CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER R.N.
DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY RAOUL WALSH
PRODUCED BY GERRY MITCHELL
WARNER BROS. PICTURES
Information from IMDb
Plot Summary
In 1807, Captain Horatio Hornblower leads his ship the HMS Lydia on a perilous voyage around Cape Horn and into the Pacific. The men, even his officers, don't know exactly where he is leading them. England is at war with Napoleon and everyone wonders why they have been sent so far from the action. They eventually arrive on the Pacific coast of Central America where the HMS Lydia has been sent to arm Don Julian Alvarado, who is planning an attack against France's Spanish allies on the North American continent. The hope is that Alvarado's forces will require the French to divert some of their military resources to North American defense in the aid of their Spanish allies. He arrives to learn that a Spanish Galleon is en route and he no sooner captures it and hands it over to Alvarado that he learns the Spanish are now England's allies and he must take it from Alvarado. He also gets a very comely passenger in the form of Lady Barbara Wellesley
Written by garykmcd
Full Cast
Gregory Peck ... Capt. Horatio Hornblower R.N
Virginia Mayo ... Lady Barbara Wellesley
Robert Beatty ... Lt. William Bush
Moultrie Kelsall ... Lt. Crystal (as M.Kelsall)
Terence Morgan ... 2nd Lt. Gerard (as T. Morgan)
James Kenney ... Midshipman Longley
James Robertson Justice ... Seaman Quist (as James R.Justice)
Denis O'Dea ... RAdm. Sir Rodney Leighton
Richard Hearne ... Polwheal (Hornblower's batman)
Michael Dolan ... Surgeon Gundarson
Stanley Baker ... Mr. Harrison (bosun)
Alan Tilvern ... Hernandez
Alec Mango ... El Supremo (Don Julian Alvarado)
Christopher Lee ... Spanish Captain
John Witty ... Capt. Entenza
Michael Goodliffe ... Col. Caillard - POW escort
Eugene Deckers ... French Commandant
Ingeborg von Kusserow ... Hebe (Lady Barbara's maid) (as Ingeborg Wells)
Amy Veness ... Mrs. McPhee (Hornblower's housekeeper)
Kynaston Reeves ... Adm. Lord Hood
Ronald Adam ... Adm. McCartney
Basil Bartlett ... Capt. Elliott (uncredited)
André Belhomme ... French Guard (uncredited)
Robert Cawdron ... French Mate on 'Witch of Endor' (uncredited)
Diane Cilento ... Voice of Maria Hornblower (voice) (uncredited)
Howard Connell ... Seaman on 'Lydia' (uncredited)
Alexander Davion ... Spanish Officer (uncredited)
Patric Doonan ... Seaman (uncredited)
Anthony Forwood ... Lt. Woodford (uncredited)
Arthur Gomez ... Captain of French Corvette (uncredited)
Richard Johnson ... Macrae (Surgeon's Mate) (uncredited)
Sam Kydd ... Seaman Garvin (uncredited)
Howard Lang ... Officer Aboard Cassandra (uncredited)
Anthony Marlowe ... Capt. Bolton (uncredited)
Michael Mellinger ... Spanish Officer (uncredited)
Julio Monterde ... Spanish Officer (uncredited)
Peter Morton ... Hommel - Flogged Seaman (uncredited)
Stuart Pearless ... Seaman on 'Lydia' (uncredited)
Raymond Sherry ... Seaman on 'Lydia' (uncredited)
Jack Stewart ... Seaman (uncredited)
Derek Sydney ... Capt. Elliott (uncredited)
John A. Tinn ... Juan - Spanish Guard (uncredited)
Russell Waters ... Seaman (uncredited)
Jack Watson ... Capt. Sylvester (uncredited)
Byron Webster ... Seaman (uncredited)
Patrick Young ... Lt. Radot (uncredited)
Writing Credits
Ivan Goff (screenplay) &
Ben Roberts (screenplay) and
Æneas MacKenzie (screenplay) (as AeneAs MacKenzie)
C.S. Forester (novel) (adapted for the screen by)
Original Music
Robert Farnon
Cinematography
Guy Green
Trivia
David Garth worked on screen tests for this project.
Russell Hunter screen-tested for this project.
John Witty screen-tested For Lt. Radot (Patrick Young). Jean Serret screen tested For The French Commandant (Eugene Deckers)
To save costs, the Hispaniola from Treasure Island was reused and renamed Lydia but now the ship was rocked instead of the horizon, this caused many problems due to the combined weight of ship's crew and equipment.
Alexander Davion's role was curtailed because of a schedule clash with another project so his scenes were given to various other actors.
Patric Doonan replaced Raymond Sherry.
Virginia Mayo was only cast after a number of high-profile British actresses were either not available or interested.
James Costa was cast as Hernandez and filmed a number of scenes, but was fired because of his salary demands and because the production team were displeased with his acting.
Feature-film debut of Jack Watson.
Leslie Linder, John Benson, Frank Coburn and Basil Appleby were all suggested for parts.
The rights to the novel were originally acquired by Warners with Errol Flynn in mind, but after the financial failure of The New Adventures of Don Juan and growing difficulties with the actor, he was not cast. Warners was already building up Burt Lancaster as its new swashbuckler, but the role of a British sea captain seemed out of his range, so Gregory Peck was ultimately cast.
Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo recreated their roles for a 1/21/52 broadcast of radio's "Lux Theater".
The movie is based on three "Hornblower" novels: ""Beat To Quarters", "Ship Of The Line" and "Flying Colours." These were all written in 1938 and were the first books of the series.
Goofs
Anachronisms
Hornblower asks whether Lady Barbara is related to the Duke of Wellington. This is in 1807. Sir Arthur Wellesley was elevated to the Peerage after the Battle of Talavera and to a Dukedom in 1814 after the Army invaded France. In 1807 he was still Sir Arthur. The title of Duke of Wellington did not exist.
At one point Hornblower and his officers give the loyal toast whilst seated. While it is true that the Royal Navy do toast the King or Queen seated, this tradition only dates to the reign of William IV (1830-1837), aka the Sailor King. At the date when this film is set, RN officers would still have got to their feet to toast the King.
At the end of the movie, it is 1807, and the British Navy already has a telegraph system. The first primitive electrical telegraph wasn't even invented until 1816.
Continuity
In the Lydia's battle with the Natividad, the main topgallant staysail (top sail, middle mast) on the Lydia vanishes early in the battle. We can tell because the sail in front of it on the foremast is shot down. Later in the battle, the Natividad fires at the rigging, and then the main topgallant staysail is shot down. Also in the later shot the top sail on the foremast briefly reappears. Then still later, both sails reappear for a shot of the Lydia sailing, and then they disappear again as the Lydia closes in to destroy the Natividad.
During the battle between the Lydia and the Natividad, on the Natividad, the railing between the upper and lower deck, where Alvarado is standing, loses and regains a drapery of ropes as the battle continues.
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During the battle at La Teste Lt Bush is wounded in his left leg. Later, after Hornblower, Quist and Bush escape from their escort, it's his right leg that is injured.
Errors in geography
During the opening narration, a world map is show with "Ethiopia" in the middle of Africa (approx, where modern Zaire is located). In fact, Ethiopia occupies most of the "Horn of Africa," a peninsula on the east coast close -- it is across the Red Sea from the Arabian peninsula in Asia and several hundred miles from the position shown. No Royal Navy map would make such an error.
Factual errors
It's 1807, and when Hornblower invites his officers for dinner before they go to capture the Natividad, they toast the King while sitting down, rather than standing to do so. This privilege was only given to the Royal Navy after 1830 when William IV became King. He had been a Royal Navy officer for many years himself, and knew how cramped things were on a ship, making standing for a toast difficult. (The book makes a point of mentioning the fact that this practice was not allowed.)
After the Natividad is first captured, Hornblower states he was last in his class in sword play. This is incorrect, as midshipmen in the Royal Navy did not attend a school, but rather learned on board their ships. This is also not included in the book.
When the Spanish captain boards the Lydia to announce the alliance, he is attended by only two bosun mates. This would have been a serious breach of etiquette, as he would have rated four side boys in addition to the bosuns.
Set in 1807, the Lieutenants on Hornblower's ship all display the single shoulder epaulet - a rank insignia for Lieutenants which was not adopted by the Royal Navy until after 1812.
Throughout the battle with the Natividad, there is no significant change in the trim or setting of the sails on either ship, despite each making numerous changes in direction. The yards, and so the sails, should have been adjusted with each change of direction. Further, at times it can be seen that the sails of the ships are actually aback (being push backwards against a mast), a highly undesirable situation which would bring the ship to a stop. In at least one scene, this happens while the sails of the other ship, which is on a similar course, are well filled with wind.
During the conference on Rear Admiral Leighton's flagship, there are four officers who are supposedly the captains of the admiral's four ships of the line. However; two wear the single epaulette of a commander or (non-post) captain. No officer with a rank of less than post captain would normally be assigned as the commanding officer of a ship of the line.
Revealing mistakes
During the battle between the Lydia and the Natividad, the model of the Natividad is clearly held down by visible ropes.
When the crew are pulling the ship by rowboat, during the night, the tow ropes are clearly laying slack in the water.
In the closing scene Captain Hornblower orders the sails down in the harbour and the ship begins to move yet there is clearly no wind.
When the ship has gained wind in the Pacific, it is seen moving along in full sail, yet the flag at the stern is trailing behind, showing the ship to be a model being pulled along. If it was truly under sail then the flag would be blowing in the direction of the wind - forward.
As Hornblower's ship, the Sutherland, is entering the French harbor the French flag on the fort is lowered and immediately raised again. However, there is a perceptible pause in the two actions as can be seen by a cloud in the background that suddenly jumps forward.
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When Hornblower's ship, the Sutherland, is firing to "dismast" the French ships, the resulting damage is shown using closeups of the French decks. In one a huge portion of a mast falls onto the deck. But it bounces lightly, and shows that it has a smooth bottom, revealing that it is a prop.
Filming Locations
Alpes-Maritimes, France
France
French Riviera, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Villefranche-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Warner Brothers First National Studios, Teddington Studios, Teddington, Middlesex, England, UK
(interiors)
