For those of you that don't know, the Sharpe series starring amongst others, Sean Bean (of Lords of The Rings fame) is based on the highly succesfull novels by Bernard Cornwell. There are a total of 23 Sharpe books, about half of which have been made into 'made-for-(i)tv' movies.
The DVD that I am reviewing came from the Sharpe box set, containing the full series.
****SHARPE'S REGIMENT**** ------------- Cast List ------------- Sean Bean - Major Richard Sharpe Daragh O'Malley - Sgt. Major Patrick Harper Abigail Cruttenden - Jane Gibbons Michael Cochrane -Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson Nicholas Farrell - Lord Fenner Caroline Langrishe - Lady Anne Camoynes James Laurenson - Major General Ross Mark Lambert - Lt. Colonel Girdwood Julian Fellowes - Prince Regent Norman Rossington - Sgt. Horatio Havercamp John Tams - Rifleman Hagman Jason Salkey - Rifleman Harris Steve Chambers - Charlie Weller Henry Woolley - Marriott Robert Patterson - Sgt. Lynch
-------------- The Story --------------
Without giving too much away, here is an outline off the plot:
It is 1813 and Major Richard Sharpe is in command of the South Essex Regiment in Britains army fighting the French in Spain during the Peninsular War (during the Napoleonic War). Sharpe's regiment is hard pressed for men and due to some unknown corruption in the South Essex's 2nd Battalion no reinforcments are available and the South
Essex is to be disbanded! The South Essex, like nearly all regiments of the time is divided into 2 battalions, the 1st Battalion goes abroad to fight, while the 2nd battalion stays at home, recruits new men, and trains for battle. Sharpe's 2nd Battalion, under the command of Lt Colonel Girdwood appears to have gone missing however! Sharpe, a man who has risen from the gutter (and the rank of private) and become an officer (a feat not often managed in the 19th century where the officer ranks were filled with rich gentlemen who mostly purchased their commisions), naturaly doesn't want his regiment to be dispanded and so sets off for England to uncover what is happening, with his trusty Sergeant, Harper, played brilliantly by Darragh O'Malley. Upon arrival in England, Sharpe is fobbed off by the powers that be and told one untruth after another. The gist of the story is that Girdwood, Lord Fenner (the Secretary of War) and the slimy Sir Henry Simmerson are using the 2nd battalion to make profits for themselves! They steal the men's pay, charge them for anything they can get away with and worst of all, sell the men to other regiments! Regiments based in such places as the West Indies, which in the 19th Century was an undireable posting due to fever. Regiments based in such places could not attract many volounteers to fill their ranks. Sharpe and Harper must take drastic action to try and expose this!
--------------------------------------------------- Acting/Direction/Script/Costumes/Etc --------------------------------------------------- The acting in this, and indeed all the Sharpe films is incredibly good, the casting director has done a superb job. So much so that Bernard Cornwell has said on numerous occasions (see www.bernardcornwell.net for more details) that when he writes Sharpe books he no longer imagines Sharpe, Harper & co as he origionally did, but how they are portraid in the films! Reading the later Sharpe novels you can really feel the Sean Bean influence in Sharpe! The direction by Tom Clegg seems faultless, and the script by Charles Wood works really well and sticks pretty closely to the novel. The only gripe I have is that the budget must have been pretty low (or well used up on Sean Bean's pay?) because when Sharpe is supposed to be leading a Regiment he has about 40-50 blokes marching with him, when infact regiments numbered between 400-1000 men. However this can easily be overlooked as it takes no enjoyment from this easily watchable swashbuckling adventure with plenty off light hearted humour thrown in! Michael Cochrane is excellent as the villanous Sir Henry Simmerson (as he was in his past appearances in this role), you can't help but hate him! Although he is quite funny at times. John Tams, who plays Rifleman Hagman also does the music for the Sharpe films, singing such classics as 'Over The Hills & Far Away' - great stuff!
----------- Extras ----------- Sadly, the extras on the DVD are rather few and pretty dissapointing, I felt they could have done a lot more frankly! All that is on offer is a Photo Gallery and a Sharpe fact file (with not a lot of info in...not enough for my taste anyway). I had been expecting interviews with Sean Bean, Daragh O'Malley and Bernard Cornwell...but there is nothing off the sort - not even a episode comentary. Pretty dissapointing really.
