Sharpe's Sword (1995) (TV)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Tom Clegg

Writers:

Bernard Cornwell (novel)
Eoghan Harris (writer)

Release Date:

15 July 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | History | War

Plot:

Sharpe is tasked to protect the most important spy in Lord Wellington's network, but domestic issues, a traumatized young girl, and possible French spies all threaten his success. |

Plot Keywords:

Sergeant | Military | Fictional Biography | Napoleonic Wars | Sequel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sean Bean	...	Major Richard Sharpe
Daragh O'Malley	...	Sgt. Patrick Harper
John Tams	...	Rifleman Hagman
Jason Salkey	...	Rifleman Harris
Emily Mortimer	...	Lass
Patrick Fierry	...	Colonel Leroux
James Purefoy	...	Lord Jack Spears
Stephen Moore	...	Colonel Berkeley
Hugh Ross	...	Major Mungo Munro
Michael Cochrane	...	Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson
John Kavanagh	...	Father Curtis
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Don Felipe
Diana Perez	...	Ramona
Pat Laffan	...	Sgt. Connelly
Walter McMonagle	...	Father O'Sullivan

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French | Latin

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

USA:TV-14 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-13

Filming Locations:

Portugal

Company:

Celtic Films Entertainment

Trivia:

In the novel of the same name, Sharpe fights at the famous Battle of Salamanca. In the film, the setting is changed to a key fortress in a town called Villafranca. In reality, there was a town of that name in Spain that saw action during the Peninsular war, but much earlier and without British involvement.

Quotes:

Major Mungo Munro: [he has just finished a bagpipe solo] Which would you prefer me to do, Sharpe? Play Beallagh na Bruga, that's the Munro march... or send you on a dangerous mission?
Richard Sharpe: Dangerous mission, sir.
Major Mungo Munro: Who's winning the war, Sharpe?
Richard Sharpe: Wellington, sir.
Major Mungo Munro: Why's he winning it, Sharpe?
Richard Sharpe: Steady troops, sir.
Major Mungo Munro: Superior intelligence, Sharpe. Supplied by whom, laddie?
Richard Sharpe: Men like you, sir.
Major Mungo Munro: Och, don't *lick* me, laddie!

Movie Connections:

Followed by Sharpe's Siege (1996) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Haste to the Wedding

A bit off, but still good.

Sharpe's Sword has three main faults.

1. The dialogue. Not as good as in some of the others. Unrealistic at times, even leaning towards slapstick. The scene where Sharpe is being briefed by Munro is funny, but not in line with the more strained relationship we see in Sharpe's Battle. Equally, Pat's relationship with Sharpe seems inconsistent.

2. The woman. OK, I've got used to a lot of other women lusting after Sean Bean by now, but this one is oh-so-annoying. The only time she's good is when she rejects Sir Henry Simmerson's disgusting offer so well, but other than that I find her infuriating. She just mopes around, whimpering, feeling sorry for herself and trying to get Sharpe to fall in love with her, which thankfully he does not.

3. The bad guy. By this I mean the Frenchie, not Sir Henry. You see a lot of him pretending to be good, but not much of him actually being bad; he's not a figure I ended up hating all that much. There was good swordplay in the last fight scene, and the injuries of both him and Sharpe added excitement and desperation, but it wasn't as intense as, say, the priest's encounter with Simmerson.

The good things were the priest (naturally), and Sean Bean's all-redeeming presence. Watch it, by all means, but it isn't the best. 7 out of 10. Ko, Izzy.