Bit of a Blooper?


First off, I have to say that I really enjoyed this movie. Whether Peck's Hornblower was true to the literary character is beside the point for me. I just found this to be a entirely enjoyable movie.

And about the blooper business. After Hornblower, Quist, and Bush board the Witch of Endor they encourage the British prisoners to take over the ship. In the ensuing fight (check the guys in the background carefully - IIRC the "bloop" takes place center left)lots of wild swinging takes place. But it looks to me like one of the extras really takes an elbow to the mouth. Check it out and see what you think.

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I just watched the movie, and that scene you mentioned is funny!!!

Yes, it does indeed look like he got more than he bargained for. I'm willing to call it collateral damage.
(I cringed when the poor bastard turned away holding his nose)


The future's not set. There's no fate but what we make for ourselves.

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Did the British Navy really have a telegraph system in 1807? I don't even think the telegraph was invented until 1830.

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It was indeed invented in 1830.

That's a pretty major error.

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No it was not a blooper as there were what were called optical telegraph that were used during the Napoleonic wars (especially in the Peninsular war) which consisted of towers.

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In other words, Semaphore?

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Yes

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No. Entirely different system used for different purposes. Optical telegraph, from 1767 in England. Look it up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telegraphy#Optical_telegraph You can even see it working in the movie.

This is why there are "Telegraph Hills" here and there. Most convenient to put them on high places so you could spend less on making towers and they were visible.

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Did the British Navy really have a telegraph system in 1807? I don't even think the telegraph was invented until 1830.

He didn't mean the electric telegraph as we know it. They used that term to refer to their system of signaling with flags.

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Just saw this again on TV this afternoon for the umpteenth time. Without the OP's prompting I caught that incident in the scuffle aboard the Witch of Endor as well. Full marks for the extra's professionalism tho' - he carried on regardless though noticeably hurt and ran to the side of the ship with the others but held his nose - ouch it must have hurt!

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I also just saw it this afternoon for the FIRST time.
Obviously you are in Australia and saw it on CH90 'GEM' after John Wayne in 'Operation Pacific'

I enjoyed both Saturday afternoon movies, but after watching "Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N." I felt like I'd just been through a classic epic.
Totally loved it, I didn't want it to end, in the end!

I missed the blooper, if you can call it that, but good on the actor to carry on!

As for connection to STAR TREK, I'm still trying to milling that over in my mind, but I can see something there. [EDIT: Opps, Star Trek thing - wrong thread!!]

-B!LL!

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Hilarious! Unless, of course, that was your nose.

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