The Even Chance
Encyclopedia
The Even Chance is the first of a number of TV adaptations
of the exploits of Horatio Hornblower
, first related by C.S. Forester.
The Even Chance is the name given to this first film in the United Kingdom
, while in the United States
it is known as The Duel. Welsh
actor Ioan Gruffudd
plays the title role.
Hornblower becomes suicidal under Simpson's malignant rule and finally finds opportunity to challenge him to a duel. An older midshipman, Clayton, feels guilty that he himself has not stood against Simpson. He knocks Hornblower unconscious, takes his place in the duel and is mortally wounded. Simpson, on the other hand, recovers to fight another day.
Hornblower goes on to join the frigate, Indefatigable
, under the command of Captain Pellew
. Midshipmen Kennedy, Hether, and Cleveland go with him, as well as Simpson's old division which, due to Pellew's ire, becomes Hornblower's division. Hornblower's conduct under the pressure of battle eventually wins the respect and loyalty of these men.
Simpson joins Indefatigable (known by her crew as the Indy) when Justinian is sunk by a rogue French ship called Papillon. The Indy and her crew take on a cutting out expedition into the Gironde
, take Papillon, and sail to rejoin Indefatigable. During the operation, Simpson attempts the murder of Hornblower, and sets Kennedy adrift.
The French Ship, Papillon, now in the hands of the British, is sailing back to the Indy when the Indy comes under fire from three French ships. On the way back to the Indy, the Papillon comes under fire from shore batteries, killing the two officers superior to Hornblower, Lt. Eccleston and Lt. Chadd. Shortly before the most senior officer (Eccleston) dies, he tells Hornblower to take command. Simpson attempts to challenge Hornblower's authority, but Hornblower tells Mr Bowles (the ship's master), that if Mr Simpson resists "you have my permission to shoot him". Simpson is then taken below whilst the Papillon sails back to the Indy.
The Indy is now taking heavy fire from the three French ships, and Hornblower orders the Papillon not to lower its French colours. The Papillon then engages the French ships forcing them to surrender. After the battle, Mr Simpson and Hornblower are called to Captain Pellew's cabin. Accused by Hornblower of attempted murder, Simpson challenges him to a second duel, which Hornblower accepts (after receiving permission from Pellew).
In this second duel, which takes place on a beach, Simpson shoots at Hornblower before the combatants are actually told to fire. Simpson claims, dubiously, that it was a misfire, running forward to see if his opponent is still alive. But Hornblower is not badly injured. Simpson is then told that he must stand his ground and take fire. Faced with this prospect, Simpson pleads pathetically to Hornblower for his life, revealing himself for the coward he is. Hornblower fires into the air, claiming that shooting the now defenseless Simpson is "not worth the powder". Smarting at this insult, Simpson attempts to knife Hornblower, but is shot dead just before he reaches him by Captain Pellew, who is standing concealed on a cliff above the beach.
As the film draws to its end, Captain Pellew tells Hornblower precisely how impressed he has been by his actions. Pellew anticipates that Hornblower has a great career ahead of him, if he continues as has begun.
Retrieved from Hornblower
. In the original story, the mathematically-minded Hornblower devises a plan by which he secures himself an "even chance" against a greater-skilled adversary. As the offended party, he has the choice of weapons. He asks that one of the duelling pistols be loaded while the other remains empty, the combatants having to toss for it and then stand a yard apart and fire at each other at point blank range. As it turns out, the captain has secretly given orders that neither weapon be loaded, the resulting lack of a shot blamed on a misfire
, and Hornblower comes out of the duel unscathed.
The episode also incorporates material from several other stories in the novel Mr. Midshipman Hornblower. Among these are "Hornblower and the Cargo of Rice", for Hornblower's ill-fated command of the Marie Galante, and the chapter "Hornblower and the Man Who Felt Queer", for the section concerning the Indefatigables expedition against the Papillon. The episode also diverges from the plot of this chapter in several respects, mostly related to the addition of Simpson and Kennedy to the event (in the book, Simpson is not transferred to Indefatigable, and Kennedy does not take part in the expedition).
Hornblower (TV series)
Hornblower is the umbrella title of a series of television drama programmes based on C. S. Forester's novels about the fictional character Horatio Hornblower, a Royal Naval officer during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars....
of the exploits of Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy officer who is the protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester. He was later the subject of films and television programs.The original Hornblower tales began with the 1937 novel The Happy Return Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy...
, first related by C.S. Forester.
The Even Chance is the name given to this first film in the United Kingdom
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...
, while in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
it is known as The Duel. Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
actor Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd is a Welsh actor.Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he started off in Welsh language film productions, then came to international attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the film Titanic , and as Lt. John Beales in Black Hawk Down...
plays the title role.
Plot
The film begins in January 1793 as a youthful Hornblower joins a ship of the line, Justinian. Hornblower is introduced to his shipmates, one of whom is the ruthless Jack Simpson, who rules the midshipman's berth as the bully he is.Hornblower becomes suicidal under Simpson's malignant rule and finally finds opportunity to challenge him to a duel. An older midshipman, Clayton, feels guilty that he himself has not stood against Simpson. He knocks Hornblower unconscious, takes his place in the duel and is mortally wounded. Simpson, on the other hand, recovers to fight another day.
