Hornblower: Loyalty (2003 TV Movie) User Reviews

Back to the fine adaptations

[TheNorthernMonkee · 9/10 · 16 March 2005]

SPOILERS Ever since the middle ages, Ireland has been an enormous problem for the English. In 2003's brilliant "Loyalty", the Irish play a key part in the adventures of the newly promoted Captain Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd). The story, well written and with a superb cast, is a return to form for a series which had dipped slightly in recent episodes.

The English and the French are at peace. Living on half pay, Hornblower is far from happy with the world. Staying at the lodgings of Mrs Mason (Barbara Flynn) and her daughter Maria (Julia Sawalha), Hornblower is relieved when he is sent on an important mission to France. Now, with a suspicious Frenchman on board (Greg Wise), Hornblower is under pressure from ineptitude and deception as plans start to go wrong.

Ioan Gruffudd has made a lifelong name for himself as the enigmatic Hornblower. Acting magnificently he has made the part his own and thrives on it.

Gruffudd is helped however by a fine supporting cast led by Robert Lindsay, Paul Copley and Sean Gilder. All three supporting actors have been in the series from the first episode, and continue to play characters that the audience has a genuine affection for.

The true beauty of this episode however is it's scripting. Well converted from the books into the programme by writer Niall Leonard, the story is absorbing and entertaining from the start.

On a television budget, this episode does demonstrate a distinctly lower key form of special effects. Whilst the sets and the boat are constantly well made, scenes involving multiple ships and and scenery have an intensely artificial look. One scene involving a view of a French boat from the deck in particular smacks of being filmed on a Green backdrop. Still, for all it's technical flaws, the gritty realism is enough to appease it.

This seventh and second to last episode in the Hornblower series is a worthy addition to the collection and a vast improvement on the previous episode. Well written and acted, it is entertaining and imaginative and once more they have us hooked. Well worth a watch.

Who do you support... and how?

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 8/10 · 1 November 2013]

Peace has broken out. Of course, it's not certain it'll last. Not every Frenchman appreciates Napoleon, however - Major Côtard(Wise, solid as a pampered nobleman) will need transport, to meet with other friendlies, in his homeland. Hornblower(Gruffudd, driven by a sense of justice, yet not always virtuous) gets command(one of his first - he was granted the honor near the end of the war; in fact, he's had trouble making rent in his time on land) of the small ship charged with the task, and he brings in Bush(McGann, strict but not without sympathy). But some things don't seem to go as expected - could there be an enemy among the sparse crew?

This goes into themes of friendship, trust, discipline, and, yes, loyalty - what side one chooses, how that comes into play. It enters into the side plot, as well - our titular lead is in love with the daughter of his landlady, and the feeling is mutual. However, can he genuinely help her, and in what way? Explored again are negatives and positives of the navy, society and the like, of the period. Filming(seldom betraying that this was made for TV), editing, script, dialog, acting, humor, action, tension, all are compelling.

There is some bloody, disturbing violent content in this. I recommend this to any fan of drama and swashbuckling. 8/10

another fine addition to the Hornblower saga!

[aless02 · 9/10 · 15 February 2003]

(possible minor spoilers)

'Loyalty' is an excellent movie. The Hornblower saga has become renown among fans and non-fans alike, and 'Loyalty' only continues this tradition. The acting ensemble assembled for this cast includes some of the finest Britain has to offer--along with some no-names as well. Ioan Gruffudd's performance could be topped by no one in a round of some of the greatest acting that could be found on television. He truly comes into his own in this role, portraying Hornblower's move from boy to man with perfection. Perfectly complimented by Paul McGann as the gruff Lt. Bush, the two make a unique duo of friends--so marked by their professional relationship as well. The dynamic between these two, as well as Hornblower with all his officers and men aboard the Hotspur, is incredibly acted and remarkably convincing.

'Loyalty''s land action is exceptional as well. Julia Sawalha is perfectly cast as Maria--poor, dumpy, and completely pathetic. Hornblower is left completely unaware of his effect on her, and she plays it off beautifully. More well-played characters come from Greg Wise as the illustrious French Major Cotard and a virtually unknown Jonathan Forbes as the intelligent Midshipman Wellard. Christian Coulson does a fabulous job creating the weak Jack Hammond, and his performance and cowardice (yet, being redeemed in the end) hit home with the viewer. Robert Lindsay is nothing short of great in his role as Admiral Pellew, as always.

The special effects and action sequences of 'Loyalty' are top-notch as well. The entire cast plays it off as very convincing, and the battles are dramatic and completely realistic.

'Loyalty' does seem to sacrifice a small fraction of believability to further the story. The plot is little weak at certain points, and large revelation at the end may leave the viewer going "...Huh?". However, I think that these are only minor points in what is, over all, a very well-produced new Hornblower movie. It will please long-time fans, as well as rope in new ones. Loyalty is nice in its ability to stand alone as a Hornblower movie, but yet entices new viewers to backtrack and watch the beginning of the series as well.

The ending of Loyalty will leaving you giggling again with Gruffudd's brilliant acting; more importantly, it leaves you wanting more...luckily, the series continues with 'Duty', the second part of Hornblower's story as captain of the Hotspur.

Superb entertainment! One of the best Hornblower films yet.

