Captain Horatio Hornblower
Directed by	Raoul Walsh
Produced by	Gerry Mitchell
Written by	C.S. Forester, Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts, Aeneas MacKenzie
Starring	Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo, Robert Beatty
Music by	Louis Levy
Cinematography	Guy Green (director)
Editing by	Jack Harris
Release date	1951
Running time	117 minutes
Language	English
Budget	$3,000,000
IMDb profile

Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (released in the US without the "R.N.") is a naval adventure movie of 1951 based upon the Horatio Hornblower novels of C. S. Forester, specifically (in order of publication) The Happy Return, A Ship of the Line, and Flying Colours. Directed by Raoul Walsh, the film stars Gregory Peck as Horatio Hornblower, Virginia Mayo as Lady Barbara Wellesley, and Robert Beatty as Lieutenant Bush. Image File history File links Captain_Horatio_Hornblower_1951_film. ... Raoul Walsh (March 11, 1887 – December 31, 1980) was an American film director. ... Cecil Scott Forester is the pen name of Cecil Smith (August 27, 1899 - April 2, 1966), an English novelist whose rose to fame with tales of adventure with military themes, notably the 11-book Horatio Hornblower series (being filmed with Ioan Gruffudd as Horatio Hornblower) about naval warfare during the... Ivan Goff (April 17, 1910 - September 23, 1999) was an Australian screenwriter. ... Gentleman Ben Roberts (born 3 November 1956) is an English professional poker player based in London. ... Gregory Peck at Cannes, 2000 Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Oscar-winning American film actor. ... Virginia Mayo, 1944 Virginia Mayo (November 30, 1920 - January 17, 2005) was an American film actress. ... Robert Beatty (born 19 October 1909, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and died 3 March 1992, London, England) was a Canadian actor who worked in radio, film and television for most of his career and was especially known in the United Kingdom. ... Guy Green, 1992 Guy Green (November 15, 1913 – September 15, 2005) was a British director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. ... John James Jack Harris (born October 27, 1948 in St. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Horatio Hornblower is a fictional officer in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, originally the protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester, and later the subject of films and television programs. ... The cover of the 1974 paperback edition of one of Foresters non-fiction titles: Hunting The Bismarck Cecil Scott Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (August 27, 1899 – April 2, 1966), an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of adventure with military themes. ... The Happy Return (Beat to Quarters in the US) was the first of the Horatio Hornblower novels published by C. S. Forester. ... This novel follows Horatio Hornblower on his tour during his first tour as captain of a Ship of the Line. ... Following his surrender of the Sutherland, Horatio Hornblower endeavers to escape prison and execution at the hands of Napoleon. ... Raoul Walsh (March 11, 1887 – December 31, 1980) was an American film director. ... Gregory Peck at Cannes, 2000 Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Oscar-winning American film actor. ... Virginia Mayo, 1944 Virginia Mayo (November 30, 1920 - January 17, 2005) was an American film actress. ... Robert Beatty (born 19 October 1909, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and died 3 March 1992, London, England) was a Canadian actor who worked in radio, film and television for most of his career and was especially known in the United Kingdom. ...

Like all classic hollywood adventure movies, it features heroism, exciting battles and some personal triumph and tragedy, although with an occasionally introspective tone unusual for an old-fashioned swashbuckler. Swashbuckler is a term that came about in the 16th century and was applied to rough, noisy and boastful swordsmen. ...

Plot

Horatio Hornblower (Gregory Peck) is a captain in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. His mission is to help a powerful, insane colonist living in Central America to rebel against Spanish rule. Later, he is ordered to help enforce the blockade against France. Along the way, he is helped by his first lieutenant William Bush (Robert Beatty) and comes into contact with Lady Barbara Wellesley, the (fictional) younger sister of the Duke of Wellington. Gregory Peck at Cannes, 2000 Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Oscar-winning American film actor. ... Combatants Allies: • Great Britain/United Kingdom, • Prussia, • Austria, • Sweden, • Russia • France • Denmark-Norway • Poland Casualties Full list Full list The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ... Map of Central America Central America is a central region of the Americas. ... Robert Beatty (born 19 October 1909, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and died 3 March 1992, London, England) was a Canadian actor who worked in radio, film and television for most of his career and was especially known in the United Kingdom. ... The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title and the senior Dukedom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. ...

