Sharpe's Peril On Sharpe Sundays: The Long and Winding Road Home

Sharpe’s Peril

Having finished their mission in India Sharpe and Harper are on their way home to England.  On a stop along the way Sharpe is talked into taking a detour and escorting precious cargo to the fort of Kalimgong. The cargo turns out to be high maintenance bride-to-be  Mademoiselle Bonnet on her way to meet her fiancé, Major Joubert.

On the road they run into a group of traveler’s including members of the East India Company army, the King’s army, and an Indian princess and her group, who are also on the way to the fort.  While Sharpe and Harper are there the group is attacked by followers of the bandit Chitu.  The traveling group commander is seriously wounded and Sharpe is asked to help them by taking command. Despite Harper’s misgivings, Sharpe agrees.

The East India company troops are commanded by the very young Ensign Beauclere who worships his deceased soldier father. He has to deal with the very shady character of Colour-Sergeant Wormwood who has his own personal agenda. Sharpe is protective of the young Ensign, but he knows he has to keep an eye on Wormwood.  Sharpe’s biggest ally seems to be the company engineer Major Tredinnick. 

 

There’s also a prisoner among the group, a soldier named Barabbas with a family connection Sharpe knows way too well.  Who is he and why is he there?

Let’s not forget Dragomirov and his men! Back at the attack from Chitu it was Dragomirov and his fellow cavalry soldiers that save the day.  But is Dragomirov to be trusted?

What big surprise will Sharpe find at Fort Kalimgong? What is Wormwood up to? Will it be a boy or a girl for Major Tredinnick’s younger wife? Will Barabbas live up to his name? Will Sharpe deliver Miss Bonnet to her fiancé?

Please join new and longtime Sharpe fans for the Global Sharpe Watch this Sunday, October 14, 3:00pm EST/US, 8:00pm UK, 9:00pm Continent on Tweet Chat.  For all the details and "How To's" go to  Sharpe Lives Movie Club Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/SharpeLivesMovieClub?sk=notes

Or to Distracted Musings of One Reality at the link below:

http://distractedinreality.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/sharpe-lives-or-sharpe-sundays/

Peril is the last episode in the Sharpe series and so we bid farewell this Sunday to Sharpe Sundays. It has been a wonderful experience to watch this legendary series together with an interesting, knowledgeable and fun group of new and veteran fans. 

Thank you to all who shared their knowledge of the Sharpe books and the Sharpe series with us.

We even had Paul Trussell, Rifleman Tongue, drop by on one Sharpe Sundays watch. Thank you sir.  

Thank you to my Sharpe Sundays partner Sin/iz4blue/Fanny or Sharpe Lives for coming up with the original idea and for organizing us all so well. 

A special Thank You to our steadfast group of Sharpe Sundays regulars.  A pleasure to share this journey with you every Sunday.

Will there be another Sharpe episode to give closure to the series? There have been rumors since Peril aired in 2008 that there is one in the works. Some have speculated that it will be somewhat based on Sharpe's Devil.  (Devil is the last (chronological) novel of Cornwell's Sharpe series.)  Some have speculated that Sharpe will go on an adventure to find his daughter Antonia who he hasn't seen since she was a baby.  All fans hope there will be one more episode and that Sharpe and Harper will march again. 

Thank you all who dropped by and read the Sharpe Sundays posts. Hope it will encourage all to watch the Sharpe series and read the novels by Bernard Cornwell. 



Thank you to Sean Bean Online and The Mighty Bean and many others for all the screencaps and pics used for the Sharpe Sundays posts. 

Sharpe's Challenge On Sharpe Sundays: Return to India

Sharpe's Challenge

Two years after Waterloo now French farmer Richard Sharpe is summoned by Wellington to London and asked to go on a mission to India.  You see Sharpe was in India at the start of his military career serving as a soldier under a younger Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington). 

