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Captain Horatio Hornblower | 
 enlarge | Director: Raoul Walsh
Actors: Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo, Robert Beatty, Moultrie Kelsall, Terence Morgan
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $11.41
You Save: $8.57 (43%)
New (41) Used (9) from $11.40
Rating:  88 reviews
Sales Rank: 6614
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 117 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: WARD110802D
UPC: 085391108023
EAN: 0085391108023
ASIN: B000KJU18C
Theatrical Release Date: 1951
Release Date: March 6, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 03/06/2007 Run time: 117 minutes Rating: Nr
Amazon.com
The much-loved novels of C.S. Forester come to life in Captain Horatio Hornblower, a solid, engrossing seafaring tale. Forester himself worked on the script for the 1951 film, which mines its plot from three Hornblower books. Set during the Napoleonic era, the movie kicks off by steering British captain Hornblower (Gregory Peck) into the middle of a nimble cat-and-mouse game with anti-Spanish rebels in the New World--only to find that in the months since he set sail from Old Blighty, national alliances have changed, causing a reversal in his original mission. The action later shifts to Europe, and throughout there is a love story involving a noblewoman (Virginia Mayo) who takes unexpected lodging aboard Hornblower's ship. The film has an intelligence that keeps it watchable, although it's definitely not one of the more buoyant films of the robust director Raoul Walsh. Perhaps the movie falls short of classic status because of the casting: its sober nature might stem from the personality of Gregory Peck, who looks marvelous but remains stolid throughout, while Virginia Mayo is, well, Virginia Mayo, a league away from British aristocracy. The sea battles don't have the technical dazzle of Master and Commander but they look acceptable for their time, and the movie's fondness for detail is gratifying. Forester's tales later became a series of British TV programs, with Ioan Gruffud as Hornblower. --Robert Horton
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| Customer Reviews: Read 83 more reviews...
 A BRILLIANT PRECURS0R TO STAR TREK! December 4, 2008
Noel Serrano (Tampa, Florida United States)
This is an excelent movie! Gregory peck is inspirational and courageous in this Seafaring Saga. Star Trek Fans will here the familiar adventure fanfare and if you look closely, you will see the familiar dialoque of a Captain and Doctor.
In 1807, Royal Navy Captain Horatio Hornblower (Gregory Peck), commanding the 36-gun frigate HMS Lydia, is on a lengthy secret mission to Central America. He is to provide arms and support to a megalomaniac calling himself "El Supremo" or "The Almighty" (Alec Mango) in his rebellion against Spain, an ally of Britain's enemy France during the Napoleonic Wars. As Hornblower observes to First Lieutenant Bush (Robert Beatty): "War breeds strange allies".
Upon his arrival, the Englishman is told that a larger, much more powerful Spanish warship, the 50-gun Natividad, has been sighted. When it anchors nearby, Hornblower and his crew board and capture it in a surprise nighttime attack. He then reluctantly hands the ship over to El Supremo to appease the madman and they go their separate ways.
Later, he encounters a small Spanish vessel with a pair of troublesome passengers. First, a Spanish official informs him (and provides proof) that Spain has switched sides. Then Lady Barbara Wellesley (Virginia Mayo) "requests" passage back to England for her and her maid. Due to a deadly epidemic raging ashore and her influential relations (she is the fictitious sister of Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington), Hornblower is in no position to refuse, even though he has to find and sink the Natividad. Using masterful tactics, he accomplishes his mission.
On the voyage back to England, Lady Barbara falls ill (of what Hornblower mistakenly believes is yellow fever) and is nursed back to health by him. They spend many enjoyable nights talking and playing whist. They fall in love, but he rejects her advances as he is married, to her embarrassment.
After arriving home, he learns that his wife Maria has died. Hornblower is given command of the Sutherland, a powerful ship of the line captured from the French, and is assigned to a squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Sir Rodney Leighton (Denis O'Dea), Lady Barbara's pompous new husband. The squadron's mission is to enforce the British blockade against Napoleonic France.
At a conference on Leighton's flagship, Hornblower urges a wide deployment to counter any sortie of the French Navy in support of Napoleon's [[Peninsular War|campaign on the Iberian peninsula. However, a suspicious Leighton expressly forbids Hornblower from taking any independent action without his permission.
Hornblower's French-built ship is subsequently mistaken for a friendly vessel by a French ship, making for its easy capture. While interrogating a disguised French diplomat, Hornblower learns the enemy's recognition signal for the day, as well as vital intelligence that four French ships of the line have slipped the British blockade and are heading to Spain, carrying troops and supplies to the French armies there.
Faced with the urgency of the situation, Hornblower decides on his own initiative to attempt to find and sink the ships. He locates them anchored in a harbor guarded by a well-armed fort. By flying a French flag and the recognition signal, as well as taking advantage of the appearance of his ship's French-built design, Hornblower fools the French garrison into believing that Sutherland is a friendly ship, enters the harbor unhindered, and manages to sink or damage all four anchored ships. The French fort then opens fire, and Hornblower and the rest of the surviving crew abandon ship, after deliberately sinking the Sutherland in the harbor channel to trap the French ships.
The rest of the British squadron arrives shortly afterward to complete the job; Leighton is killed in the ensuing battle. Hornblower and Bush, accompanied by seaman Quist (James Robertson Justice), are taken by carriage to Paris to be tried on the trumped-up charge of espionage. They manage to escape en route and make their way to a port. Disguised as Dutch officers, they board The Witch of Endor, a captured British ship, overpower the skeleton crew, free a working party of British prisoners of war to man her, and sail away to freedom.
At his mandatory court-martial, Hornblower is acquitted and becomes a national hero. With Maria and Lady Barbara's husband both deceased, the two lovebirds are reunited.
Captain Horatio Hornblower October 4, 2008
Vicente Ascencio Avila (San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico)
For sure one of the best adventure movies of all times, if you enjoy the clasic adventure movies you need to see this one. And of course, whit grate actors like Gregory peck, Robert Beatty and Virginia Mayo.
 Arrrrrr Matey July 7, 2008
Michael Cavenaugh (Bakersfield, CA USA)
A perfect example of a well done Sea going romance aboard a British Man 'O War.
Captain Horation Hornblower - a great classic movie. May 31, 2008
DANIEL WINTERBERG (Mt. Pleasant, Iowa United States)
I think this movie is one of the better swashbuckler - old sailing ship movies out there.
I have read it is losely based on the life of the great British Admiral Nelson.
The movie takes place during the time period when England, France and Spain were all trying to be the "Masters of the Seas".
It has a great combination of action and a little romance for the women also.
The action scenes are very well done even by todays standards. While maybe not as realistic and bloody as "Master and Commander", it is still a fast paced, entertaining action flick.
I have the VHS also and they did an excellent job transferring the movie to the DVD format.
They don't make movies like this anymore March 8, 2008
Thomas M. Kensil (Huntington Beach, CA)
My favorite Genre is high seas adventures, pirate movies and naval warfare movies. If you like tall ships, cannon broadsides and these type of films this one will satisfy you. The film seems fairly historically accurate with a few flaws...but it's a movie not a history book. Gregory Peck is great. The costumes and ships are great. I especially liked how the Captain's uniform at times is worn and tattered...nice effect. I judge all these movies not on sword fighting, but ship to ship fighting. This movie, Damn the Defiant, The Sea Hawk and Master and Commander are the best in this regard. I just ordered the Horatio Hornblower 8 DVD A & E / BBC series. Please email me if I am missing another flick that fits this bill.
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