Sharpe's Rifles

Prismark10

In the early 1990s, ITV had a penchant for filming some of their shows abroad. It was cheaper and it could give it an epic setting.

The action in Sharpe's Rifles takes place in Portugal and Spain but it was filmed in the Crimea.

Set in 1809 during the Napoleonic wars. Sir Arthur Wellesley (David Troughton) who would go on to become the Duke of Wellington is ambushed by French cavalrymen. The soldier who saves him is Sergeant Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean) and he becomes a lieutenant through this act of bravery.

Sharpe is sent out on a mission to find banker James Rothschild who set out from Vienna with monies in order to fund the British campaign against the French. He seems to have got lost.

Sharpe joins a troop that is heavily depleted after a surprise attack from the French cavalry. Sharpe joins forces with Spanish guerrillas led by Commandante Teresa Moreno. They are carrying something important that could bring the Spanish to unite against the French.

After an exciting beginning the pace slows down as Sharpe meets the people who will become part of his regular team. The initial introductions are far from cordial with a lot of mutual distrust.

This is an introductory episode which is more about the character of Sharpe and his men, the sharpshooters. It all looks small scale nowadays and also overlong. I did think the story could had been effectively told in two thirds of the time.

score 6/10

Prismark10 9 May 2020

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5720376/