Sharpe’s telefilms – Part Two

Honour/Gold/Battle/Sword/Regiment/Siege/Mission

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C     Extras: D     Telefilms: B

 

 

The adventures of Major Richard Sharpe continue with Sean Bean in seven more of the fourteen adventures in this TV mini-series.  After a twist ending to the first set of four, the story continues as follows:

 

Honour (1995) finds Sharpe back in action after a hiatus, trapped in a strange plot where he is being accused of assailing a woman who he never met.  It turns out to be a clever ploy by French spy Major Pierre Ducos (Feodor Atkine), who wants Sharpe’s poorer judgment to cause trouble that could cause a break between Britain and Spain.  There is a question of logic here, which makes us wonder about Sharpe’s judgment, but it is interesting nevertheless.  Alice Krige, so good as the queen bee Borg in Star Trek: First Contact a year after this, guest stars.

 

Gold (1995) puts Sharpe on an errand for Wellington to exchange arms for hostages, amidst the possibility of human torture and sacrifice in Spain, with the twist that some very valuable Aztec Gold might be in the running if one is not killed first.  It does not degenerate into Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but does show the series kicking in.

 

Battle (1995) has the Royal Irish Guard coming under Sharpe’s auspices just in time to take on a French general high on terroristic tactics.  This is not as graphic as it sounds, but has more action than usual.  This one offers some of the best costume design in the series, and the teleplay is especially interesting.

 

Sword (1995) offers El Mirador, a master spy Wellington trusts even more than Sharpe, but now Wellington needs to cover for him and Sharpe is sent in to run interference.  Napoleon is planning a surprise attack, and Sharpe must face French Imperial Guard Leroux, El Mirador’s opposite number in many ways.  Is he also Sharpe’s?  The good run continues.

 

Regiment (1996) has Sharpe going back to England for reinforcements after Wellington wins Vitoria and plans to go for France.  When he and now-Sergeant Major Harper (Daragh O’Malley, a regular in this mini-series) arrive in England, they discover shocking corruption, then become murder targets when they try to do something about it.  Sharpe and company become part of a prison detail as a result, complete with sadistic torture!

 

Siege (1996) offers the return of the crafty Ducos, in an attempt to discover Wellington’s invasion plans.  Sharpe has married again, only to have to leave for battle yet again.  This time, it is the Pyrenees and a boil turns out to be signs of a much deadlier virus that could threaten everyone!

 

Mission (1996) takes Sharpe behind enemy lines to get rid of French explosives.  Joined by Colonel Brand (Mark Strong), Sharpe begins to find the circumstances of being joined by him peculiar.  Some good subplots help this one.

 

 

One thing that should be said is that this series plays like an old Saturday Morning Serial from the 1930s and 1940s, except each chapter is much longer.  That is a good thing, which becomes apparent as you watch each telefilm.  It also sometimes gives it a feel of the old TV series hoot Dynasty from the 1980s, but this is also a good thing.

 

The full frame, color image is somewhat improved on the transfers for this second set of telefilms.  Whether this is a production or transfer issue is unknown, but the “sharper” the image is, the better it is to enjoy.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 is still simple Stereo with no real surrounds.  The music is the same, fair, simple score with odd electronics that still brings to mind Highlander, the 1980 Flash Gordon theatrical film, and the band Queen.  This still does not fit well with a limited series on the Napoleonic Wars, and the continued attempt at hipness keeps failing the show at times it should have different or no music in certain scenes.  None of the discs have any extras here either.

 

All these installments continue to be directed by Tom Clegg, who has a knack for keeping things moving, and is able to get more into the material.  Bean material stays good and he too gets better.  So far, the show has demonstrated an upward arch enough to make any viewer want to continue watching.  We will conclude the series when we return.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo