Sharpe's Regiment (TV programme)
Encyclopedia
Sharpe's Regiment is a British
television drama, part of a series
that follows the career of Richard Sharpe
, a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars
. This episode is based on the novel of the same name
by Bernard Cornwell
.
) and Sergeant Major Harper (Daragh O'Malley
) are sent back to England to find out why replacements have not been sent.
During an audience with the dimwitted Prince Regent
(Julian Fellowes
), Sharpe is introduced to Lord Fenner (Nicholas Farrell
), the man responsible for the regiment's troubles. Fenner sends Lady Anne Camoynes (Caroline Langrishe
) to sleep with Sharpe and ascertain his intentions. When he finds out, he sends assassins to solve his potential problem, but Sharpe and Harper dispose of them instead. Their bodies are tossed into the river and rumours are spread that Sharpe and Harper have been killed.
Meanwhile, the two men "enlist" in the South Essex to find out what happens to the recruits. They learn that they are being trained by Lieutenant Colonel Girdwood (Mark Lambert
) and then sold to other regiments by Sharpe's old enemy, Sir Henry Simmerson (Michael Cochrane
). Simmerson's niece, Jane Gibbons (Abigail Cruttenden), helps Sharpe and Harper escape afterwards.
Sharpe confronts Lord Fenner, but does not have any proof. Just in time, Lady Camoynes, who has her own grudge against Fenner, shows up with ledgers detailing the crimes and uses them for blackmail
for herself and for Sharpe. Simmerson due to his influential friends, once more escapes prosecution. Sharpe gets the men he came for and goes back to fight in Spain, albeit with Colonel Girdwood in tow. In Spain, Girdwood is injured and Sharpe takes command of the South Essex, leading them on to victory. To shelter Jane from Simmerson's wrath, Sharpe becomes engaged to her.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television drama, part of a series
Sharpe (TV series)
Sharpe is a British series of television dramas starring Sean Bean about Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier in the Napoleonic Wars. Sharpe is the hero of a number of novels by Bernard Cornwell; most, though not all, of the episodes are based on the books...
that follows the career of Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe (fictional character)
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....
, a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. This episode is based on the novel of the same name
Sharpe's Regiment (novel)
Sharpe's Regiment is a historical novel, part of series about the fictional Richard Sharpe by Bernard Cornwell.-Plot introduction:In this book set during the Napoleonic Wars, Sharpe repeatedly runs into problems caused by his lower social class and his officer standing...
by Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.-Biography:...
.
Plot
It is 1813. The South Essex Regiment has suffered terrible losses in the fighting in Spain and is in danger of being disbanded as a result. Major Sharpe (Sean BeanSean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
) and Sergeant Major Harper (Daragh O'Malley
Daragh O'Malley
Daragh O'Malley is an Irish film, theatre and television actor, best known for his portrayal of the much loved and ever faithful but rather fearsome Patrick Harper in the legendary Sharpe TV series along side Sean Bean...
) are sent back to England to find out why replacements have not been sent.
During an audience with the dimwitted Prince Regent
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
(Julian Fellowes
Julian Fellowes
Julian Alexander Kitchener-Fellowes, Baron Fellowes of West Stafford, DL , known as Julian Fellowes, is an English actor, novelist, film director and screenwriter, as well as a Conservative peer.-Early life:...
), Sharpe is introduced to Lord Fenner (Nicholas Farrell
Nicholas Farrell
Nicholas Farrell is an English stage, film and television actor. His early screen career included the role of Aubrey Montague in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. In 1983, he starred as Edmund Bertram in a television adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, Mansfield Park...
), the man responsible for the regiment's troubles. Fenner sends Lady Anne Camoynes (Caroline Langrishe
Caroline Langrishe
Caroline Langrishe is an English actress.In 1976, Langrishe appeared in the BBC production of The Glittering Prizes. In 1977 she played the role of Kitty in a BBC adaptation of Anna Karenina. Her first big part was in the 1978 British adaption of Les Misérables...
) to sleep with Sharpe and ascertain his intentions. When he finds out, he sends assassins to solve his potential problem, but Sharpe and Harper dispose of them instead. Their bodies are tossed into the river and rumours are spread that Sharpe and Harper have been killed.
Meanwhile, the two men "enlist" in the South Essex to find out what happens to the recruits. They learn that they are being trained by Lieutenant Colonel Girdwood (Mark Lambert
Mark Lambert (actor)
Mark Lambert is an American film, television and theatre actor; he is also a singer.-Early life:He was born Mark Luebke and grew up in San Jose, California, where he graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1970.-Career:...
