Regarding Julia Sawahla as Maria -- she really is perfect casting. A little history from the books including a SPOILER!
Hornblower's marriage to Maria was one of the major tragedies of his life. He married out of duty and because he never expected anything better to come his way. (Forester's Horblower was plagued by low self-esteem.) But if they keep making these movies, rest assured, more rewarding and passionate love will come "Horny's" way.
heh,I belive its safer to call him "Horry"
As for Maria,I herd her outcome an her kids,but I just dont like her.Not in a sort of HATE way but I dislike her coz I know Hornblower is so depressed and so unsure to be w/ her.
But Julia IS perfectly cast,so is everyone else!
This Has Been A MuffinJuice Production
As for Maria,I herd her outcome an her kids,but I just dont like her.Not in a sort of HATE way but I dislike her coz I know Hornblower is so depressed and so unsure to be w/ her.
Agree - esp. with your last paragraph.
I don't like the character. She just isn't right for Horatio. He never should have married her. Their union was doomed from the start. Even Bush realized they were not well matched.
I'm not sure if working class people in the 19th century really thought there was much chance of marrying for love. I think they both understood the convenience of the situation, even if maria did have a genuine affection for Hornblower.
shareYes, she is perfect.
But the Hornblower in the series differs a lot from the Hornblower I know from the books.... Hornblower in the books doesn´t treat Maria like a piece of sh*t
That's totally true. In the books, he's totally obsessed with always making her feel loved, because he feels so guilty about NOT loving her.
I love the Maria character in the films, because I think the films give her more depth of character than the books do, and make her a lot more sympathetic; but I really don't like how bad that ends up making Hornblower look.
If you read ahead Maria does die in childbirth while Hornblower is at sea. Hornblower if I remember the story correctly does find true love in the end.
shareYes, he does, with Lady Barbara, who adopts their last child with him. They name the kid Horatio, because the first two have died. If I recall. Hopefully that didn't spoil anything for anyone.
'The world wished to be deceived, so he fashioned himself after a lie from a fairy tale.'
Ok, I've seen all the Hornblowers up to "Loyalty" and "Duty" so will some one please clarify? I've heard it mentioned several times that Hornblower married Maria out of a sense of duty. Ok....was she pregnant? Poor? I'm not quite understanding that.
Thanks
Jack
When men come to like a sea-life, they are not fit to live on land...
–Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1776
Not a problem: Basically, Hornblower wanted to pay Maria's and her mother's debts out of kindness. The difference is, in the movies she suckers him in with a very clever "You know what they say about women who take money from men they aren't related to" speech, and in the books she merely comes up to his room, crying her eyes out, and professes her love to him. By the end of Duty, long after the wedding, Maria is pregnant. Hope that helps!!
'The world wished to be deceived, so he fashioned himself after a lie from a fairy tale.'
Thanks!
When men come to like a sea-life, they are not fit to live on land...
–Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1776
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Love that film!
sharehaven't seen the gregory peck movie, but just about to finish reading 'beat to quarter', the first book written in the series. HH is on about his 11 commission as captain, so this is a good deal in the future of where the A&E/BBC miniseries left off.
This is a spectacular book and I reccommend it to all the HH miniseries fans. Just like the miniseries, Forrester wastes no time jumping into the workings of life on the ship, and takes the occasional dip into the mind of HH. Plenty of battles and seamanship, the stuff boys like me dream of. And then the love interest comes in, Barbara Wellesley, who has been mentioned in this tread earlier. I think all will be pleased with her as HH's mate, all puns intended.
For those of you who have read this book who would you picture for a movie version to play Barbara Wellesley??
Whoever plays Lady Barbara would have to have physical chemistry with Ioan Gruffudd. He was so incredibly handsome in this role that I didn't believe for one instant that he would be attracted to Maria. I know he married her out of a sense of misplaced duty, but I felt no sparks whatsoever.
Ditto for the young lady who played the French girl who was killed. The only physical relationship I could imagine for Hornblower was with the Duchess. This actress was quite a bit older than Ioan, but the physical chemistry was there.
dutchess was perfect. a younger version of her as Barbara would be perfect (and blond!!!) then again maria was perfect for her role, remember she was not supposed to be a beauty, she was a perfect actress for the role. exactly as CSF described (well I've only read the first 3 books, and she is not introduced in those books, only as HH describes her.)
I think the casting all around has been perfect. Barbara get introduced when HH is 37 years old. I'm picking Gwyneth Paltrow although she's probably out of the price range for a low budget miniseries.
