Sharpe's Battle (TV programme)

Infobox Television Film
bgcolour =
name = Sharpe's Battle


caption = Title screen from "Sharpe's Battle"
format = Military drama
runtime = 100 min.
creator =
director = Tom Clegg
producer =
writer = Bernard Cornwell (novel)
Russell Lewis
starring = Sean Bean
Daragh O'Malley
Hugh Fraser
Hugh Ross
John Tams
Jason Salkey
Lyndon Davies
Jason Durr
Oliver Cotton
Allie Byrne
Ian McNeice
music =
country = UK
language = English
network =
released = 1995
first_aired =
last_aired =
num_episodes =
preceded_by = Sharpe's Gold
followed_by = Sharpe's Sword
website =
imdb_id = 0114416
tv_com_id =
amg_id =

"Sharpe's Battle" is a 1995 British television drama, part of a series screened on the ITV network that follows the career of Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. It is somewhat based on the novel of the same name by Bernard Cornwell, though the film is set in 1813 on the Spanish-French border, rather than in 1811 on the border with Portugal.

Plot

While on patrol, Sharpe (Sean Bean) and his men rout some French soldiers who have raped and murdered the inhabitants of a Spanish village. Two are captured alive. Their commander, Brigadier General Loup (Oliver Cotton), attempts to bargain with Sharpe for the lives of his men, but Sharpe has them shot before his eye. Loup vows revenge as he departs.

Meanwhile, Wellington (Hugh Fraser) receives unwanted reinforcements from the King of Spain. His Highness sends his personal bodyguard, the "Real Compania Irlandesa" (Royal Irish Company), composed of poorly-trained men of Irish descent under the command of the inexperienced Lord Kiely (Jason Durr). Wellington doesn't trust them, not least because of reports in American newspapers that the British are committing atrocities against the Irish people. So he orders the unreliable men to garrison a fort near the French lines, where it will be easy for them to desert if they want to. He assigns Sharpe to train them and puts him under the command of former Wagonmaster-General Colonel Runciman (Ian McNeice).

Kiely's wife, Lady Kiely (Allie Byrne), and his mistress, guerrilla leader Doña Juanita (Siri Neal), both show up in camp. In the meantime, Sharpe has enough time to train the men and strengthen the fort's defenses, so that when Loup finally attacks, he is repulsed. Afterwards, Sharpe proposes a quick surprise assault on Loup's headquarters, which is approved by Kiely, Runciman and Juanita.

When Kiely learns that his wife is pregnant, he sends her away, out of harm's way, but she is captured. Juanita reveals herself to be a French agent by giving Kiely a secret ultimatum from Loup. He is to let Sharpe and his men commit themselves to the attack, then abandon them in exchange for Lady Kiely's life.

It almost goes according to plan. Sharpe's men are trapped, though he himself manages to reach Kiely. When Kiely refuses to act, Sharpe fights him, only to be shot in the arm by Juanita. At that point, Kiely finally rebels. He kills Juanita and shows that she had distributed fake newspapers to undermine the Irishmen's loyalty. Together, he and Sharpe lead the attack against the French. Meanwhile, Harper, in temporary command of Sharpe's company, tricks the French by pretending to be dead. The British win the fight - although Harper is devastated by the death of his youngest rifleman, Perkins (Lyndon Davies). As the battle draws to a close, Kiely is killed by Loup when he tries to free his pregnant wife. Loup is slain in turn by Sharpe.

External links

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* [http://www.sharpefilm.com/battle/index.html Sharpe's Battle at SharpeFilm.com]