----------------------- Conclusion ----------------------- If you fancy some light hearted swashbuckling fun then this is the series you should watch! And Sharpe's Regiment is great, the hour and a half you spend watching will just woosh by.
Sean Bean - Major Richard Sharpe Daragh O'Malley -Sgt. Major Patrick Harper Abigail Cruttenden - Jane Gibbons Hugh Fraser - Lord Wellington James Laurenson - Major General Ross Féodor Atkine - Major Pierre Ducos Christian Brendel - Compte de Maquerre Christopher Villiers - Colonel Horace Bampfylde Amira Casar - Catherine Philip Whitchurch - Capt. William Frederickson
------------- The Story ------------ Siege is set a short time after the events in Sharpe's Regiment and focuses on the prelude to the Allied armies innvasion of Portugal, Spain and Britain's invasion of Southern France in 1813/14. Newly married Major Richard Sharpe is sent behind enemy lines to capture the Teste de Buche Fort and try to raise rebellion in Bordeux ahead of the allied invasion. The British are told by the Compte de Maquerre, a frenchman loyal to the Borbons (France's royalty) that the area around Bordeux is ripe for rebellion against Napoleon. Sharpe, however is not in command off this mission, the command has fallen to Colonel Bampfylde played by Christopher Villiers (who you may recognise from Emmerdale where he plays Grayson Sinclair), a pompous young officer who has superseeded Sharpe to command the South Essex. Sharpe has already clashed with Bampfylde once and tensions are already on edge before the mission even begins. To add to Sharpe's trouble, on the eve off his departure his new wife, Jane (played by Abigail Cruttenden) has fallen ill with the fever! We meet for the 1st time Captain 'Sweet' William Frederickson off the 60th Rifles in this story. Frederickson is a scarred veteran who befriends Sharpe, and is brilliantly portrayed by Philip Whitchurch. Sharpe must battle through, betrayal, ambush and incompetent superiors to save the day! Once again, drastic measures are called for, but that's where you see Sharpe at his best!
----------------------------------------- Acting/Direction/Costumes etc ----------------------------------------- Once again the acting in this is supurb. The actors really bring the characters to life. However, the screen writer, Eoghan Harris veers quiet a lot from Cornwell's novel (mainly due to budgeting I would guess). The costumes are fantastic and historically accurate. Being something off a Napoleonic War fanatic I was very impressed with the level of detail, particulaly when it comes to the weapons and uniforms off the soldiers (especially the Riflemen under Sharpe/Fredrickson's command). Also, Tom Clegg's direction seems really good and always seems to get the most out of the actors.
--------------- Extras --------------- The extras on this DVD are just as dissapointing as on Sharpe's Regiment (infact just the same - Fact File & Gallery, only this time obviously focussing on Sharpe's Siege).
------------------ Conclusion ----------------- Really good, but veers more from the book than you might like. Out of the two films on this DVD I have to say that Regiment is my favourite by far.
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1995 - Action/Adventure - Director: Tom Clegg - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Sean Bean, Daragh O'Malley, Allie Byrne, Oliver Cotton, Emily Mortimer, Michael Cochrane
Production Year: 1996 - Action/Adventure - Director: Tom Clegg - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Daragh O'Malley, Oliver Cotton, Jason Durr, Sean Bean, Allie Byrne
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Based on the novels by Bernard Cornwell,Sharpe(1993-7) ran to 14 full-length television ... more
films that follow the adventures of the titular soldier through the later years of the Napoleonic Wars. The programmes are an outstanding achievement for the small ...
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Based on the novels by Bernard Cornwell,Sharpe(1993-7) ran to 14 full-length television ... more
films that follow the adventures of the titular soldier through the later years of the Napoleonic Wars. The programmes are an outstanding achievement for the small ...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 1 to 2 days...
Sharpe's RegimentSharp returns to England to unravel the truth behind the bewildering ... more
decree from Lord Fenner that the South Essex Battalion is to be disbanded. But to expose the truth, Sharpe must battle with tyrannical officers and shadowy assassins,...
![Sharpe's Regiment / Sharpe's Siege [DVD] [1996]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78529223.jpg "Sharpe's Regiment / Sharpe's Siege [DVD] [1996]")
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