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Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951)

Director(s) Raoul Walsh
Producer(s) Raoul Walsh (uncredited), Gerry Mitchell (uncredited)
Top Genres Action, Adventure, Drama, Film Adaptation, War
Top Topics Book-Based, Navy, Sailors / The Sea
More Films Directed by Raoul Walsh More Films Produced by Gerry Mitchell More Films from 1951 More Films from the 1950s Top Classic Movies of the 1950s Top Book-Based Films

Captain Horatio Hornblower Overview:

Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) was a Drama - Adventure Film directed by Raoul Walsh and produced by Raoul Walsh and Gerry Mitchell.

SYNOPSIS

A straightforward naval adventure, based on three novels by C.S. Forester, about the heroic 19th-century British seafarer. The story sails with his ship, the Lydia, through battles with Spain and then France won with wit rather than might. Hornblower still finds time to romance Lady Barbara Wellesley, who roils emotional seas because she's married to his admiral.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Captain Horatio Hornblower BlogHub Articles:

Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N. (1951)

By Beatrice on Jul 30, 2015 From Flickers in Time

Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.   Directed by Raoul Walsh Written by Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts, and Aeneas MacKenzie; adopted for the screen by C.S. Forester from his novels UK/1951 Warner Bros. First viewing/Netflix rental Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: Very good, Mr. Crystal. Well, gentlemen, t... Read full article

Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N ( 1951 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Aug 15, 2013 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

"War breeds strange allies" Captain Hornblower pointedly remarks this after embarking with his crew on a secret mission to Central America to supply armaments to "El Supremo" a fanatical rebel leader who plans on organizing an attack against France's Spanish allies. The year is 1807 and while Napo... Read full article

Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N ( 1951 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Aug 15, 2013 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

"War breeds strange allies" Captain Hornblower pointedly remarks this after embarking with his crew on a secret mission to Central America to supply armaments to "El Supremo" a fanatical rebel leader who plans on organizing an attack against France's Spanish allies. The year is 1807 and while Napo... Read full article

Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N ( 1951 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Aug 15, 2013 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

"War breeds strange allies" Captain Hornblower pointedly remarks this after embarking with his crew on a secret mission to Central America to supply armaments to "El Supremo" a fanatical rebel leader who plans on organizing an attack against France's Spanish allies. The year is 1807 and while Napo... Read full article

Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N ( 1951 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Aug 15, 2013 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

"War breeds strange allies" Captain Hornblower pointedly remarks this after embarking with his crew on a secret mission to Central America to supply armaments to "El Supremo" a fanatical rebel leader who plans on organizing an attack against France's Spanish allies. The year is 1807 and while Napo... Read full article

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Captain Horatio Hornblower Quotes:

Lt. Crystal: Signal from the lookout, sir. Natividad's gone about - one more tack and she'll be at the harbor mouth.
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: Very good, Mr. Crystal. Well, gentlemen, that leaves time for a rubber of whist.
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: Gentlemen, we will raise our objective within two days. It will be identified by a fortress on a hill overlooking a large bay.
[Hornblower leaves the quarterdeck]
Lt. Crystal: A fortress... and a wind before morning. Huh! Heat's gone to his head.
Lt. William Bush: Well, I think he knows more than he's saying.
Lt. Crystal: Perhaps you'd care to take a wager on it, Mr. Bush?
Lt. William Bush: How much can you afford?
Lt. Crystal: Five shillings that says no wind and ten shillings that we don't sight any fortress.
Lt. William Bush: Done!
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: This ship is getting slack, Mr. Gerard. It's taking you longer every day to clear for action.
2nd Lt. Gerard: The hands are weak, sir, and...
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: And what?
2nd Lt. Gerard: Restless, sir. After all, sir, seven months without sighting land.
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: No excuse. You ought to control them...
Lookout: Land ho! Off the starboard bow!
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: ...An officer who cannot control his men is not reliable.
2nd Lt. Gerard: Yes, sir. Excuse me, sir, that was "Land ho."
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: I have ears, Mr. Gerard.
2nd Lt. Gerard: I thought you might be interested, sir.
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: It took you eleven minutes and twenty seconds to clear for action the other day. I want it done in ten. Now!
2nd Lt. Gerard: Now, sir?
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: You seem to have your mind on something else - I said, "Now!"
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: If I am not back aboard the Lydia within one hour, she'll train her guns upon your fort and reduce it to rubble.
El Supremo: With you in it, Captain?
Capt. Horatio Hornblower, R.N: That is my order.
[Hornblower informs his officers of the approach of a Spanish ship-of-the-line]
2nd Lt. Gerard: A sixty gunner! What do you suppose he's up to?
Lt. Crystal: We don't clear the bay, I'll wager we're all dead before morning.
Lt. William Bush: How much can you afford this time?
Lt. Crystal: Twenty shillings.
Lt. William Bush: Done! Where shall I send the money if you win?
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Captain Horatio Hornblower Facts
To save costs, the Hispaniola from Treasure Island was reused and renamed Lydia but now the ship was rocked instead of the horizon, this caused many problems due to the combined weight of ship's crew and equipment.
Virginia Mayo was only cast after a number of high-profile British actresses were either not available or interested.
John Witty screen-tested For Lt. Radot (Patrick Young). Jean Serret screen tested For The French Commandant (Eugene Deckers)
Leslie Linder, John Benson, Frank Coburn and Basil Appleby were all suggested for parts.
Patric Doonan replaced Raymond Sherry.
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