Customer Reviews

Sharpe's Regiment

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

1813 - Napoleon is on the verge of collapse as Wellington crosses over into France. However, the ranks of Sharpe's beloved South Essex are being decimated and there are no replacements being sent from back home. In an effort to discover what's going on, Sharpe and Harper go to London and discover a corrupt conspiracy headed by an old enemy and must go undercover, faking their deaths and re-enlisting in their own regiment to ferret it out.

This is an atypical Sharpe adventure - first off, no battles with the French (except for a few minutes at the end and beginning), no Chosen Men, and Sharpe has to deal with London army politics and intrigue, which he is woefully inequipped to do so. I'm not quite fond of Regiment as opposed to the other Sharpe adventures because Sharpe's haplessness is a far cry from the heroic figure I've expected him to cut after viewing the rest of the series. While there are a couple of hairy incidents, including a manhunt through the marshes, Sharpe generally stumbles his way through the story requiring assistance from allies gathered along the way to finally win the day.

Another reason I'm not particularly fond of Regiment is that it introduces the incredibly wet Jane Gibbons, whom Sharpe falls for. After strong spirited women like Helene Leroux and Teresa, it seems a stretch that Sharpe would fall for someone like Jane. But of course, this has to be done, as in the novels, because it sets up elements of Sharpe's personal story arc that will climax at Sharpe's Waterloo.

The transfer here is all right, but no fantastic - the last few episodes of the series to come though have a much better and clearer picture quality to them, so it's worth sticking it out for those.

All in all, watchable because of Sean Bean and Daragh O'Malley, but not one of the best. Wait for next time, when Sharpe and Harper get back to France to get back to business, and give the frogs a good beating.

It is still Spain and still 1813 at the start of this ninth effort in the Sharpe series, and after his victory at Vitoria the Duke of Wellington is preparing to finally invade France. Meanwhile, the depleted South Essex regiment faces heavy opposition at the French frontier and are actually forced to retreat. Sharpe (Sean Bean) is sent to England to recruit new soldiers so that the regiment can stay together and brings Sergeant Major Harper (Daragh O'Malley) along for the fun. We know that we are in new territory for our hero when he is introduced to the Prince of Wales (Julian Fellowes), who cheerfully insists that he was on the field when Sharpe captured one of Napoleon's eagles (in "Sharpe's Eagle") and also insists on calling our hero "Dick."

The problem is that the South Essex barracks back home are emtpy and the troops that Sharpe wants to take back to Spain are said to exist only "on paper." However, "Dick" has seen evidence to the contrary and soon discovers corruption in the British army that rises to the highest ranks. Sharpe is targeted for assassination and after Harper saves him the pair decide to go undercover. With everybody thinking they are dead they "enlist" in the army, which means that Sharpe goes from attending a party hosted by the man who is supposed to be the next king of England to crawling through the mud while a sadistic sergeant calls him "filth" and other foul names.

The unit Sharpe ("Dick Vaugh") and Harper ("O'Keefe") have joined is commanded by Colonel Girdwood (Mark Lambert), who pays more attention to this appearance than is healthy, orders all deserters shot on sight, and likes to hunt men for sport. But between Girdwood and the highly placed person running this scheme is our old friend, Sir Henry Simmerson (Michael Cochrane), who I thought had been run through by a priest in the previous episode and who remains the person in the Sharpe series who most deserves to die a horrible death (yes, even ahead of Nappy). Simmerson is always bullying somebody around and this time it is his niece, Jane Gibbons (Abigail Cruttenden), who he wants to marry off to Girdwood.

Sharpe's love life takes a significant turn in "Sharpe's Regiment," because not only does Jane look at him with adoring eyes while he feels inclined to protect her from Sir Henry, but there is also a dowager countess, Lady Anne Camoynes (Caroline Langrishe), who has taken a liking to Sharpe as ladies both high born and low are inclined to do and sees him as being part of her own little set of plans. Besides, somebody has to function as the deus ex machina in this adaptation of the Bernard Cornwell novel.

The taste of what it was like be recruited and trained to become a soldier in the British army is what stands out in "Sharpe's Regimen." Sharpe's discomfort being among the high and mighty is also enjoyable, but not as much as when he puts on his own green uniform and starts setting things to rights. The battle sequence that serves as the film's coda seems rather tacked on, giving the actors playing the Chosen Men a day to draw some pay and for one of the recruits to yell out the story's title. If it were not for the way the finale scenes go a bit against the grain of the rest of this 1996 adventure I would have rounded up instead of down. Still, overall the Sharpe series is a triumph of character and story over the constraints of a limited budget.

Another extraordinary member of the Sharpe's series. Sean Bean is a magnificent actor, and his talents make up for the age of this series. Pay no attention to the lack of advanced special effects, but to the beautiful screenplay and occasional breathtaking cinematography.

This is probably my favourite Sharpe of all. It's because he is such a duck out of water in the halls of power. Sean Bean's acting is superb (as Bernard Cornwell says Sean Bean is Sharpe). I enjoy seeing Sharpe in his element in his native England when he returns to the backstreets and re-enlists. I highly recommend this series to anyone with any interest in history or anyone who enjoys good drama.

