Sharpe's Eagle [1993] (Region 1) (NTSC) [DVD] [US Import]

For his second mission Lt. Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean), is sent with his Rifles to join the South Essex. The battalion is run by the incompetent Sir Henry Simmerson (Michael Cochrane), who, along with most of his officers, turn their collective noses up at Sharpe having risen up through the ranks. There are a couple of notable exceptions, one is Major Lennox (David Ashton), an officer Sharpe remembers for his distinguished service in India and Captain (Gavin O'Herlihy), who hails from Virginia, who play pivotal roles in what is to happen. The problem is that Sharpe has to fight his war on two fronts, not only worried about the French in front but also the other officers, who are looking for a chance to stab him in the back (literally).

Another key part of this story has to do with how the South Essex have never been in battle and there are a couple of nice sequences with Sharpe and his Rifles prepare the troops for their baptism under fire. Unfortunately, the incompetence of their leaders results in a disaster during what should have been a simple mission to destroy a bridge when the South Essex lose their colours, which is not a bad thing of monumental proportions. The need to regain their honor and the unspoken promise Sharpe makes to a dying man to capture one of the Imperial Eagles, touched by Napoleon himself, that sit atop the French standards set up the final part of the story.

The climax of "Sharpe's Eagle" is the Battle of Talavera, one of the bloodiest of the war and the one for which Sir Arthur Wellesley (David Troughton) becomes Lord Wellington. Of course the cowards run to live another day and brave young soldiers die, but such is war. As many have indicated, all we get is a sketch of the battle, which suffers in comparison to the historical details Cromwell provides in the book. But the best moments in this movie are those of character, such as when Sharpe proves repeatedly he has more of a sense of honor than the strutting peacocks who call themselves gentlemen and when Major Hogan (Brain Cox) gives an officer some idea of why challenging Sharpe to a duel would be suicide. Throughout the movie Hogan gets all of the good lines, while most of Sharpe's best moments involve intense looks at the objects of his displeasure.

"Sharpe's Eagle" also makes excellent use of a song sung by the British soldiers throughout the episode, especially by one young tenor. There is a sense in which these movies are more about the men serving in the British army during the Napoleonic Wars than about the officers, which is as it should be. The relationship between our hero and both Patrick Harper (Daragh O'Malley) and Teresa (Assumpta Serna) continue to evolve as do the plots to get rid of Sharpe. Clearly there are elements here to be continued, but that is the primary attraction. There are well over a dozen of these Sharpe movies and we can watch these early ones knowing that there is a long haul to enjoy.