Leofwine_draca SHARPE'S RIFLES was the first of the made-for-television Sharpe movies made by Carlton for ITV way back in 1993. As a massive fan of author Bernard Cornwell, who created Sharpe back at the beginning of the 1980s, I had to get around to seeing these movies sooner or later, and I'm pleased to say that this one doesn't disappoint. First of all, though, it has to be said that the plot barely resembles the novel of the same title at all; there are extra characters, missing characters, new events, and crucially a lack of the major battle scenes that make the novels so stunning. The reason is the budget – or lack of it – but I'm pleased to say that despite the missing battles, this is still a decent product that belies its made-for-TV origins.The movie was filmed in Portugal and the Crimea and there are some stunning mountainous backdrops that really add authenticity to the proceedings. The production is excellently written with some great dialogue. It starts off feeling a little faltering and you can tell that everybody was new to it, but by halfway through things really hit their stride and it never disappoints after this point. Sean Bean soon makes the role his own, doing such a good job that nobody else could ever come close to playing Sharpe the way he does. The various characters of the close-knit riflemen are all good, with Daragh O'Malley particularly effective as Harper. I also liked David Troughton's performance as Sir Arthur Wellesley, and it's a shame he didn't continue to play this role throughout the series.While the 'talky' scenes and the plot exposition are all adequate, where this series really excels is in the action – and it proves you don't need a big budget to shoot good battles. A shoot-out in a ruined village is a highlight, as is the action-packed finale, which involves the storming of a town occupied by the French. Plenty of grittiness and bloodshed adds to the realism of the film and even the romance – involving a female spy who wasn't in the books, played by Assumpta Serna – doesn't get in the way too much. The highlight of the production is definitely the bit where Harper brings down a mounted Frenchman, using his rifle in a rather novel way. A great touch to a well-written book adaptation.

Blueghost When I first saw the "Sharpe's Rifles" series here in the United States on Public Broadcasting I was very much enamored with it. A few years later the series became available on VHS, but I didn't want to spend all that money on a format that I knew was going to be phased out in a few years.Ho boy, how I wish I had.I just recently purchased the Region 1 NTSC five-episode DVD set for North America, and I have to say that I've rarely come across a poorer video transfer than has been done by BFS Entertainment.BFS Entertainment somehow managed to wrangle an exclusive license for the United States and Canada for the video distribution rights to this series, and, as usual, we the customers are paying for a lack of quality control on behalf of the producer's and owners of the property.BFS Entertainment's other claim to fame was their DVD release of another British mini series drama entitled "Flambards." And, given the extremely poor video transfer I saw of that series my heart sank when I saw BFS's logo and public domain music scroll across my TV screen.In short the few five episodes that have been released for North America have a grainy image due to poor video compression, bleed color (if you can believe that from optical media), and have equally poor sound quality to match the video.If you must purchase this magnificent series on video then try to find an old VHS from PBS/Mobile Masterpiece Theatre, or invest in a region 2 DVD player and buy the series from an online store in England.Don't waste your money on the BFS release.*EDIT* I bought a set of Region 2 DVDs from the UK, and they are superior in every way to the US Region 1 release.

George Parker "Sharpe's Rifles" is the first in a series of about 14 teleplays with Sean Bean playing the rough, tough commander of a motley bunch of sharp shooters who fight for Britain in the Peninsular campaign (circa 1808ish). The film is an enjoyable action/adventure romp with Sharpe as much a ladies' man as a man's man who must prove himself to both in this foray into Spain on a somewhat ambiguous mission. Not to be taken seriously, "Sharpe's Rifles" is just fun stuff for anyone into adventure flix set during the Napoleonic Wars. Note: the video quality on the bare bones DVD I watched was no better than I would expect from broadcast and there were no CC's, subtitles, or extra features. (B-)

alicecbr If you like tall Irishmen, Bean's buddy and sergeant major, O'Malley is a great actor. He's also in "Withnail and I", that crazy movie, as a queer-baiter. He and Bean are friends off screen as well. So you mix the fighting with the love interests and you've got a great excuse for a series. And what makes it easier, is that we're not in the stinking jungles of Vietnam or the arid mountains of Afghanistan, or high overhead in a cowardly bomber, bringing death to the innocent civilians. We're actually fighting a war as men to men, bringing the women along. And they weren't necessarily camp followers, but wives who didn't want to wait half their lives for their men to come back from war. Of course, the wonderful thing is the writing, the language. Most of the officers are depicted as fragging-worthy and I love it, even if my son is a Major in Kabul right now. But at least these guys led their men into the gut-eviscerating experiences of battle. Would love to know the truth.....what actually happened in these stupid exercise in butchery. My father said that war was great population control, but I wonder if men don't actually crave it. This certainly made war glorious, even when they're putting the leeches and maggots in the wounds to eat up the putrefaction.Please buy the whole series...it's well worth it, because you can see the individual battles and not feel that you've been cheated of the continuity....except where Sharpe's wives are concerned. And here's a surprise, most of the movie is quite logical. When someone dies, you don't see their eyes move. If Pete Postlewaite is in it, you can be sure it's worth watching as well. He's the officer who flogged Sharpe before he got his commission. And he plays a bully beautifully. I love it, as do most, when the underdog wins (such as our great New England Patriots in the Super Bowl) and you'll feel wonderfully about it too, unless you're a Frenchie. When do we see the French version?.