Hm... I seem to recall that Barbara was a brunette. In one of the later books, she meets Marie, the French lady that Hornblower had a fling with while evading capture by the French Army, and IIRC the book made a point of contrasting their hair colors (Marie was a blonde).
sharefunny. Now you have me questioning it. I know for a FACT that she had striking blue eyes. I might of been projecting the blond hair as I only think of blue eyes /blond hair. but in that first book I seem to remember HH talking about Barbara on the deck, not being a beautiful, but earthy, sun-tanned, ... I always pictured her as a blond, loose curly hair. That's the thing about books. you make your own picture.
BTW, the French Lady was a Redhead.
I've read the books as well and I have to differ about Hornblower's affection for Maria. I think deep down he really cared for her. While it wasn't the blow your mind, passionate love you read about in romance novels, I think it was representative of the kind of love many married people have. He did find the other kind of love with Lady Barbara. But I would like to point out one advantage Maria had over Barbara (besides the fact that she was the mother of his children). Horatio NEVER cheated on Maria, but he cheated on Barbara at least twice. Something to think about.
shareIn the mini-series Hornblower did consider Maria a very dear friend and he wanted to help her.
shareSOmething a bit off topic, but why did she seem kind of upset in the movie when Horatio kissed her hand?
shareI think she was a little flustered and momentarily remembered when you're chasing a guy you shouldn't come across as too eager.
shareGood points about the complications of Horatio's lovelife in the novels. He was so conflicted about Maria, but he did cheat on Barbara. Wait a minute, though, I thought he did cheat on Maria when he was captured in France, or did he never actually sleep with Marie (I think that was her name)? It's been awhile since I read the books.
As to the handkissing in the series, I also thought it was Maria's sense of modesty, too. She was always rather reticent, especially with her drunken mama snooping about.
Put puppy mills out of business: never buy dogs from petshops!
Maria did die in child birth giving Hornblower a son.
This has probably already been posted.
I agree, Julia Sawalha is wonderful as Maria. The relationship between Hornblower and Maria is very well writeen by Forester. It's obvious that Forester invented her simply to embarass Hornblower as well as a number of things. I feel sorry for Maria because she is a poor harmless and loving creature and she would have walked on hot coals for Horatio if he'd asked her.
Bernard Cornwell (author of Sharpe series), says in his excellent introduction of Hornblower and the Hotspur that Maria is very much like Kitty, the Duke of Wellington's first wife. He is right. Wellington cruelly remarked at the altar to his clergyman brother who married them 'by god she has grown ugly' as he had not seen her in some ten years. Like Maria, Kitty was a caring sweet and loving woman but completely ill suited for a marriage to a warrior like the Duke of Wellington. He neglected her so much over their marriage to the point she threatened suicide. Hornblower and Maria'a marriage is not unlike that.
As Maria dies in the later books, and Hornblower marries Lady Barbara Wellesley, the fictional sister of the Duke of Wellington readers were particularly puzzled why Hornblower remained faithful to Maria whom he didn't love but was immediately unfaithful to Lady Barbara who is clearly the love of his life. Unusual, but a lot of men behave like that. Hornblower, like Nelson was an intensely complicated man.
By the way, I'd say Ioan Gruffud's Hornblower is dogged with just as much insecurity and low self esteem as Forester's Hornblower was.
England expects every man will do his duty - Lord Horatio Nelson, Trafalgar 1805
I think the depiction of Maria and Hornblower's relationship is done very true to the books. Julia Sawalha portrays Maria very well and we can see very clearly why Hornblower marries her, more out of pity than anything else. But, it's the look on Horatio's face shortly after Maria accepts his proposal at the end of "Loyalty" that says it all, just that "What have I done?" look. I also think that the TV films also depict Hornblower's insecurity perfectly, especially at the beginning of "Duty" when he is vomiting shortly before the wedding, and throughout "Loyalty" as he tries to turn down Maria without offending her or hurting her feelings.
But, it's sort of bittersweet because I think Maria did know that Horatio didn't really love her, but she loved him all the more because he stayed with her and tried to make her feel loved. I imagine that when Maria died, Horatio was definitely deeply upset, but he would not show the same depth of grief as he would for someone like Lady Barbara.
I think it would be fantastic if Ioan did get to do a big-screen remake of "Captain Horatio Hornblower" (starring Gregory Peck as a fantastic Hornblower), as he has said he would like to do. It would also fit perfectly with the TV adaptations they have already done (so look as they stick with the original cast!) If Paul McGann and Sawalha would do it, I would give a film my whole-hearted support, because they are brilliantly cast, in my opinion!
"Metal Gear! It can't be..."
I'm feeling sorry for Maria and horatio .Getting married because he thinks it's his duty and the only way to help Maria is a pity.he's lying to Maria.and she didn't deserve it.she's in love with a man who didn't love her in return and it must be so hard for her.she's a nice woman but a little boring.(and please stop calling him Horry).
I can't stand her mother by the way.