Wellington wants him to find an agent missing in India who was sent on a mission to find about a brewing rebellion.  Sharpe says no at first, he likes being a farmer, until on leaving he finds Ramona Harper waiting for him. Seems the missing agent is his friend Patrick Harper.

On his arrival in India Sharpe runs into the lovely daughter of General Burroughs and later learns she’s been kidnapped and held for ransom by the rebellious Rajah.  If there is a damsel in distress who are you going to call? Richard Sharpe of course!

Sharpe also runs into an old enemy, the evil but handsome William Dodd.  Sharpe was the only surviving witness to Dodd’s treachery years before and he fears being recognized while on his mission to rescue Celia Burroughs.

Will Sharpe find Harper? Will he rescue the damsel in distress?  Will Dodd remember Sharpe? Will Richard regret returning to India? 

 

For the answer to all these questions please join new and longtime Sharpe fans for the Global Sharpe Watch this Sunday, October 7, 3:00pm EST/US, 8:00pm UK, 9:00pm Continent on Tweet Chat.  For all the details and "How To's" go to  Sharpe Lives Movie Club Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/SharpeLivesMovieClub?sk=notes

Or to Distracted Musings of One Reality at the link below:

http://distractedinreality.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/sharpe-lives-or-sharpe-sundays/

You may recognize the actor playing Major Dodd:

Toby Stephens comes from an illustrious acting family. He is the son of two great British acting legends, Dame Maggie Smith and the late Sir Robert Stephens. Toby Stephens has an illustrious acting career himself on stage and screen. Both he and Sean Bean have played James Bond villains. Happy 50th Anniversary James Bond! 

You may also recognize Padma Lakshmi taking a break from cooking shows to play devious and deadly Mahduvanti,

 

If you're interested in what went on behind-the-scenes on the two most recent Sharpe episodes, Challenge and Peril, go to the link below for an article by Sean Bean's personal assistant in India:

 http://www.sharpepointe.com/Punya_1.html

 

Sharpe Sundays: Sharpe's Honour - Duels and Ducos

Sharpe’s Honour


La Marquesa Mendora writes to her husband, a Spanish general, and accuses Sharpe of forcing his attentions on her. Sharpe swears he’s never met her. Her husband confronts Sharpe and demands and apology or a duel. Is La Marquesa telling the truth, or is it part of a plan by Napoleon and French spymaster Ducos to get the British to leave Spain?




Please join new and longtime Sharpe fans for the Global Sharpe Watch this Sunday, July 22, 3:00pm EST/US, 8:00pm UK, 9:00pm Continent on Tweet Chat.  For all the details and "How To's" go to  Sharpe Lives Movie Club Facebook Page:


http://www.facebook.com/SharpeLivesMovieClub?sk=notes


Or to Distracted Musings of One Reality at the link below:


http://distractedinreality.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/sharpe-lives-or-sharpe-sundays/


One of my favorite songs from the Sharpe TV Series is Spanish Bride.  The song is an old British sea shanty also named "Spanish Ladies," or "Farewell and Adieu" and has been traced to the period between 1793 and 1796 in which British ships would dock in Spanish harbors when Spain and Britain were first allies against Revolutionary France. But there's some evidence as well that the song may date to the Peninsular War times of the Sharpe series.    


The version in the video below is an arrangement by John Tams with some of the lyrics by Tams as well.  John Tams is an award winning folk singer, musician, composer, writer, actor who in addition to playing Rifleman Dan Hagman is responsible for the wonderful music for the entire Sharpe series (along with Dominic Muldowney.)

Video by dominusminou

*Screencap of Alice Krige and Sean Bean from mythicdesigns.net

Sharpe Sundays Episode 4 -Sharpe's Enemy: The Enemy of My Enemy?

