The 1st two episodes of Hornblower introduced us to Horatio Hornblower, played by Ioan Gruffudd. We first see him as a 17 year old Midshipman, joining his first ship and suffering from sea sickness while the ship is still moored at Spithead! We see him begin to develop skills in leading and motivating the ships crew but we always see the vulnerability of the character. Ioan Gruffudd is, in my opinion the perfect choice of actor to play Horatio Hornblower. I have loved the books for many years and was reluctant to watch the 1st episode of Hornblower, fearing that the transition from well loved book, to television screen, would lead to great disappointment.......how wrong could I be? From his very 1st appearance on screen Ioan Gruffudd IS Hornblower. There is great support from actors like Robert Lindsay and a myriad of other British character actors. I would recommend these programmes to anyone who enjoys a well acted adventure, set on the high seas.
Review of Horatio Hornblower: The Duel
Horatio Hornblower: The Duel
(1998 TV Movie)
Excellent adventure starring the perfect leading man, Ioan Gruffudd.
27 February 1999