrote African Queen). Each Movie chronicles the on-going adventures of Horatio Hornblower who is a Brittish Lt. in the Brittish Navy during the late 1790's-to early 1800's during the Napoleonic era in Europe. I sincerly believe that each one of these 6 Films has been good enough to have shown at the movie theaters,if the producers had wanted to. Unlike other Made-For-TV films,The Hornblower films do not have that Made-For-TV feeling to them,like most television movies have.A common misconception that people who havent seen these movies have is that all 6 of these films go to gether as a mini-series- that is not true. The Hornblower movies are not a mini-series,all 6 of these films are individual movies about the same charactor- with all the same actors playing the same roles in each film(EXAMPLE:think of the James Bond films-They are not sequels, but they are all about the adventures of James Bond- that same principle applies to the Hornblower movies) I give the entire Horatio Hornblower movie series 5 out of 5 stars. Its Perfect entertainment- but you cant please everyone, so for those of you dont like epic battleship battles,historic style drama,high stakes adventure, and danger on the high seas,if you dont like stuff like that-there is always Columbo re-run for you to watch.
altea
The 4-part made for tv-series comes to an end, at the moment that is, with a terrific final episode! This episode is the best installment of all four movies! It has everything from espionage, intrigue, murder, war, horror to romance and beyond, you name it! It is a classic! Each minute of the movie is filled with great drama! This is Horathio Hornblower at its best! BTW the use of music in this episode is excellent. So now that the series comes to an end I hope that we will see Horathio Hornblower very soon again on the little screen, until then, it is back to the novels of Forester to fill in these waiting days!Conclusion: The series is highly recommended! It is an oases compared to the desert of day to day tv-fare!