 Call all hands, speak to quarters! Horseside into it, if you please, Captain Bush. Pointes on target! Lint stops ready! Michael Redgrave as C.S. Forester's indomitable man of the sea. Horatio Hornblower. Ah, but a well, isn't it? An arm! I was saddled with a cat of six fat, stupid, lovely merchantship. As I stood on my quarter-deck in the grey dawn, with the wind whipping through the bigging, I cursed those Indian men for their slowness and acknowledging my sickness. They must mend those Indian men with blockage, sir. The Lord Morditon's been flying that signal at the dip for ten minutes. No, they haven't the sense to clear the haleads. Oh, well, I've given them their course for finish there, and they must follow it as best they can. I shall go below, Mr. Bush. What moment, sir? What's that? Something happening. The warmer castles hold the wind. Look, sir, you can see us through the glass. Yes. Yes, she's spun round. She's clawing up to windward towards us. Surely she's signaling. Where's the signal, Lieutenant? Here, sir. It's a jumble signal. I can't read it. Looks like number 29, sir. But it can't be. That means discontinue the action. Well, now she's hold it down. Well, there goes another. It's number 11. Number 11, sir. That means enemy in sight. Master there. What can you see on the port bow? Nothing under the warmer castles, sir. Yes, sir. That can only mean private use, sir. If they can pick up an East Indian man, it'll be a feather in their caps. Then we shall prevent them from feathering their caps. Hands to quarters, Mr. Bush. Aye, aye, sir. Hands to quarters! Bush isn't going to be difficult. They will maneuver to cut up a ship to windward up. They're alongside a quarter while we're beating up against the wind. That's it. Those luggers are as quick as lightning and stays. The Indian one is so slow and our crew is so raw. There are two luggers. We shall have to parry two thrusts at once. You can see them plainly now, sir. Two masters. They have about 20 guns a piece, nine pounders. We could blow them out of the water if they were full enough to come in close range. I'd say they carry about 150 men each. And all that for gold. Let's have the guns loaded and run out, Mr. Bush. Aye, aye, sir. Run out the gold! Make ship in a minute. Can we reach it in time? Yes, we're too close now for the luggers to dare to avoid our broadside. We must keep the windward of the convoy so that we can dash down to any danger point. Let the convoy get ahead again. Aye, sir. They're going to swing around presently and attack this starboard ship. Clap on sail. We must intercept. Yes, there they go. They're off to the Lord Mornington. Hard of wards. Are we going to switch to the Warmer Castle or I'm a Dutchman? Yes, I thought so. Head of them there, sir. We cut them off again. Only the Indian men have the sense not to scatter. Once they break up, we'll never get to the threatened one in time. They're working as stern of us. You think I see their intention? They're going to diverge. Yes. Here they come, sir. One to starboard. One to port. They're going to attack both wings of the convoy at once. We'll never get across from one to the other in time. We must. There's no alternative. The starboard lugger is slightly nearer. We'll tackle her first. Starboard two points. Starboard two points. We'll cross the lugger's bias on this course. She'll have to edge her way to avoid our broadside and that'll keep her off the convoy. What about the other one, sir? This course is taking us away from the convoy. We can't help that. Our only hope is to get back in time. We've edged this one away at least. The second lugger, sir. She's attacking the Warmer Castle to port. To the places. Hard of starboard. All right. Take her down, Mr. Bush, quickly. The French will avoid you, sir. That's pistol scoring off. No. They hear us coming. They're jumping back into the lugger. Up goes her main soul. Chicken away, yitch. That's the missing top, sir. That's a jester. Look at that. That's kind of sunny to think about. Her sails are filling. Our timbers ought to keep out nine finders of this range. Stand by your guns, sir. The second privateer on their heels is like a dog after a flock of sheep. But at the sight of the Sutherland brushing down upon her, she sheared off again. Obviously, she worked round to make her dash at one of the outside ships, but I swung the Sutherland round and headed her off. Thus it went on for an hour or more like a game of hide-and-seek. But with only one lugger to deal with, my task was easier. At last, the Frenchman realized that he was wasting his time. His big luggsel came round, and he thrashed away to windward in search of his crippled colleague. He's off, sir. We had no more trouble with those two. No, Mr. Bush, but the captain of that second lugger is a fool. If he left his consul to look after itself he'd throw us until nightfall. He'd be almost sure to pick up one of our ships in the darkness. Well, yes, you can secure the guns, huh? I said, secure the guns, Mr. Jaddo! Mr. Bush, stop that noise at once. Send the hands off. I'll speak to them. We're locking away a single spar. Half the trouble with the men is that we haven't enough old hats to lead him to the right ropes. It's the same with my guns, sir. I've got 74 of them and no more than 50 trained gun layers. I know. In any time, sir, without my gunners couldn't hit a three-decorate point, blank range. I know, I know, I know. Why, haven't I... I'll get some more men before this voyage is much older if I... Well, if I have to land in France and seize Frenchmen. Not only had I had my convoy to the North African latitude where I was to leave them, it had also prevented all intercourse and visiting between ships. But now the wind had dropped to a gentle breeze. The Sutherland was slipping slowly along with a westerly breeze of beam. The six East Indian men were clustered together running a few cables length to do it. Even before Gerard reported, I'd marked the approach of a boat from the Lord Mornington. I'd nerve myself for the inevitable polite call. As the visitors came aboard, I saw that the man in the formal frock coat was Captain Osborn of the Lord Mornington. His companion was resplendent in full civilian dress with ribbon and star. Good afternoon, Captain Hornblah. I would like to present to you Lord Eastlake, Governor-designate of Bombay. This is a great pleasure, your lordship. The pleasure is mine, Captain. I have come to big of you to accept on behalf of your ship's company this purse of 400 guillies. 