Sharpe (TV series)
| Sharpe | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Series DVD artwork | |
| Based on | Sharpe by Bernard Cornwell |
| Written by | |
| Directed by | Tom Clegg |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Dominic Muldowney John Tams |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Running time |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | 5 May 1993 – 9 November 2008 |
Sharpe is a British television drama series starring
Patrick Harper. Sharpe and Harper are the heroes of the Sharpe series of novels by Bernard Cornwell; most, though not all, of the episodes are based on the books. Produced by Celtic Films and Picture Palace Films for the ITV network, the series was filmed mainly in Crimea, with recordings of other episodes in Turkey, England, Portugal and Spain. The two final episodes were filmed in Jaipur, India.[1]
The series originally ran from 1993 to 1997. It consisted of fourteen episodes, each with a running time of around 100 minutes. In 2006,
Masterpiece Classic
season.
The complete series is available on VHS (excluding Sharpe's Challenge and Sharpe's Peril), DVD, Blu-ray and iTunes. The Blu-ray and iTunes releases have been remastered in HD widescreen from the original filmstrips, with the former format available in a special collector's edition box set.[5][6]
Plot summary
At the beginning of the series, Richard Sharpe is a
Patrick Harper
eventually becomes his best friend and is promoted to sergeant and later sergeant major.
Wellesley and his various spymasters, first Major
Lieutenant-Colonel
by joining the Prince William of Orange’s staff, at Wellington’s request.
Along the way, Sharpe has a number of romances. He marries the Spanish
Jane Gibbons, who deserts him, squanders his money, and takes a lover. He finally settles down with Lucille Castineau, a Frenchwoman who passes away some time after Napoleon's final defeat. (However, according to The Starbuck Chronicles
, another series of Cornwell books, she outlives Sharpe.)
Casting
Initially,
was given the role because he was the only suitable replacement available at short notice.The first actor cast was Daragh O'Malley as Harper. The character of Rifleman Harris, played by Jason Salkey, did not exist in the books and was created for the television series. The producers wanted a "clever one" and took inspiration from a real soldier who was illiterate but had dictated his own recollections of the war, which were published.[8]
Some actors have played multiple roles in the series. Peter-Hugo Daly portrayed first Sergeant Rodd in Sharpe's Gold and then Bickerstaff, another unruly sergeant who dislikes Sharpe. Julian Fellowes played Major Warren Dunnett in Sharpe's Rifles and also the Prince Regent in Sharpe's Regiment. Tony Haygarth was "Marshal" Pot-au-Feu in Sharpe's Enemy and Sir Willoughby Parfitt in Sharpe's Justice.
List of episodes
The episodes are listed by first airing date.
| No. | Date Aired | Episode Name | Setting | Date Set |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 May 1993 | Sharpe's Rifles | Portugal | 1809 |
| 2 | 12 May 1993 | Sharpe's Eagle | Battle of Talavera | 1809 |
| 3 | 25 May 1994 | Sharpe's Company | Siege of Badajoz | 1812 |
| 4 | 1 June 1994 | Sharpe's Enemy | Portugal | 1813 |
| 5 | 8 June 1994 | Sharpe's Honour | Battle of Vitoria | 1813 |
| 6 | 12 April 1995 | Sharpe's Gold | Spain | 1813 |
| 7 | 19 April 1995 | Sharpe's Battle | Franco–Spanish border | 1813 |
| 8 | 26 April 1995 | Sharpe's Sword | Franco–Spanish border | 1813 |
| 9 | 1 May 1996 | Sharpe's Regiment | England | 1813 |
| 10 | 8 May 1996 | Sharpe's Siege | Bordeaux | 1813 |
| 11 | 15 May 1996 | Sharpe's Mission | Napoleonic France | 1810 and 1813 |
| 12 | 7 May 1997 | Sharpe's Revenge | Toulouse | 1814 |
| 13 | 14 May 1997 | Sharpe's Justice | Yorkshire, Peace of 1814 | 1814 |
| 14 | 21 May 1997 | Sharpe's Waterloo | Battle of Waterloo | 1815 |
| 15 |
|
Sharpe's Challenge | India | 1803 and 1817 |
| 16 |
|
Sharpe's Peril | India | 1818 |
Cast and crew
Chosen Men
- Richard Sharpe(1993–1997, 2006, 2008)
- Patrick Harper(1993–1997, 2006, 2008)
- Daniel Hagman(1993–1997) – killed in battle in Sharpe's Waterloo.
- Jason Salkey as Rifleman, later Sergeant, Harris (1993–1997) – killed in battle in Sharpe's Waterloo; not at Waterloo in the novel and presumably survives.
- Lyndon Davies as Rifleman Ben Perkins (1993–1995) – stabbed by O'Rourke in Sharpe's Battle and dies in Harper's arms; survives in the novels.
