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Hornblower: The Even Chance (1998) (TV)

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16 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
If America only knew how good this was., 17 April 2002

Author: TexasRedge from Kingsport, Tennessee

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.

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15 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the all time great seafaring adventures!, 22 January 2004

Author: Looney Toon joe from Malta

I Have just finished watching the entire series of Hornblower and must say that few seafaring adventures can beat it.It ranks up there with the original Mutiny on the Bounty,The Sea Hawk and Master And Commander as one of the greatest of its kind. Ioan Gruffudd is perfectly cast as young Hornblower,a seasick midshipman who tranforms gradually into a courageous leader of men. Robert Lindsay offers great support as Capt.Edward Pellew,one of the most important characters in the story who guides Hornblower along his journeys.Jamie Bamber,Paul Copley and Sean Gilder are all excellent as Hornblower's loyal shipmates. Ireally can't pick any one episode as they are all magnificent.I also liked Paul McGann who portrays Lt.Bush. All in all i just hope that in the future their will be more parts to this truly brilliant adventure series!!! EASILY 10 OUT OF 10 !

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16 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Great entry to the series!!!, 21 January 2000
Author: altea from Antwerpen, Belgium

Hornblower: The Even Chance is a great entry to the four made for television movies! Its production value is outstanding starting with the original ships, costumes, cities... and ending with the very convincing battles at sea! This is one of the rare cases where CGI is very clever put to use! Ioan Gruffudd is an excellent choice as Horatio Hornblower! You believe immediately that he is the character! Gruffudd is not a typical Hollywood handsome man but a traditional beautiful European(he is Irish from origin!) lad. Watching this movie makes an exceptional evening! Highly recommended!

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11 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Storytelling at its best!, 2 February 2005

Author: ember_firedrake from Virginia, United States

The first in the Horatio Hornblower series, this installment is absolutely stunning. After watching this, you will find yourself longing for more. There is enough action, drama, and humor to satisfy just about anyone.

The acting is wonderful. Ioan Gruffudd in particular in the leading role, but all the supporting actors put out great performances as well.

The costumes are flawless. That, combined with the set design and ships, make you feel as though you have gone back in time.

I would recommend this miniseries to anyone I know (And I've done much of that already).

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9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Great Production Values . Great Entertainment, 19 May 2003

Author: Theo Robertson from Isle Of Bute , Scotland

I remember watching one of these HORNBLOWER productions when it was first broadcast in the late 1990s but wasn`t too taken by it , so when ITV decided to repeat the series the only reason I watched The Even Chance was because there was nothing else on . When the end credits rolled I found myself asking how on earth I dismissed it so slightly when it was first broadcast ?

The Even Chance is a superlatively made piece of television , it`s production values are outstanding . Unlike Sean Bean in SHARPE Ioan Gruffudd makes a vulnarable and realistic hero and finds himself at the mercy of the sadistic violent bully Jack Simpson played by Dorian Healy . This well written , well acted television and I look forward to seeing the rest of the HORNBLOWER series

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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Wow!, 19 August 2001

Author: Cresta from Hälsingland, Sweden

This is with out quest the greatest TV adventure that I've ever seen (perhaps the greatest in the world). I didn't think it was possible to make such TV adventures today, that really captures the old adventure feeling in the same spirit as the classic Errol Flynn movies (like "The Sea Hawk" and "Robin Hood").

Was I wrong... I mean... THIS is even greater!

The production team behind "Hornblower" has managed to bring this genre alive. An enjoyable history lesson full of action, humour and drama. Together with great actors, a magnificent script, beautiful camera work, great special effects and - perhaps above all - great scenery and filming locations, they have managed to show that the adventure genre still is of current interest to an audience today as well.

I feel that the adventure genre has been wrongfully underestimated for decades. Perhaps the film- and tv makers didn't think it was (don't think it is) wanted by an audience (today) and not worth the effort...? I don't know. But I do know that the adventure genre has been neglected for too long now, and perhaps "Hornblower" will be part of a renewed interest for adventure and a turning point in the genre. I hope so.

Because the genre IS wanted by an audience. IF it's GOOD adventure.

I think that the mistake is (and have been for long) the general opinion of adventure as an easy genre. Film- and TV makers haven't taken it seriously enough, and that is probably why we haven't seen good adventures for a long time. It's easy to think that adventure is a piece of cake and simple work. But that's wrong. To make good adventure is very hard. It's a hand croft where you have to be able to balance with depths. It must not be too deep, but it must not be to cursory and superficial neither. And this is a tough act, it takes true skills to make good and believable adventure.

The fact that we haven't seen good adventure for years, perhaps shows that the adventure genre is the hardest among all film genres. I'm willing to belive so.

"Hornblower" is good adventure. In fact, it's excellent!

Vote: 10/10

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11 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Absolutely wonderful, 14 July 2000

Author: Yael Ben-Israel (yaelb@nite.org.il) from Jerusalem, Israel

First of all, a note about the American titles for this mini-series: what's wrong with you people? Can't you leave a title alone? Or do you think your crowd is so dumb, they wouldn't understand the title that the makers gave it? Why did you have to change "The Even Chance" into "The Duel", for instance (and the other titles as well)? Translating a foreign title is one thing. Altering (and totally ruining) an existing title is something else.

And now to the comment: "Hornblower" is one of the best-made series I have ever seen. It's clever, it's interesting, it's really wonderful in all aspects possible. And Ioan Gruffudd is not only good looking, he's a good actor- a skill that most Hollywood stars unfortunately lack. Right now I have only seen the first two episodes, but I'm definitely not going to miss the other two.

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Hornblower-Simply brilliant!, 1 November 1998
Author: Estella from Weston-Super-Mare, England

I am 19 years old, and since I had not read any of the Hornblower books (I expect most people would think this criminal, not to have read the stories of the most beloved naval hero in fiction!) I knew nothing about the story until the first two hour film was shown on TV (October 7th in England.-I hear that the USA will get the Hornblower series in the New Year) There are four Hornblower films, and the first 'The Even Chance' made me want to see the other three right away! The story is set in the years of the Napoleonic wars, and the first story shows Hornblowers first adventures as midshipman aboard the' Indefatigable'' having to put up with bullying by Simpson another midshipman aboard the ship who takes an instant dislike to the new recuit. The acting by Ioan Gruffudd as the young, self-concious, shy Horatio Hornblower is superb, and his dark brooding good looks are sure to make him a new heart throb. The rest of the cast are brilliant too, from Robert Lindsay as captain Pellew to Dorian Healy as the vicious Simpson. The £12 million spent on the film, has not gone to waste either. The first wooden ship to be built for 140 years, 'The Grand Turk', is used in the film for the 'Indefatigable' and is a stunning sight to see. The action sequences are brilliantly done, making you feel like you are almost on the ship itself. So brilliant action sequences, wonderful battle ships, and a stunning cast, all make Hornblower one of the best things to come on TV in years. Luckily for me (now a huge Hornblower fan) the showing of the second film-which was to be in December- has been put forward to November, because of the huge number of people calling ITV Television station, saying how much they liked it, and demanding for it to be put on early! I personally cannot wait to sail the sea with Horatio Hornblower again.

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Wonderfully done..., 29 May 1999

Author: anonymous

Okay, these movies should fare good if these were on the big screen. Well-written adventure stories about a handsome young hero going out to save the British navy from many problems. He knows his duty and he's one of the most clever officers in the British navy. The actors and actresses also have the British accent and feel to prove it. Their remaking of the Indefagitable was wonderfully done, spectacularly! Hornblower pulls off some clever stunts. The brutality of the conflicts were done well. Ioan Gruffudd is excellent at the character of Hornblower himself! He's one brave fellow!

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Top Notch Entertainment, 1 December 2000

Author: Imnozy from Sydney, Australia

I viewed this show with some trepidation, as the name Hornblower to me (as with many others) is synonymous with Gregory Peck. But this is a different Hornblower and the magic is very much the same - fancy uniforms, good guys and bad guys, lots of sailing ships and lot of blood and thunder. What more can one ask for?

Add to this an excellent cast, from the principals down and you come up with a rip roaring piece of entertainment. The producers on the whole avoided the urge to "modernise" the story, the speech and demeanour of all concerned rang true, this in itself is worthy of note.

So, if like me , you were reluctant to see this show as you didn't want your memories of the Peck movie spoilt - do take the opportunity if it comes to your screen again. It is a classic example of when the British do something well, they do it extra well - Recommended.

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