Sharpe's Company (TV programme)

Sharpe's Company
Format Military drama
Directed by Tom Clegg
Produced by Malcolm Craddock
Muir Sutherland (exec.)
Written by Bernard Cornwell (novel)
Charles Wood
Starring Sean Bean
Daragh O'Malley
Hugh Fraser
Michael Byrne
Pete Postlethwaite
Assumpta Serna
Music by Dominic Muldowney
John Tams
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Release date 1994
Running time 100 min.
Preceded by
Followed by

Sharpe's Company 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.

Plot

It is 1812. General Wellesley (Hugh Fraser) is ready to invade Spain from Portugal. But two formidable fortresses stand in the way. When the first, Ciudad Rodrigo, is taken, Colonel Lawford is severely wounded and forced to relinquish command of the South Essex Regiment, depriving Captain Sharpe (Sean Bean) of an influential friend.

Colonel Windham (Clive Francis), the new commander, brings his own officers, so Sharpe is demoted to lieutenant and is humiliated by being put in charge of the baggage and losing command of his "chosen men" to an aristocratic officer (Marc Warren) who purchased the commission of the South Essex's Light Company. Worse, one of the reinforcements is Sergeant Obidiah Hakeswill (Pete Postlethwaite), an old enemy from Sharpe's days in India.

Meanwhile, Sharpe's lover, Teresa (Assumpta Serna), tells him that he has a baby daughter living with her family in Badajoz, the second fortress town. Not knowing who she is, Hakeswill tries to rape her, but proves no match for her. Teresa then slips into Badajoz to spy on the French and to see her baby.

To cause trouble for Sharpe, Hakeswill steals from the officers and plants a picture frame belonging to Windham in the kit of Sharpe's right-hand man, Sergeant Harper (Daragh O'Malley). When it is found, the colonel has Harper flogged. Later, during a night skirmish, a turncoat French soldier escapes the besieged town, bearing a dispatch and a letter from Teresa, but he is shot and killed. Sharpe recovers the letter, which contains a map showing where she is staying, but on his way back Hakeswill tries to shoot Sharpe in the confusion, but kills a young ensign (William Mannering) who has the misfortune to step in front of him at that exact moment.

Eventually the walls of Badajoz are breached, but the first assault falters. Sharpe rallies the men and leads them into the town. Hakeswill gets to Teresa first due to the letter he stole from Sharpe, Harry Price, one of Sharpe's officers, intervenes and is shot and apparently killed by Hakeswill while trying to protect Teresa. (Harry Price reappears however in Sharpe's Waterloo, this time played by Nicholas Irons.) Sharpe is not far behind and stops Hakeswill, who suffers a wound in the process, but Hakeswill still manages to get away.

For his bravery and because many of the other officers have been killed, Sharpe gets back command of his Light Company. Harper is exonerated when he finds the missing portrait of Windham's wife hidden in Hakeswill's shako and returns it to the colonel.

Cast

Actor Character
Sean Bean Richard Sharpe
Daragh O'Malley Sergeant Patrick Harper
Assumpta Serna Comandante Teresa Moreno
Clive Francis Colonel Windham
Nicholas Jones Colonel Fletcher
Michael Byrne Major Nairn
Hugh Fraser Sir Arthur Wellesley
Michael Cochrane Sir Henry Simmerson
Pete Postlethwaite Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill
Michael Mears Rifleman Francis Cooper
John Tams Rifleman Daniel Hagman
Jason Salkey Rifleman Harris
Lyndon Davies Rifleman Ben Perkins
William Mannering Ensign Matthews (Viscount)
Scott Cleverdon Lieutenant Harry Price
Robert Morgan Major Collett
Peter Gunn Private Clayton
Louise Germaine Sally Clayton
Soo Drouet Mrs. Grimes
Marc Warren Captain Rymer
Peter Birrel Don Moreno
Tat Whalley Hope
Jérôme Pradon Reynier

External links