- Michael Mears as Rifleman Francis Cooper (1993–1995) – disappears after Sharpe's Gold due to a disagreement with the production team; returns to narrate Sharpe the Legend; killed in the novel Sharpe's Rifles but resurrected for several of the later-written books.
- Paul Trussell as Rifleman Isaiah Tongue (1993) – disappears after Sharpe's Eagle and never returns; he may be dead or left the army to go back to England; killed in the novel Sharpe's Gold.
Supporting characters
- David Troughton as Sir Arthur Wellesley (1993)
- Hugh Fraser as Sir Arthur Wellesley, Lord Wellington (1994–1997, 2006)
- Malcolm Jamieson as Colonel Pierre de L'Eclin (1993)
- Brian Cox as Major Michael Hogan (1993)
- Kerry Shale as James Rothschild (1993)
- Simón Andreu as Major Blas Vivar (1993)
- Tim Bentinck as Captain John Murray (1993)
- Daniel Craig as Lieutenant John Berry (1993)
- Neil Dickson as Lord Uxbridge (1997)
- David Ashton as Major Lennox (1993)
- Neil Dudgeon as Lieutenant Christian Gibbons (1993)
- James Purefoy as Captain Jack Spears (1995)
- Captain Thomas Leroy(1993)
- Martin Jacobs as Colonel William Lawford(1993)
- Benedict Taylor as William Lawford (1996)
- Teresa Moreno(1993–1994)
- Mark Strong as Colonel Brand (1996)
- Henry Simmerson(1993, 1995, 1996, 2006, 2008)
- Christopher Villiers as Colonel Horace Bampfylde (1996)
- William Frederickson(1994, 1996, 1997)
- Nairn(1994)
- Obadiah Hakeswill(1994)
- Tony Haygarth as Pot Au Feu; Sir Willoughby Parfitt (1994, 1997)
- Pierre Ducos(1994, 1996, 1997)
- Elizabeth Hurley as Lady Isabella Farthingdale (1994)
- Diana Perez as Ramona (Gonzalez) Harper (1994–1996, 2006)
- Alice Krige as La Marquesa de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadaba (1994)
- Emily Mortimer as Lass (1995)
- Hugh Ross as Major Mungo Munro (1995)
- The Prince Regent(1993, 1996)
- Olivier Pierre as General Jean-Baptiste Calvet (1996)
- John Benfield as General Jean-Baptiste Calvet (1997)
- James Laurenson as Major General Hector Ross (1996–1997)
- Caroline Langrishe as Lady Anne Camoynes (1996, 1997)
- Abigail Cruttenden as Jane (Gibbons) Sharpe (1996–1997)
- Alexander Armstrong as Lord John Rossendale (1996)
- Lord John Rossendale(1997)
- Cécile Paoli as Lucille Castineau, Madame la Vicomtessa de Seleglise (1997)
- Paul Bettany as Prince William of Orange (1997)
- Toby Stephens as William Dodd (2006)
- Jason Durr as Lord Keily (1995)
- Marc Warren as Captain Rymer (1994)
Production team
- Directed by: Tom Clegg
- Produced by: Malcolm Craddock, Muir Sutherland
- Writing credits:
- Novels: Bernard Cornwell
- Screenplays: Eoghan Harris (8), Charles Wood (3), Russell Lewis (3), Nigel Kneale (1), Colin MacDonald (1), Patrick Harbinson (1)
See also
- South Essex Regiment
- Over the Hills and Far Away, the theme song of the series
- Over the Hills & Far Away: The Music of Sharpe, companion album
Reception
Cornwell dedicated the 12th book Sharpe's Battle, to Sean Bean and said "When I write Sharpe these days, I hear Sean's voice."[9]
Footnotes
- ^ a b "About Sharpe". Drama. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015.
- ^ "Sharpe news". The South Essex. Archived from the original on 21 February 2008. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
- ^ "Sharpe's Peril". Compleat Sean Bean. Retrieved 22 February 2008.
- ^ Vickers, Judy (1 November 2008). "Jimmy Gardner - Fighting to make an impact on screen". The Scotsman. Edinburgh.[dead link]
- ^ "Sharpe". Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ "Sharpe's Classic Collection Blu-ray Release Date April 12, 2011". Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ^ Ferrier, Morwenna (15 March 2009). "My body & soul: Paul McGann, actor, 49". The Guardian.
I had been filming Sharpe and injured my leg. I woke up in London's Cromwell Hospital to a call from Sean Bean. He'd been drafted in to take over the part.
- ^ "Alum Actor Jason Salkey Uses TV Role Inspiration to Follow in His Father's Footsteps". Hampshire College. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
- ^ Sarah Hughes (23 June 2014). "Sharpe is an action-packed alternative to the World Cup". The Guardian.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to Sharpe (TV series).