Sharpe’s Enemy


Deserters from the French, Portuguese and British have joined together and taken over the Portuguese village of Adrados.  They’ve also taken two women hostage, the English wife of a French officer and the Portuguese wife of Sir Augustus Farthingdale.  Sharpe is sent to pay ransom for the British side but the kidnapers change their demands and keep the women. He also meets his new arch enemy, French spymaster Ducos. Sharpe decides to mount a daring rescue anyway. Will the price Sharpe has to pay to succeed be too much this time?

Please join new and longtime Sharpe fans for the Global Sharpe Watch this Sunday, July 15, 3:00pm EST/US, 8:00pm UK, 9:00pm Continent on Tweet Chat. For all the details and "How To's" go to Sharpe Lives Movie Club Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/SharpeLivesMovieClub?sk=notes

Or to Distracted Musings of One Reality at the link below:

http://distractedinreality.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/sharpe-lives-or-sharpe-sundays/

Pierre Roger Ducos 

(Landais dans l'Histoire)

In this episode of Sharpe we'll meet a character called Ducos. There was also a Ducos, Pierre Roger Ducos, who lived from 1747-1817.Coincidence?

From Wikipedia:

"Ducos was a member of the Council of Five Hundred(1797). At the end of his term, he became a justice of the peace, but after Barthélemy Catherine Joubert's coup d'etat (June 1799), he was named a member of the executive Directory. 


On 9 November 1799, Ducos accepted the coup d'état of Napoleon Bonaparte and was one of the three Provisional Consuls (with Napoleon and Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès), becoming vice-president of the Senate with the arrival of a stable Consulate formula."

Happy Bastille Day - July 14

Sharpe Sundays Episode 3 - Series 2: Badajoz

Sharpe’s Company


It’s now 1812 and the Duke of Wellington is making plans to lay siege to Badajoz.  When a new draft of soldiers arrives from England among them is a dangerous figure from Sharpe’s past in India, Sgt. Hakeswill.  Bad news for Sharpe all around since his commission as a captain is no longer needed he’s back to being a lieutenant and worse yet made Quartermaster. In order to get a promotion Sharpe volunteers to lead the Forlorn Hope, the first men to attack the breach, but Wellington refuses.  Will Sharpe save the day and thwart Hakeswill's evil plans?  

Richard Caton Woodville Jr. (1856-1927)

Please join new and longtime Sharpe fans for the Global Sharpe Watch this Sunday, July 8, 3:00pm EST/US, 8:00pm UK, 9:00pm Continent on Tweet Chat.  For all the details and "How To's" go to  Sharpe Lives Movie Club Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/SharpeLivesMovieClub?sk=notes

Or to Distracted Musings of One Reality at the link below:

http://distractedinreality.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/sharpe-lives-or-sharpe-sundays/

Armand Philippon (1803)

Philippon is a name we'll hear mentioned in this Sharpe episode. Like Richard Sharpe, the real Armand Philippon enlisted as a soldier during the French Revolution and rose through the ranks of the French army (Grande Armée) to become Baron Philippon.He was Governor of Badajoz in 1812 when we join Sharpe's Company in Spain this Sunday.

Sharpe's Eagle - This Sunday's Episode on Sharpe Sundays

Sharpe’s Eagle


The army is now in Spain.  Arriving in camp is a new regiment, the South Essex and in command is Sir Henry Simmerson, joined by his nephew Lt. Gibbons and mysterious Countess Josefina. Sir Arthur Wellesley has no faith in Simmerson who he knows is there because of his political connections. Wellesley assigns Richard Sharpe and the Chosen Men to the South Essex to see that the mission to blow up a bridge at Valdelacasa is a success.  Things go terribly wrong and due to Simmerson’s incompetence the French make off with the British colours.  What will Sharpe do to preserve the Army’s honor?

