Sharpe's Eagle (1993)

Sharpe commands a band of war-hardened riflemen behind enemy lines. Determined to capture the french mascot a carved eagle which is carried into combat sharpe brings to the screen the continued action danger and romance that surround the british officer & his chosen men. Dvd features not listed. Studio: Bfs Ent & Multimedia Limi Release Date: 07/25/2000 Starring: Sean Bean Run time: 100 minutes Rating: Nr Product Description

Maybe the best

I previously skipped over Sharpe's Eagle-the second in the BBC's television adaptations from the novels by Bernard Cornwell- because I was reading the book. The first Sharpe novel by Cornwell, Eagle is a fine historical work. Surprisingly, the TV adaptation does the written word justice.

When we first meet Richard Sharpe in the Eagle novel, he's a lieutenant raised from the ranks after rescuing Wellington years before in India. Sharpe is a scarred and rough soldier, originally a member of the 95th Rifles. After being left behind by his regiment during battle, Sharpe and his remaining handful of crack shot riflemen move to the South Essex battalion. Sergeant Harper is as close to his superior officer as one in the ranks can be, but Sharpe has his eyes on a captaincy won on the battlefield-a promotion that cannot be taken from him. He can't afford to buy a commission like the spoiled gentlemen do. New colonel Sir Henry Simmerson doesn't make things easy for Sharpe-nor does young and greedy Lieutenant Christian Gibbons. The slick nephew of Simmerson contests Sharpe on and off the battlefield. Both men are vying for the affections of abandoned but high class and expensive Portuguese lady Josefina. Sharpe slowly realizes that the only way to gain respect, wealth, fame, and promotion is to capture an imperial eagle.

Written in 1981, Cornwell might have a tough time publishing Eagle today. Although there's currently 21 Sharpe books-the most recent Sharpe's Fury was publishing in 2006-British born Cornwell's writing style is distinctly European here. (Later Sharpe novels are more American in feel and have become influenced by the television series.) Cornwell's British-ness doesn't detract from the story; the historical accuracy, the richly detailed locales, characters, or Napoleonic vibes. In fact, that British-ness adds to Eagle's charm. Some Americans, however, may have a slow start adjusting to the English wording and punctuation. Fortunately, once you're into the book, these quips disappear. The battle action comes off the page, revenge, even romance. Unlike his hesitant Napoleonic compatriot Horatio Hornblower, Sharpe knows what he wants and usually gets it. Whether it's a little lovin' or the fine line between murder and killing on the battlefield, the reader is routing for Sharpe.

Director Tom Clegg's 1994 adaptation of Eagle takes all the good from the novel and places it onscreen. Script writer Eoghan Harris sometimes gives us line for line dialogue from the book. Harris knows the written Sharpe to the T, and it shows onscreen. The attention to detail and the pull of material from the Sharpe canon keep Eagle authentic to the books and the history.


Sean Bean plays the titular Sharpe to perfection. Even though the reader reads time and again of the dark haired and scarred Sharpe, the blonde Bean carries all Sharpe's rough edges along with his intelligence and veiled sensitivity. Daragh O'Malley is likewise ideally cast as Patrick Harper. His scale and wit bring the Irishman to life. In a book and film with so many characters-officers and soldiers coming and going with each storyline-the entire cast of Sharpe's Eagle looks and feels the part. Some folks just don't look like they belong in a period piece, but everyone here is either Napoleonic gritty or perfectly Jane Austen. Assumpta Serena is beautiful yet strong as guerilla leader Teresa Moreno, and new Bond Daniel Craig is a young and delightfully ruthless addition-even if his Lietuenant Berry has swapped vile places with Lieutenant Gibbons onscreen.

But of course, movies have to change up a few things. Written years later as a prequel, Sharpe's Rifles introduces the Sharpe characters to each other, naturally making a good fit as the first film adaptation. Much as I like the Teresa Moreno character, her premature introduction in Rifles and her odd place in the Eagle film diminishes the onscreen relationship of Sharpe and Josefina LaCosta (Katia Callabero). It's also a bit confusing later on in the Sharpe's Enemy film when Elizabeth Hurley plays Lady Farthingale-one of the aliases used by Josefina in the novels. More riflemen are also given names and personality in the television series. Only elder statesman rifleman Hagman appears in the early novels. Later novels, of course, incorporate the onscreen Chosen Men.