Hornblower goes on to join the frigate, Indefatigable
HMS Indefatigable (1784)
HMS Indefatigable was one of the Ardent class 64-gun third-rate ships-of-the-line designed by Sir Thomas Slade in 1761 for the Royal Navy. She had a long career under several distinguished commanders, serving throughout the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars...
, under the command of Captain Pellew
Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth
Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, GCB was a British naval officer. He fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary, and the Napoleonic Wars...
. Midshipmen Kennedy, Hether, and Cleveland go with him, as well as Simpson's old division which, due to Pellew's ire, becomes Hornblower's division. Hornblower's conduct under the pressure of battle eventually wins the respect and loyalty of these men.
Simpson joins Indefatigable (known by her crew as the Indy) when Justinian is sunk by a rogue French ship called Papillon. The Indy and her crew take on a cutting out expedition into the Gironde
Gironde
For the Revolutionary party, see Girondists.Gironde is a common name for the Gironde estuary, where the mouths of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers merge, and for a department in the Aquitaine region situated in southwest France.-History:...
, take Papillon, and sail to rejoin Indefatigable. During the operation, Simpson attempts the murder of Hornblower, and sets Kennedy adrift.
The French Ship, Papillon, now in the hands of the British, is sailing back to the Indy when the Indy comes under fire from three French ships. On the way back to the Indy, the Papillon comes under fire from shore batteries, killing the two officers superior to Hornblower, Lt. Eccleston and Lt. Chadd. Shortly before the most senior officer (Eccleston) dies, he tells Hornblower to take command. Simpson attempts to challenge Hornblower's authority, but Hornblower tells Mr Bowles (the ship's master), that if Mr Simpson resists "you have my permission to shoot him". Simpson is then taken below whilst the Papillon sails back to the Indy.
The Indy is now taking heavy fire from the three French ships, and Hornblower orders the Papillon not to lower its French colours. The Papillon then engages the French ships forcing them to surrender. After the battle, Mr Simpson and Hornblower are called to Captain Pellew's cabin. Accused by Hornblower of attempted murder, Simpson challenges him to a second duel, which Hornblower accepts (after receiving permission from Pellew).
In this second duel, which takes place on a beach, Simpson shoots at Hornblower before the combatants are actually told to fire. Simpson claims, dubiously, that it was a misfire, running forward to see if his opponent is still alive. But Hornblower is not badly injured. Simpson is then told that he must stand his ground and take fire. Faced with this prospect, Simpson pleads pathetically to Hornblower for his life, revealing himself for the coward he is. Hornblower fires into the air, claiming that shooting the now defenseless Simpson is "not worth the powder". Smarting at this insult, Simpson attempts to knife Hornblower, but is shot dead just before he reaches him by Captain Pellew, who is standing concealed on a cliff above the beach.
As the film draws to its end, Captain Pellew tells Hornblower precisely how impressed he has been by his actions. Pellew anticipates that Hornblower has a great career ahead of him, if he continues as has begun.
Retrieved from Hornblower
Hornblower (TV series)
Hornblower is the umbrella title of a series of television drama programmes based on C. S. Forester's novels about the fictional character Horatio Hornblower, a Royal Naval officer during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars....
Related works
This episode does not follow the plot of the corresponding chapter in C. S. Forester's Mr. Midshipman HornblowerMr. Midshipman Hornblower
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower is a Horatio Hornblower novel written by C. S. Forester. Although it may be considered as the first episode in the Hornblower saga, it was written as a prequel; the first Hornblower novel, The Happy Return, was published in 1937.-Plot introduction:Horatio Hornblower...
. In the original story, the mathematically-minded Hornblower devises a plan by which he secures himself an "even chance" against a greater-skilled adversary. As the offended party, he has the choice of weapons. He asks that one of the duelling pistols be loaded while the other remains empty, the combatants having to toss for it and then stand a yard apart and fire at each other at point blank range. As it turns out, the captain has secretly given orders that neither weapon be loaded, the resulting lack of a shot blamed on a misfire
Misfire
Misfire may refer to:* Misfire , the Transformers character* Misfire , an episode from That '70s Show* Misfiring behavior, in biology* An engine misfire, see catalytic converter* A song on Queen's album Sheer Heart Attack...
, and Hornblower comes out of the duel unscathed.
The episode also incorporates material from several other stories in the novel Mr. Midshipman Hornblower. Among these are "Hornblower and the Cargo of Rice", for Hornblower's ill-fated command of the Marie Galante, and the chapter "Hornblower and the Man Who Felt Queer", for the section concerning the Indefatigables expedition against the Papillon. The episode also diverges from the plot of this chapter in several respects, mostly related to the addition of Simpson and Kennedy to the event (in the book, Simpson is not transferred to Indefatigable, and Kennedy does not take part in the expedition).