Sharpe's Rifles (1993) (TV)

Director:

Tom Clegg

Writers:

Bernard Cornwell (novel)
Eoghan Harris (writer)

Release Date:

5 May 1993 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | War

Plot:

In the Penisular War, a British seargent is field promoted to a lieutenant in charge of a disrespectful rifle company.

Plot Keywords:

Fictional Biography | Historical | Military | Napoleonic | 1800s

Cast

Sean Bean	...	Lt. Richard Sharpe
Brian Cox	...	Major Hogan
Daragh O'Malley	...	Sgt. Patrick Harper
Assumpta Serna	...	Teresa Moreno
David Troughton	...	General Sir Arthur Wellesley
Simón Andreu	...	Major Blas Vivar
Michael Mears	...	Rifleman Cooper
John Tams	...	Rifleman Hagman
Jason Salkey	...	Rifleman Harris
Paul Trussell	...	Rifleman Tongue
Lyndon Davies	...	Rifleman Perkins
Julian Fellowes	...	Major Dunnett
Tim Bentinck	...	Capt. Murray
Richard Ireson	...	Sgt. Williams
Martin Jacobs	...	Colonel Lawford
Malcolm Jamieson	...	Colonel de L'Eclin
Anthony Hyde	...	Man in Black
Jack McKenzie	...	Mr. Parker
Kerry Shale	...	James Rothschild
Karen Tungay	...	Louisa

Directed by
Tom Clegg

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bernard Cornwell		novel
Eoghan Harris		writer

Produced by
Ted Childs	....	executive producer
Malcolm Craddock	....	producer
Pavel Douvidzon	....	line producer
Muir Sutherland	....	executive producer
Neville C. Thompson	....	associate producer (as Neville Thompson)

Original Music by
Dominic Muldowney
John Tams

Cinematography by
Ivan Strasburg

Film Editing by
Robin Sales

Casting by
John Hubbard
Ros Hubbard

Production Design by
Andrew Mollo

Art Direction by
Philip Elton

Costume Design by
John Mollo

Makeup Department
Margarida Miranda	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Tatyana Shakhgeldyan	....	production manager: Russia
Sasha Stratievsky	....	assistant production manager: Russia
Viktor Taranov	....	production manager: Russia
Sasha Voronin	....	unit manager: Russia

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Craddock	....	second assistant director
Marc Jenny	....	first assistant director
Valentina Plugaru	....	assistant director: Russian crew

Art Department
Tiago Albuquerque	....	props
Ilia Iovu	....	assistant art director: Russia
Alison Stewart-Richardson	....	set dresser
Colin Thurston	....	propmaster

Sound Department
Colin Chapman	....	supervising sound editor
David Lis	....	boom operator
Dave Sloss	....	foley recordist

Special Effects by
Dima Stesenko	....	special effects technician: russian crew

Stunts
Oleg Botin	....	stunts
Sasha Philatov	....	stunt coordinator
Greg Powell	....	stunt coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Rutter	....	assistant costume designer

Music Department
Mark Tucker	....	music score recording engineer

Transportation Department
Vladimir Skakun	....	unit transportation coordinator: Russia

Other crew
Slava Burlachko	....	horse master
Gina Cronk	....	script editor
Lina Merculova	....	production coordinator: Russia
Pat Rambaut	....	script supervisor
Richard Rutherford-Moore	....	technical advisor (as Richard Moore)
Winnie Wishart	....	production coordinator
Zinaida Kravchenko	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Celtic Films Entertainment
• Central
• Picture Palace

Distributors

• BFS Entertainment & Multimedia Limited (USA) (DVD)
• Future Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• ITV DVD (1998) (UK) (DVD)
• ITV DVD (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Independent Television (ITV) (1993) (UK) (TV)
• Masterpiece Theatre
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

Other Companies

• East-West Creative Association  production services: Crimea
• Ecou Films  

Runtime:

USA:102 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Spanish | French | Yiddish | Portuguese

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Crimea, Ukraine

Company:

Celtic Films Entertainment

Trivia:

Sharpe's 95th Regiment and its green jackets are fact based. The 95th was a direct ancestor of the modern Royal Green Jackets

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the abandoned cottage, Harper bends and reacts to Sharpe's kick to his groin a split second before Sharpe's foot actually connects, even though Harper's face is turned away looking behind him.

Quotes:

Richard Sharpe: Gimme a pick-lock, Cooper.
Cooper: Pick-lock, sir? Catch me with a pick-lock!
Patrick Harper: They did, Coop. But when you got out of Newgate prison, you got another set, and that's the one the officer wants.
Cooper: Do I get it back, sir?
Richard Sharpe: Trust me.
Cooper: It's very hard to trust a man who wants to borrow your pick-lock, sir.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Sharpe's Gold (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Salamanca

Excellent action and drama. Always interesting.

This is one of 14 "Sharpe" movie series. They are all very good. They are never dull. Mixes enough historical data to create interest. Costumes and equipment authentic. His struggle to overcome his lowly birth and better himself through military service achievement is heart rending. Gen Sir Wellesly who commissioned him from a Sgt. believes in him and backs him subtly. His faithful friend Sgt.Harper shares many adventure and helps Lt.Sharpe through many escapades. Assumpta Serena as his love interest, Teresa, and later wife is very well played. Sharpe has to constantly overcome hardship, discriminations and problems his peers do not. He is constantly being ragged on by his superiors and fellow officers who are much less brave. Sharpe has integrity and grit which is a big help to him. But he always wins the girl and overcomes by sheer determination and street smarts. One of the best TV series ever.