The film adaptation of Sharpe's Eagle brings the book's essence to life. Every time I watch, I think to myself, `this is a damn good show.' Sharpe's Eagle is neither a perfect book nor a perfect film. Both are, however, as near to perfection as is perhaps possible. Fine storytelling, characters, love triangles, action, history. If you're a fan of all things Napoleonic or even if you just like English period pieces, Sharpe's Eagle is not to be missed in either medium. Look for the DVD in several available Sharpe collections. The novel may be elusive in big box bookstores, but it is definitely worth the used store hunts or online purchase. Do, however, be prepared to read the other twenty books- Eagle is that addictive. Just look at all the Sharpe reviews I've done!
December 16, 2008

Movie highlights the broad themes of Cornwell's book, if missing the details

"Sharpe's Eagle" is the second in the British TV adaptations of Bernard Cornwell's colossal Richard Sharpe series of novels. It is a more polished episode than the kick-off film, "Sharpe's Rifles," but only slightly more so. This was essentially an extended TV series, and one with a fraction of the budget of an American blockbuster such as "Lost," much less a major miniseries like "Band of Brothers."

So if you want to be a snob, there is plenty to snicker at in "Sharpe's Eagle." Sharpe spins a terrifying tale of the might of Napoleon's infantry column to some green troops, and yet in the actual battle the French only appear to muster about fifty guys. Wounds are indicated by bloody clothes rather than realistic special effects, and cannons clearly fire blanks.

But if you're the kind of person who looks past low budgets and so-so special effects and instead focus on character and story, then "Sharpe's Eagle" has a lot for you to enjoy. Sharpe, ambitious gutter trash that he is, continues to allow himself to be used by the cynical Major Hogan (Brian Cox) to rise in the esteem of General Wellesley (soon to be Lord Wellington). Along the way, Sharpe runs afoul of that nasty breed of British Army officer - the kind who rose to command through birth rather than merit. Times being what they were, Sharpe was instantly hated by these men as a threat to their established order, and they play for keeps. Indeed, in this movie Sharpe is in more danger from his own side than from the French - look for a very young Daniel Craig as a sinister junior British officer who wants to see Sharpe dead.

Through the bumbling of the leader of the South Essex, a battalion Sharpe's beloved 95th Rifles are attached to, the French steal the battalion's battle flag. This is an unforgiveable sin, the kind that a commanding officer should eat a bullet over. Sharpe's commmander, however, chooses to blame Sharpe. That's one problem. The other is that a good old soldier who knew Sharpe from their days fighting in India was killed defending the lost flag, and with his dying command he makes Sharpe promise to exact revenge against the French by stealing a gold Eagle standard - the Eagle of the title. Only by stealing this battle standard can Sharpe restore the honor of the South Essex.

Look for strong performances again from both Sean Bean and Brian Cox as Sharpe and Hogan, and for solid supporting performances from virtually everyone else. There is also a good deal of soldier's humor in "Sharpe's Eagle," and overall it must be said that this is a nicely balanced film. Check it out, but only after watching "Sharpe's Rifles" and preferably after reading the book. February 15, 2007

My Favorite TV Series

I own the entire Sharpe series on VHS but this is the only episode I have on DVD, and it is one of the best. (Incidentally, I don't understand all the complaining about the quality of the DVD and the lack of grandiose battle scenes--I have no complaints with either the quality of the DVD or the fact that the battles are on a relatively small scale. As to the last, this was a TV series, after all, and the point, as I see it , is the study of the central character, Sharpe.)This is a beautifully done series, with Sean Bean absolutely sterling as Richard Sharpe. I have thought for some time that Sean Bean is underutilized in most of his films and wish that he had more opportunities like Sharpe, whose character as a low-born man who found the army the only place he could go and who proved himself a better man and soldier than most of his high-born peers, is a role any actor would relish. In this particular episode all the elements that make the whole series good come together particularly well as Sharpe has to defend himself from lesser officers out to get him while asttempting to right a number of wrongs, including ill treatment of women and sacrifice of a heroic officer by the cretin who leads the South Essex. He captures the essence of the character perfectly--a "man among men", a rough soldier with a strong sense of honor, a willingness to "stand and fight" and, as Major Hogan tells him, a romantic soul. What could be more captivating? Not much, judging by Sharpe's almost unconscious success with the ladies. The entire cast is excellent, pasrticularly Darrah O'Malley as Sgt. Harper, Sharpe's tough and loyal subordinate, and Brian Cox as the aforementioned Maj. Hogan. I regret that Cox didn't remain with the series because he added a wonderful element of cynical humor, but the series still has a strong humorous element throughout and that is one of its many virtues. In sum, whether it is the depiction of the behind-the-scenes conniving or the blood and gore of the battles or the easy comraderie of the up-from-the-gutter riflemen led by Sharpe (the "Chosen Men"), you will find it hard to tear youself away from this terrific series. February 18, 2005

