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Richard Sharpe
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Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. The stories formed the basis for an ITV television series wherein the eponymous character was played by Sean Bean.Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He begins in Sharpe's Tiger as a private in the 33rd Regiment of Foot, who becomes a Sergeant by the end of the book, and an Ensign in the 74th Regiment who is transferred to the newly formed 95th Rifles as a second lieutenant during Sharpe's Trafalgar. He is gradually promoted through the ranks, finally becoming a lieutenant colonel in Sharpe's Waterloo.
The stories dramatise Sharpe's struggle for acceptance and respect from his fellow officers and from the men he commands. Sharpe was born a guttersnipe in the rookeries of London. Commissioned an officer on the battlefield, he overcomes class in an army where an officer's rank is often bought. Unlike many of the officers with whom he serves, Sharpe is an experienced soldier.
Sharpe is described as "brilliant but wayward" in Sharpe's Sword, and is portrayed by the author as a "loose cannon". A highly skilled leader of light troops, he takes part in a range of historical events during the Napoleonic Wars and other conflicts, including the Battle of Waterloo. The earliest books chronologically (they were published in non-chronological order) are set in India, and chronicle Sharpe's years in the ranks and as an ensign. He is known as a dangerous man to have as an enemy; he is a skilled marksman and grows to be a good swordsman. In most of the novels he is a Rifle Officer, armed with a 1796 pattern heavy cavalry sword and Baker rifle, although by Sharpe's Waterloo he has also acquired a pistol. He is described as being six feet tall, having an angular, tanned face, long black hair and blue eyes. His most obvious physical characteristic is a deep scar on his right cheek, which pulls his right eye in such a way as to give his face a mocking expression when relaxed, but which disappears when he smiles, which is not too frequently. By the end of the series he has had three children and three wives, although not at the same time.
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Filmography of Richard Sharpe (2 films)
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Sharpe's Peril (2008)
, 2h18Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Action, Adventure, Historical
Themes Political films, Napoleonic Wars films, French Revolution films
Actors Sean Bean, Daragh O'Malley, Michael Cochrane, Masumeh Makhija, Velibor Topić, Raza Jaffrey
Rating72%
The story continues from where Sharpe's Challenge left off. On their way home to England, Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean) and Patrick Harper (Daragh O'Malley) reluctantly agree to escort Marie-Angelique Bonnet (Beatrice Rosen) to the hill fort of Kalimgong, where her fiancé, Major Joubert (Pascal Langdale), is stationed. They encounter a baggage train heading to Madras, made up of soldiers from the King's and the East India Company's armies, commanded by the young Ensign Beauclere (Luke Ward-Wilkinson), engineer Major Tredinnick (David Robb), and Subedar Pillai (Rajesh Khattar). Included in the train is a redcoat prisoner named Barabbas (Amit Behl), an Indian princess (Nandana Sen) and her retinue, and Tredinnick's pregnant wife (Caroline Carver). When the train is attacked by forces of the bandit Chitu, the Subedar is wounded. They are saved by the timely arrival of Colonel Dragomirov (Velibor Topic) and his cavalry squadron. With no one more qualified, Sharpe is forced to take command.
Sharpe's Mission (1996)
, 1h40Origin United-kingdom
Genres War, Action, Adventure, Historical
Themes Political films, Napoleonic Wars films, French Revolution films
Actors Sean Bean, Daragh O'Malley, Abigail Cruttenden, Hugh Fraser, Hugh A. Robertson, Mark Strong
Rating78%
It is 1813. France is losing the war. Major Sharpe (Sean Bean) is teamed with Colonel Brand (Mark Strong), a British officer famous for leading a small band of soldiers operating far behind enemy lines. Wellington (Hugh Fraser) assigns them the task of blowing up a store of gunpowder vital to French General Calvet (Olivier Pierre). To do this, they need the expertise of explosives expert Major Pyecroft (Nigel Betts). Major General Ross (James Laurenson), Wellington's head of military intelligence, decides to go along to evaluate Calvet's intentions.