Antoine-Denis CHAUDET (designer)

French 1763-1810

Pierre-Philippe THOMIRE

French 1751-1843

French Imperial Eagle of the 6th Regiment of the Light Cavalry. Hundred Days model (Aigle de drapeau du 6e régiment des Chasseurs à cheval. Modèle des Cent Jours) 1815

Fondation Napoléon, Paris

Please join new and longtime Sharpe fans for the Global Sharpe Watch this Sunday, June 30, 3:00pm EST/US, 8:00pm UK, 9:00pm Continent on Tweet Chat.  For all the details and "How To's" go to  Sharpe Lives Movie Club Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/SharpeLivesMovieClub?sk=notes

Or to Distracted Musings of One Reality at the link below:

http://distractedinreality.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/sharpe-lives-or-sharpe-sundays/

southessex.co.uk

In last week's episode we met Major Michael Hogan (played by Brian Cox) who is one of Wellington's Exploring Officers.  Exploring Officers were intelligence officers in Wellington's personal staff who often went behind enemy lines or headed special operations to see what the enemy was up to. 

One of Wellington's real life Exploring Officers was  Lt Col Colquhoun Grant.

National Portrait Gallery (UK) Colquhoun Grant 

by George Jones (1815-1820) 

Grant didn't consider himself a spy as we would today, but an officer and a gentleman. He started out as an artillery officer in the Army  and in 1808 followed Wellington to Portugal and Spain to fight against Napoleon's forces. 

Wellington soon realised that the French outnumbered his forces. He therefore needed to have as much advance information as possible and he developed a network of intelligence officers and local spies. He valued both strategic information, gathered by the interception of enemy letters, and tactical intelligence, gathered by men in the field such as ‘exploring officers’. www.nationalarchives.co.uk

See you on Sunday!

Join the Sharpe Watch - Sharpe Sundays Starts this Sunday with Sharpe's Rifles

Sharpe’s Rifles

It’s 1809 and Sergeant Richard Sharpe of the second Battalion of the 95^th Rifles is in Portugal. The British Army is there fighting against Napoleon Bonaparte and the French in the Peninsular War (Spanish War of Independence.) Through an act of bravery Sharpe receives a field commission making him a lieutenant and is given command of the 95^th Rifles under Captain Murray. The Rifles, also known as the Chosen Men, are not very accepting of his command because he was raised from the ranks and is not a proper officer.  But Sharpe has been given a special mission by Sir Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) to find a missing agent behind enemy lines and he’s determined to do so despite many setbacks.  But when Sharpe encounters two Spanish guerrilla leaders, one of them a woman, he begins to wander what his mission really is.   

Please join new and longtime Sharpe fans for the Global Sharpe Watch this Sunday, June 24, 3:00pm EST/US, 8:00pm UK, 9:00pm Continent on Tweet Chat.  For all the details and "How To's" go to  Sharpe Lives Movie Club Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/SharpeLivesMovieClub?sk=notes

Or to Distracted Musings of One Reality at the link below:

http://distractedinreality.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/sharpe-lives-or-sharpe-sundays/

In his novels Bernard Cornwell likes to mix real life historical figures with his fictional characters.  In this first episode of Sharpe Series 1 we'll meet two important historical figures:

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (1 May 1769[1] – 14 September 1852), was a British soldier and statesman, a native of Ireland, from the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy,[3] and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century. He is often referred to as "the Duke of Wellington", even after his death, when there have been subsequent Dukes of Wellington. 

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Wellesley,_1st_Duke_of_Wellington

Nathan Mayer Rothschild

Nathan Mayer, Freiherr von Rothschild (16 September 1777 – 28 July 1836), known as Nathan Mayer Rothschild, was a British banker and financier and one of five sons of the second-generation of the Rothschild banking dynasty. 

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Mayer_Rothschild

Or could be his brother James Rothschild who aided his brother Nathan during the Napoleonic Wars:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Mayer_de_Rothschild

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Richard Armitage Fans, don't forget Armitage Watch on Fridays and Saturdays. Go to the link below for all the details:

http://armitagewatch.blogspot.com/p/calendar-of-upcoming-watches.html