As the film begins, the crew of HMS Lydia are sailing towards a destination in modern-day Nicaragua to bring supplies to a colonist who is determined to rebel against Spain. Although a madman, the colonist ("El Supremo", or "The Almighty") is capable of organizing a rebellion. Hornblower's crew capture the Spanish ship, Natividad, sent to fight El Supremo. HMS is a TLA that may stand for: Her Majestys Ship or His Majestys Ship (Royal Navy) hour-minute-second Halb Mastwurf Sicherung Harvard Medical School Haslemere Musical Society Hazardous materials safety Headend management station Health monitoring system Heavy melting scrap Helmet-mounted sight Her Majestys Service...

After Hornblower has already started to sail towards Cape Horn and back to Britain, he discovers that Spain has switched sides in the conflit with France, and he must now destroy El Supremo's force. After a close naval battle, the Natividad is finally sunk. Cape Horn from the South. ...

The British station south of El Supremo's fort forces Hornblower to transport Lady Barbara (Virginia Mayo) and her maid back to England. After curing her of what he originally thought to be yellow fever, helping her in the sick bay, and spending many enjoyable nights talking and playing whist with her, Hornblower falls in love with his passenger. He rejects her advances as he is married, and she is extremely offended. Virginia Mayo, 1944 Virginia Mayo (November 30, 1920 - January 17, 2005) was an American film actress. ... Whist (a trick-taking game) is a classic game which was played widely in the 18th and 19th centuries and was a development of an older game Ruff and Honours. ...

After arriving home and being greeted with the news that his wife Maria has died, Hornblower is given a different ship and assigned to a squadron (commanded by Lady Barbara's fiance) that is enforcing the British blockade against Napoleonic France. Although ordered to remain strictly with the rest of the squadron, Hornblower's French-built ship captures the attention of another French boat, which Hornblower captures before the other captain realizes his mistake. In this way, he learns that four ships have slipped the blockade and are making for Spain.

Disobeying his orders, Hornblower decides to sink all four ships before their supplies can make it to the French soldiers fighting in Spain. He manages to track them to a port guarded by a well-armed fort. Using the disguise afforded by a French flag, the French make of his ship, and information from his prisoner, he fools the fort's commander and gets within range of the French ships and sinks them. It does not take long for the French fort to open fire, and Hornblower, his wounded first lieutenant Bush (Robert Beatty), and the rest of his crew are forced to abandon ship. Robert Beatty (born 19 October 1909, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and died 3 March 1992, London, England) was a Canadian actor who worked in radio, film and television for most of his career and was especially known in the United Kingdom. ...

Just as Hornblower and Bush are forced to get into a carriage to go to Paris to be tried for spying (it was regarded as a crime to use the flag of another country during war), the rest of the British squadron arrives and Lady Barbara's fiance is killed in the battle that results. Bush and Hornblower escape and make their way to a French port. They disguise themselves as Dutch officers and ask to be led aboard a captured British ship, which is being made ready by its crew, now prisoners of war, for the French navy. Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ...

Once all the crew are on board, Hornblower orders a mutiny and escape. Before the French realize what is happening, all their guards have been thrown into the water and the captured ship is sailing back towards England. Both Hornblower and Bush are promoted upon their return. With Maria and Lady Barbara's fiance dead, Hornblower and Lady Barbara are married.

Background and production

The film cost $3,000,000 to make and was filmed in studios inside the United Kingdom.

Cast

• Gregory Peck as Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N
• Virginia Mayo as Lady Barbara Wellesley
• Robert Beatty as Lt. William Bush
• Moultrie Kelsall as Lt. Crystal, an officer on board the Lydia
• Terence Morgan as 2nd Lt. Gerard, an officer on board the Lydia
• James Kenney as Midshipman Longley,
• James Robertson Justice as Seaman Quist, who helps Hornblower and Bush escape
• Denis O'Dea as RAdm. Sir Rodney Leighton
• Richard Hearne as Polwheal, Hornblower's batman
• Michael Dolan as Surgeon Gundarson
• Stanley Baker as Mr. Harrison, Hornblower's bosun
• Alec Mango as El Supremo (Don Julian Alvarado)
• Christopher Lee as the Spanish captain of the Natividad
• Ingeborg von Kusserow as Hebe, Lady Barbara's maid
• Amy Veness as Mrs. McPhee, Hornblower's housekeeper
• Diane Cilento as Voice of Maria Hornblower, Hornblower's wife writing him a letter on her deathbed