Major Sharpe and Sergeant-Major Harper return to England from Wellington's army fighting in Spain to locate replacements meant for the South Essex. Once in England they discover a conspiracy in which replacements are being trained (by a petty tyrant) but the companies they form are auctioned off to officers forming new regiments for service in the Napoleonic wars. Sharpe and Harper must go undercover to expose the plot, which extends to the highest levels of government.

A great movie with marvelous performances all the way around.

This is a great series, whish it were a little less expensive. Sean Bean is Sharpe, the chosen men a wonderful ensemble. Just good fun.

Now, Now. After eight previous Sharpe episodes, I might be tired of the Napoleon Wars, too. Fortunately, writer Charles Wood and Director Tom Clegg give this British TV adaptation of Bernard Cornwell's novels a fine change of pace.

When Major Richard Sharpe's (Sean Bean) South Essex regiment is about to be disbanded, he and Sergeant Harper (Daragh O'Malley) travel back to England to find new recruits. Unfortunately, Sharpe's old enemy Sir Henry Simmerson (Michael Cochrane) and Secretary of War Lord Fenner (Nicholas Farrell) are up to no good in organizing the South Essex's second battalion. Simmerson's niece Jane Gibbons (Abigail Cruttenden) decides to help Sharpe when he and Harper go undercover and reenlist in the second battalion.

There are plenty of ladies in Sharpe's Regiment, but the politics and 19th century boot camp stylings give this film a different vibe. We've seen Sharpe whip his men into shape before. Unfortunately this time, Sharpe and Harper are on the receiving end-and it's nasty. We only see Spain and the Chosen Men at the beginning and end of the show, but in-between we are treated to period London, high society, and crooked politicians. Its fun to see how Sharpe is treated back home: loved by old friends, hated by politicians, loved by the Prince Regent. Sharpe's show stopping rescue of the Second Battalion is a fun twist on those unloving Sharpe folks.

Sean Bean shows his worth in Sharpe's Regiment. We see him living it up in London with a woman or two, but he's shy before the Regent, unaccustomed to royal balls. Bean gives another dimension to Sharpe as he tries to help the younger recruits who aren't up to snuff. Likewise Daragh O'Malley expands on the Irish factor of ever loyal Harper. He's serious, yet full of humor.

Caroline Langrishe as Lady Anne Camoynes is great fun. Her relationship with Sharpe is an unusual one, but she has purpose to her methods. Unfortunately, Abigail Cruttenden is a miss as Jane Gibbons. It's horrible to dislike Sean Bean's future wife, but the character is by nature rushed, forced, and the wrong fit for Sharpe. Her wishy washy and whiney ways make it odd that Sharpe would fall for her so quickly-especially since his mild obsession with Jane isn't explained here as it is in the books. But alas, there's a few more random women to be had in Regiment, and there's villains a plenty. All the higher ups are slime, and Cochrane as Simmerson is as slick as ever. It's great fun to see these `filth' get their due.

The England at home locales is another pleasant change of pace in Sharpe's Regiment. Some things seem crowded or small scale, but I imagine some of the pubs and salacious alleyways were so. The pomp and ceremony could have been bigger, but it all looks accurate enough. The marshes that Sharpe and Harper give chase through look like a lot of messy fun, and yet they're picturesque at the same time. Some of it, however, can seem silly: two men besting incompetent pompous snots on horseback over and over again. The costumes are also a bit silly; Golf caps and pom pom balls with white jumpsuits amidst Full Metal Jacket 19th Century style. It's very strange to see our boys dressed so, even though it allows for plenty of time to get down and dirty. The absurdity is poked at onscreen, and everyone looks to be having fun.

Sharpe's Regiment is everything this series is about-authentic recreations of Napoleonic England, good boys battling adventure and political intrigue, bad guys getting their due. Available individually or in the series set; Sharpe's Regiment is an offbeat, but fine edition to the series.

Based on Bernard Cornwell's best selling novels, Sean Bean returns as swashbuckling British officer Richard Sharpe.

It is June 1813. After the victory at Victoria, Wellington is preparing the troops for the invasion France.

The depleted South Essex is a battalion at half strength. Wellington sends Sharpe to England to recruit nw soldiers. Sharpe and the newly promoted Sergeant Major Harper (Daragh O'Malley) discover corruption in the highest ranks of the British Army. When their suspicions are reported, they find themselves the targets of an assassination attempt.

In the dramatic race against time to prove their allegations, Sharpe and Harper fake their own deaths and re-enlist in the South Essex...

All of the series are exceptional. I like period pieces and as a Transplanted Brit. I enjoy anything to do with any part of British history romantisized or not. And as a retired U.S.Army soldier I appreciate reading about and watching stories of one such as Sharpe who came up through the ranks much as I did. This review applies to all episodes in the Sharpe Series.

Meets my standards as to historical accuracy as regards to weapons, uniforms and geographic locations. Having read the bernard cornwell novels, I found the movies an excellent addition to my knowledge of british military history.