[Ramses_Emerson · 10/10 · 18 April 2005]

Loyalty is the 8th installment in the Horatio Hornblower series and so far it's one of the best. If you enjoyed the previous Hornblower films you will surely enjoy this one. As we have come to expect from the Horatio Hornblower series the acting is great, Ioan Gruffudd as Hornblower is fantastic as usual and Robert Lindsay and Paul McGann also turn in excellent performances. The rest of the crew is back ( and fans will surely enjoy seeing Sean Gilder and Paul Copley as Styles and Mathews). The script is great and the battles on land and sea are epic and intense. The visual effects are pretty good especially in one scene that has Horatio running as everything is exploding behind him. The music is basically the same material we have heard in the other Hornblower films, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. All in all an excellent production and a great continuation of the Hornblower saga.

Good, but is it Hornblower? Read the books!

[howerd · 4 December 2003]

By now this series has attracted its own set of fans, so the issue of how faithful it remains to the Forester stories may be moot. Still, I've always been puzzled by one element of the credits -- the show never seems to say which of "the novels of C.S. Forester" a particular movie is based on. LOYALTY and DUTY are loosely based on HORNBLOWER AND THE HOTSPUR, the tale of Hornblower's first command. Gruffudd, though a good enough actor and quite charming, seems to miss what was always the key element of Forester's Hornblower -- his constant self-doubt and crushing insecurity. The power of the novels comes from Hornblower's inability to see his own heroism and greatness for it is. He might be a hero to the world; to himself he was always the gangling Midshipman who was "seasick at Spithead." Julia Sawahla, on the other hand, is a perfect choice for Maria. A comment objected to her seeming "dowdy" -- that is precisely the point. Hornblower's unhappy marriage and unrewarding personal life were always intended to contrast with his glory on the sea. The show is fine -- the books are true classics. If you like the show, be sure to read the book.

Hornblower: Loyalty

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 15 May 2023]

With an uneasy peace between France and England. Horatio is on half pay and reduced in rank. He has to pawn his swords and uniform and behind on his rent.

He has to rely on the charity of his landlady's daughter Maria (Julia Sawalha) and play cards at the naval officer's club to earn some extra money.

A chance encounter with Lieutenant Bush (Paul McGann) signals an upturn in his fortunes. Pellew returns the rank of captain and places him in charge of the Hotspur.

He has been sent on a mission with Frenchman Major Cotard (Greg Wise.) Only to find that the French are preparing for invasion with Napoleon Bonaparte in charge of the country.

That is not the end of Horatio's problems. There is a saboteur on his ship and someone even higher up is betraying Britain.

This is very much a boys own adventure kind of story. Horatio Hornblower is always confident and heroic. Easily surmounting obstacles, beating the odds.

Some of the cunning and strategy from the novels is missing. In which case Horatio might have smoked out the traitors a lot earlier.

keep an eye out for saffie, from ab-fab!

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 18 May 2022]

In imdb, it's listed as hornblower: loyalty. Roku has this as horatio hornblower: loyalty. The usual cast of the hornblower chapters of film... director andrew grieves, starring ioan gruffudd. In this adventure, horatio is tasked with delivering frenchman cotard to a meeting spot. Major cotard is played by brit greg wise, who is married to emma thompson. Keep an eye out for the landlord's daughter, julia sawalha, probably best known as saffie, on the awesome show ab-fab. On this voyage, the threat may come from someone on hornblower's own ship! What's with these accidents that are happening aboard ship? A good mix of land and sea action. Very family friendly, with little swearing and bloody violence. This was one of gruffudd's later hornblower adventures, which he had started filming in the 1990s. Jolly good show. Fun adventure.

Entertaining without being remotely challenging.....

[candid22 · 7 January 2003]

This was completely harmless and unbelievable, but a pleasant enough way to pass a Sunday evening. I've not seen all the previous Hornblowers, but I would not rate this as highly as the earlier ones from the late 80's. The series has improved greatly with the addition of Paul McGann as Bush, Hornblower's friend and second in command. Paul McGann is always watchable in anything and has a gorgeous voice to match. He is wonderful to listen to while Gruffudd is true eyecandy.

Julia Sawalha was a poor choice as Hornblower's wife. She is 5 years older than Gruffudd and looks every bit of it. (Perhaps she is supposed to be older than him?) Nonetheless, I found it disappointing that Hornblower marries so unhappily. It would have been nice to have seen a bit of romance and passion there. But perhaps the true relationship of this series is between Hornblower and Bush.

So pleasant enough, but don't go expecting too much and certainly don't expect authentic American and French accents!

TV Pablum

[magm · 3 December 2003]

The opening credits note "based on the stories by C. S. Forester". In the interest of fairness, it should say "very loosely based...". I happened across this on tonight and am appalled for Forester's sake. How A&E takes a well-written intelligent drama and turns it into such stupid melodrama that has only a faintly passing relationship to the actual story is beyond my comprehension. Spielberg once said to his crew in regard to a tv-movie he was making, "This is TV folks - Tender Vittles. We have to make it simple for them." Obviously the A&E folks studied at his school of pablum. Certainly this series is entertaining on some level, but don't for a minute think you know the Hornblower story based on seeing it. Call it something else and not Hornblower if they're going to change it so radically. For me, I'm angry, as I hoped to see Forester's great stories given a good treatment.