Duty (film)

Duty is the eighth and final episode of the British TV series Hornblower, based on the book Hornblower and the Hotspur by C.S. Forester. It was released on 6 January 2003, nearly four years after the first four films, nine months after the next two films, and a day after episode 7: Loyalty.

The series received four nominations for the 2004 56th Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Miniseries, Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special and Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie,^[1] although it is not clear whether they were for Duty or Loyalty or both.

Cast

Plot

Commander Horatio Hornblower, captain of HMS Hotspur, and Maria Mason are married. However, Admiral Pellew arrives and gives Hornblower his next mission: HMS Grasshopper, commanded by old friend Captain Bracegirdle, has gone missing while on patrol off the coast of France. Hornblower is to find her. He gives Hornblower permission to sleep ashore with his wife on their honeymoon night.

The next day, Hornblower sets sail. As a wedding gift, Pellew gives Hornblower his steward, James Doughty, who replaces Styles. On a stormy night, the Hotspur rescues the passengers of a small boat in danger of sinking off the coast of France, including a man claiming to be Swiss and his American wife. The man speaks with a strong French accent, raising suspicions. One of the Americans says they saw a ship get stranded.

Hornblower finds the Grasshopper grounded and most of the crew killed. Those who survived were killed protecting their captain from French troops. As Hornblower and his men are attacked, they find and rescue Captain Bracegirdle. It is revealed that Wolfe, from the previous film, commands the French troops.

Meanwhile, back in England, Pellew receives orders from the Admiralty to find a young couple, the daughter of a wealthy American merchant and a Frenchman. The French, led by Wolfe and with the help of one of the Americans, try to take the Hotspur, but fail, though Wolfe escapes. Afterward, under questioning by Hornblower, the "Swiss" man confesses he is Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napoleon.

Bracegirdle suggests returning to England, but Hornblower chooses to continue investigating French activities. Back in England, Pellew learns from a diplomatic service official that Napoleon's brother is aboard the Hotspur. Hornblower takes a party ashore to reconnoitre. The crew, especially Styles, resent the prisoners.

Hornblower discovers French maritime cannons hidden ashore for reasons unknown. Bracegirdle goes off by himself and discovers why. Before he can reach Hornblower, he is killed by the French.

Hornblower reports to Pellew. The admiral tells Hornblower that the diplomatic service has quarantined the Hotspur to keep Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte's presence a secret; no one can debark or board, captain included. Hornblower takes the opportunity to spend time with his wife.

Commander Hornblower is ordered to take Bonaparte to France, but his wife Betsy is to be transferred to a ship to be sent home. Hornblower orders Doughty to make the couple a good meal. Doughty learns Styles placed a dead rat in the stew he is taking them, which leads to a fight. Doughty accidentally strikes Midshipman Orrock, which according to the Articles of War is an offence punishable by death.

After Hornblower explains to Bonaparte he can only go ashore alone, Bonaparte reluctantly does so, in the hope of persuading his brother to welcome his wife. The next day, Hornblower and Bush return ashore and discover that the cannons they found were removed from three frigates, freeing up enough space to transport 1000 soldiers each. The plan is for Wolfe and 3,000 French soldiers to invade Ireland. Hornblower takes the Hotspur to meet the departing frigates in dangerously shallow water. He fires upon and disables the first. The other two run aground and collide with each other. Wolfe falls onto the Hotspur, where he is killed trying to shoot Hornblower.

On Christmas Day, he rendezvous with the Liberty, which will take Betsy back to America. Hornblower summons Doughty and after dropping hints, leaves him alone and unguarded, so he can swim to the Liberty. Later, it is revealed that Napoleon is pressuring Rome to annul his brother's marriage. Then Admiral Pellew informs Horatio that he has been promoted to Admiral of the Fleet and reminds his subordinate that, according to long-standing tradition, he is permitted three promotions: midshipman to lieutenant, lieutenant to commander and commander to post-captain. Pellew makes Hornblower a post-captain. Hornblower receives further good news from his wife Maria: she is pregnant.

References

External links

• Hornblower: Duty on IMDb