True, this is character over spectacle, but characters count

Granted, the budget on these television movies is such that the spectacle of battles during the Napoleonic War are reduced to dozens of soldiers on each side rather than massed formations of thousands of troops. But if these adaptations of Bernard Cornwell's novels were given the big screen treatment so that the battles sequences met our expectations we would certainly not be in double-figures with regards to the number of movies made to date. Consequently, "Sharpe's Eagle," the second in the series (but the first novel), sacrifices spectacle to focus on characters, which is fine because that is what this series is about.

For his second mission Lt. Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean), is sent with his Rifles to join the South Essex. The battalion is run by the incompetent Sir Henry Simmerson (Michael Cochrane), who, along with most of his officers, turn their collective noses up at Sharpe having risen up through the ranks. There are a couple of notable exceptions, one is Major Lennox (David Ashton), an officer Sharpe remembers for his distinguished service in India and Captain (Gavin O'Herlihy), who hails from Virginia, who play pivotal roles in what is to happen. The problem is that Sharpe has to fight his war on two fronts, not only worried about the French in front but also the other officers, who are looking for a chance to stab him in the back (literally).

Another key part of this story has to do with how the South Essex have never been in battle and there are a couple of nice sequences with Sharpe and his Rifles prepare the troops for their baptism under fire. Unfortunately, the incompetence of their leaders results in a disaster during what should have been a simple mission to destroy a bridge when the South Essex lose their colours, which is not a bad thing of monumental proportions. The need to regain their honor and the unspoken promise Sharpe makes to a dying man to capture one of the Imperial Eagles, touched by Napoleon himself, that sit atop the French standards set up the final part of the story.

The climax of "Sharpe's Eagle" is the Battle of Talavera, one of the bloodiest of the war and the one for which Sir Arthur Wellesley (David Troughton) becomes Lord Wellington. Of course the cowards run to live another day and brave young soldiers die, but such is war. As many have indicated, all we get is a sketch of the battle, which suffers in comparison to the historical details Cromwell provides in the book. But the best moments in this movie are those of character, such as when Sharpe proves repeatedly he has more of a sense of honor than the strutting peacocks who call themselves gentlemen and when Major Hogan (Brain Cox) gives an officer some idea of why challenging Sharpe to a duel would be suicide. Throughout the movie Hogan gets all of the good lines, while most of Sharpe's best moments involve intense looks at the objects of his displeasure.

"Sharpe's Eagle" also makes excellent use of a song sung by the British soldiers throughout the episode, especially by one young tenor. There is a sense in which these movies are more about the men serving in the British army during the Napoleonic Wars than about the officers, which is as it should be. The relationship between our hero and both Patrick Harper (Daragh O'Malley) and Teresa (Assumpta Serna) continue to evolve as do the plots to get rid of Sharpe. Clearly there are elements here to be continued, but that is the primary attraction. There are well over a dozen of these Sharpe movies and we can watch these early ones knowing that there is a long haul to enjoy.

August 10, 2004

Disappointing to fans of the books

I am a big fan of Bernard Cornwell's series of Sharpe books. While I enjoy these DVDs, they do not measure up to the books. The most disappointing part of these DVDs are the battle scenes. Cornwell's books are centered on the battles. The battle's in these DVDs are small, low budget affairs with about 100 soldiers on each side, not the grand spectacle that is demanded. July 15, 2004

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