Sharpe

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I enjoyed the Flashman series too!

Only one movie was made from it with Malcolm McDowell playing the eponymous "hero" and with the racier content somewhat turned down.

GMF wrote the screenplay, and "toned it down" to broaden the potential audience.

I personally liked "ROYAL FLASH", and thought Mr. McDowell did a pretty credible job as old Flashy, even though he looked less like Flashman than Aunt Jemima would have. For my money Peter Bowles would have been perfectly cast in the part-- look at Tony Richardson's version of "CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE" where Bowles plays Capt. Duberly. He's Harry Padget Flashman right down to the ground. I've read somewhere that Bowles actually did portray Flashman in a documentary about GMF, but haven't managed to track it down...

[Arlen]

I'm a huge fan of Sharpe, Hornblower, Ramage and Flashman. (The books and the T.V shows.)

Glad you're enjoying Sharpe!

[###KILTEDKIWI###]

You might also like the Bolitho series by Alexander Kent.

Have the full set of these (29 total - have read 23) I really enjoyed them.

Also, Douglas Reeman (Alexander Kent is a pen name) writes a series called "Blackwood", about a family of marines through different generations - 5 of these in total. Great read also.

Ramage, have about half a dozen of these and find it hard to get into them.

Never read any sharpe books, may need to look at these.

[Larry124]

O'Brian is one of my favorite authors! I can't get enough of his stuff. Did you guys like the movie "Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World"? It wasn't exactly like the book, but I thought it was fantastic. I'm really hoping for another.

I enjoyed the movie but both lead roles were IMHO miscast.

[Woodsheal]

I enjoyed the movie (Master & Commander)but both lead roles were IMHO miscast.

Agreed:

Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey - marginal
Paul Bettany as Stephen Maturin - wrong
Billy Boyd as Barrett Bonden - not even close

The guy who played Killick was right on, though...!

[Pleater]

Neither Ramage nor Bolitho seem on a par with Hornblower - I am not sure what it is that they lack, but they do not enable me to visualise the scenes and situations like the Hornblower stories do.

The Sharpe series is not bad, though the writing seems a little lacking in places, as though it could have done with going over one more time to get it right.

I sang 'over the hills and far away' last week at the folk festival - the original Queen Anne version though, not Sharpe's King George, with the slightly altered tune. It was appreciated by an educated audience.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[DWFII]

Agreed:

Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey - marginal
Paul Bettany as Stephen Maturin - wrong
Billy Boyd as Barrett Bonden - not even close

The guy who played Killick was right on, though...!

I thought Killick was perfect as well.

I don't know who else would have been a better Aubrey, though. He's supposed to be a bit fleshy running to fat when he's been overindulging. Aubrey is also blond so I think they missed the boat there. But Crowe convinced me. I would be hard put to imagine anyone else in the role in any sequel.

As for Maturin, my only criticism is that Stephen is a bit seedy and distracted. Paul Bettany played Maturin too neatly and elegantly...and he's a bit better looking than Maturin is supposed to be.

[###KILTEDKIWI###]

Neither Ramage nor Bolitho seem on a par with Hornblower

Never read any of the hornblower series, but I find the movie / tv series thingys fairly av' IMHO.

My difference of opinion regarding the Bolitho series;

I have read them from the beginning, and have seen character developments / lives / deaths etc, so its like a soap opera, well sort of...but a manly one damn it!!!!!!!!

The guy who played Killick was right on, though...!

I was once a Killick, and find the eternal grumpyness that comes with it is well represented ;)

(not a steward, but an engineering Killick)

[Woodsheal]

As for Maturin, my only criticism is that Stephen is a bit seedy and distracted. Paul Bettany played Maturin too neatly and elegantly...and he's a bit better looking than Maturin is supposed to be.

...and a foot and a half too tall...!

[Bigkahuna]

John Malcovich as Maturin?