) and then sold to other regiments by Sharpe's old enemy, Sir Henry Simmerson (Michael Cochrane
Michael Cochrane
Michael Cochrane is an English actor who specialises in playing upper class characters, sometimes with a suaveness that hides their villainy....
). Simmerson's niece, Jane Gibbons (Abigail Cruttenden), helps Sharpe and Harper escape afterwards.
Sharpe confronts Lord Fenner, but does not have any proof. Just in time, Lady Camoynes, who has her own grudge against Fenner, shows up with ledgers detailing the crimes and uses them for blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
for herself and for Sharpe. Simmerson due to his influential friends, once more escapes prosecution. Sharpe gets the men he came for and goes back to fight in Spain, albeit with Colonel Girdwood in tow. In Spain, Girdwood is injured and Sharpe takes command of the South Essex, leading them on to victory. To shelter Jane from Simmerson's wrath, Sharpe becomes engaged to her.
Cast
- Sean BeanSean BeanShaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
as Major Richard Sharpe - Daragh O'MalleyDaragh O'MalleyDaragh O'Malley is an Irish film, theatre and television actor, best known for his portrayal of the much loved and ever faithful but rather fearsome Patrick Harper in the legendary Sharpe TV series along side Sean Bean...
as Sergeant Major Patrick Harper - Abigail CruttendenAbigail CruttendenAbigail Cruttenden is an English actress.Cruttenden played opposite Sean Bean as his character's onscreen wife Jane in several episodes of Sharpe. The couple wed in real life in 1997 and had a daughter, Evie. Three months later they started divorce proceedings, and divorced in 2000. In 2003,...
as Jane Gibbons - Michael CochraneMichael CochraneMichael Cochrane is an English actor who specialises in playing upper class characters, sometimes with a suaveness that hides their villainy....
as Sir Henry Simmerson - Nicholas FarrellNicholas FarrellNicholas Farrell is an English stage, film and television actor. His early screen career included the role of Aubrey Montague in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. In 1983, he starred as Edmund Bertram in a television adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, Mansfield Park...
as Lord Fenner - Caroline LangrisheCaroline LangrisheCaroline Langrishe is an English actress.In 1976, Langrishe appeared in the BBC production of The Glittering Prizes. In 1977 she played the role of Kitty in a BBC adaptation of Anna Karenina. Her first big part was in the 1978 British adaption of Les Misérables...
as Lady Anne Camonynes - James LaurensonJames LaurensonJames Laurenson is a New Zealand actor, who has performed many classical roles on stage and television.Laurenson was born in Marton, New Zealand...
as Major GeneralMajor-General (United Kingdom)Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Ross - Mark LambertMark LambertMark Lambert may refer to:*Mark Lambert , born Mark Luebke, Broadway actor and singer*Mark Lambert , English rugby union player...
as Lieutenant Colonel Bartholomew Girdwood - Julian FellowesJulian FellowesJulian Alexander Kitchener-Fellowes, Baron Fellowes of West Stafford, DL , known as Julian Fellowes, is an English actor, novelist, film director and screenwriter, as well as a Conservative peer.-Early life:...
as the Prince RegentGeorge IV of the United KingdomGeorge IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later... - Norman RossingtonNorman RossingtonNorman Rossington was an English actor best remembered for his roles in The Army Game, the Carry On films and the Beatles film A Hard Day's Night.-Early life:...
as Sergeant Horatio Havercamp - Benedict TaylorBenedict TaylorBenedict Sean Taylor is a British actor. His adoptive sister is Femi Taylor...
as Sir William Lawford - John SavidentJohn SavidentJohn Savident is a British actor, best known for playing the part of Fred Elliott in the soap opera Coronation Street from 1994 to 2006. And also was a frequent guest on Soccer AM alongside fellow actor Jack 'The Rigger' Spooner....
as Major General Sir Barstan Maxwell - John TamsJohn TamsJohn Tams is an English actor, singer, songwriter, composer and musician.- Folk musician :John Tams was a member of Derbyshire folk group Muckram Wakes in the 1970s, then worked with Ashley Hutchings as singer and melodeon-player on albums including Son of Morris On, and as a member of the...
as Rifleman Daniel Hagman - Jason SalkeyJason SalkeyJason Salkey is an English actor. He played Rifleman Harris in Sharpe, and Paul Lang in The Bill. He has also been in Bergerac, Boon, Wycliffe, About a Boy, and In America....
as Rifleman Harris - Robert PattersonRobert PattersonRobert Patterson was a United States major general during the Mexican-American War and at the beginning of the American Civil War...
as Sergeant Lynch
Soundtrack
- "The Bold Fusilier" (a.k.a. "Marching through Rochester")