Captain Horatio Hornblower Blu-ray Review
“Captain Horatio Hornblower” is an underrated gem.
Based on the series of books by author C.S. Forester, 1951’s “Captain Horatio Hornblower” is a swashbuckling war film set in 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars. The story begins with a Royal Navy warship heading to a location only known to the Captain (Horatio Hornblower). Hornblower runs a tight ship, but his crew grows weary of the harsh conditions on board. Luckily, they arrive at their destination shortly thereafter much to the delight of the entire crew. Initially, Hornblower is tasked with aiding the crazed Don Julian Alvarado who wants to conquer the Americas as he is viewed as an ally. Hornblower goes as far as capturing a Spanish ship for him. Everything changes when Hornblower learns that Spanish is now an ally and he has to stop Don Julian. During this hectic time, Lady Wellesley (the sister of the Duke of Wellington) is in need of passage to England alongside her maid. She joins Hornblower’s ship and is on board during the battle against Don Julian. Hornblower is victorious, but his life is about to be turned upside down. He falls in love with Lady Wellesley, but he is already married and she is also set to be married. Matters become increasingly more complex for Hornblower when he returns home to find news regarding his family and a new mission involving a confrontation with enemy French ships.
If you treasure films like “Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World,” “Captain Horatio Hornblower” is right up your alley. It’s a riveting sea faring Naval adventure filled with explosive ship battles, romance, stunning Technicolor cinematography by Guy Green, high production values, first rate model work, and highly detailed sets and production designs. It’s everything you could want from an old fashioned Hollywood production. There aren’t a lot of Naval films out there (and even less good ones) because they are expensive to produce and even harder to pull off, but Raoul Walsh makes it look easy with his deft direction.
Cast wise, Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo are the big names here. Peck is about the farthest thing from a British man, but he has the gravitas to pull off the role as the iconic literary character. Virginia Mayo is charming as Lady Wellesley and boasts admirable chemistry with Peck. The supporting cast is also aces here with James Robertson Justice (Qist) and Denis O’Dea being standouts.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.37:1 1080p. How does it look? The hi-def print of this Technicolor classic is vibrant and glorious. This Warner Achive disc has everything you could want from a restoration.
Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? From the canon fire to the rousing score by Robert Farnon, this audio track delivers.
Extras include a theatrical trailer, a Lux Radio Theater radio drama with Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo, a short film titled “My Country Tis Of Thee” and a cartoon that is quite appropriate for this set, “Captain Hareblower.”
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