400 guillies? It has been subscribed by the passengers of the East India convoy in recognition of the skill, and the courage displayed by the Sutherland in action with two French privateers. This is most generous and totally undeserved, sir. Nevertheless, I greatly appreciate your kindness and on behalf of my ship's company, I thank you, lordship. And I, sir, am the bearer of the most cordial invitation to you and your first lieutenant to join us at dinner in the Lord Mornington. Thank you for your courtesy, sir. I deeply regret that I must decline the invitation, but we part company in two hours. Well, that is a pity, Captain Hornberg. Can't you be persuaded? Oh, my lord, I'm on the king's service and under the most explicit orders from the admiral. Well, will you then please, Captain, I understand. But at least you will allow me to meet some of your officers. There's no need to turn all that money over to us and the men. You can treat it as prize money and take your share in the prize rule. Thank you, Mr. Bush, but I can't accept that sort of reward from civilians. However, the crew must show appreciation. Then the odds and have the men get three chairs as Lord Eastlake's boat pulls away. I say, then the odds! Eastlake has brought you up prescient for saving the convoy. Three chairs for his lordship! They're not exempt from prescient, sir. Nobody is exempt when the king's service needs him. I'm aware that I'm contravening admiralty orders, but I plead necessity. Will you excuse me, sir, if I point out that John Company is the most powerful corporation in England? It might be a bad policy to offend them, sir. I'll be a judge of my policy, Mr. Gerard, and responsibility. You will obey orders. I hope those ships will sight no land until they reach St. Helena. It'll be three or four months before any protest can reach England and further six months before any center can reach me and in the Mediterranean. It's possible that in six months we shall all be dead. Thank you, sir. Give the boat's crew's pistols and cutters just to show that I'll stand no nonsense. I want twenty men from each of those ships. Twenty from each, sir? That's flouting the law on the grand scale, sir. That's the only sensible scale on which to flout the law, Mr. Bush. Test against it. At this very moment, your lieutenant is parading my crew with a view to infestment. He's acting by my orders, sir. Why, I can hardly believe it, sir. Are you aware that this is a fragrant violation of admiralty regulations? A perfect outrage, sir. The ships of the honorable East India Company are exempt from infestment, and I, as Commodore, must protest to the last breath of my body I shall be glad to receive your protest when you make it, sir. But will you not allow me to ask for volunteers from among your crew, Captain? There may be a few men who'd like to join the King's service. Oh, I cannot imagine, sir, that many men will be foolish enough to exchange the comfort of the East India Company's service for the regards of a ship of the line, but... Well... Yes, I will agree to that. Well, your seamanship in the affair with the privateers was so admirable that, frankly, I find it hard to refuse you anything. That's very good of you, sir. Allow me to escort you to your gig. I will recall my boats. Since they will have taken the volunteers first, we can rely on it that they have all the willing ones on board, and I shall return the unwilling ones. Thank you, Captain Osborn. Thank you. He calmed down wonderfully, sir. Pity we had to give way, but we might get a few volunteers out of that lot, sir. Feel so, we shall, Mr. Walsh. Here's the launch of the cutter coming back, sir. They're both loaded with men to the gunnel, sir. They're passing Captain Osborn's gig now. He's waving and shouting something to them. Mr. Gerard and Mr. Rayner are very properly paying no attention to him. Stand by, and the men will be coming aboard very shortly. The dress show! Now, listen to me, men. You're probably a bit bewildered at your sudden change of circumstances, but let me assure you that the entry ports through which you've just passed is a gateway to glory. We know what sort of glory. For 17 years, your country's been struggling with the Corsican tyrant. Your ease and comfort has been possible only because of the loyalty and courage of the brave men who've manned British men of all. Now you have the opportunity of joining that gallant company. You've got other opportunities, too. The chance of prize money. The convoy from which you've come to work in saving you from the French privateers. And there's more, much more to be made by willing men on the East Coast by the taking of French prizes. You'll serve your country and yourselves at the same time. No man is treated harshly on my ship unless he deserves harshness. You're here, and it's in your hands now whether your lives go well or ill. And what I do, I do in the name of His Majesty the King. Guard, march these men down to the main deck. Mr. Bush, have the goodness to go down and read the articles of war to them. Aye, aye, sir. Nearly a full complement of crew with these 120, most of them able seamen. By the time Bush returned from reading the men into the service, the boats were in board and we were all ready to square away. Mr. Vincent, signal to the convoy. All men have volunteered. Thank you. Goodbye. All men have volunteered. Goodbye. Aye, aye, sir. A big about, sir. What would you say to the Admiralty? I shall tell them that I took the men with the permission of the Commodore. I did, too. He said I could keep any men who volunteered? Yes, sir, but not many did, really. You'll know seamen as well as I do, Bush. It'll be a year before we get back to England and in that time I should be surprised if I don't convince most of them that they did volunteer. We only want a bit of luck and a few prizes and those fellows will swear to win anything. It's a master stroke, sir. The Admiralty will be reluctant to prosecute. We know as well as we do how necessary seamen are. Signals down, sir. The Lord Mornington is replying. Ah, what did she say? Captain Osborne, the Captain Hornblower. Do not understand your signal. Awake both. Thank you. Is that all, sir? Hands for braces. Square away, then. Mr. Vincent, hoist another signal, please. Just one word. Aye, aye, sir. Which word, sir? Goodbye. Mr. Grave is based on the novels by C.S. Forester. Music composed and conducted by Sidney Torch. Produced by Harry Allen Towers.