Sharpe's Mission is a British television drama, the 11th of a series that follows the career of Richard Sharpe, a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. Unlike most of the other installments of the series, this episode was not based on a novel by Bernard Cornwell.

Plot summary

After a prologue set in 1810, which introduces Major Brand (Mark Strong), a British officer serving with Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean), the plot fast-forwards to present-day 1813, where France is losing the war. Major Sharpe is teamed with Brand, now a Colonel renowned for leading a small band of soldiers operating far behind enemy lines. Wellington (Hugh Fraser) assigns them the task of blowing up a store of gunpowder vital to French General Calvet (Olivier Pierre). To do this, they need the expertise of explosives expert Major Pyecroft (Nigel Betts). Major General Ross (James Laurenson), Wellington's head of military intelligence, will accompany them to evaluate Calvet's intentions.

Meanwhile, a Gypsy family stumbles upon a secret meeting between a French colonel and a masked Colonel Brand, with one of his men. The interrupted plotters pursue and kill the Gypsies, except for a young woman, Zara (Berrin Politi), who manages to hide. Afterwards, she starts to bury her dead parents, only to flee when another masked man appears. However, it turns out to be Pyecroft, whose face was disfigured by a bomb accident. He digs the graves and takes Zara under his protection.

In the British encampment, Zara spots one of her family's horses and tells Pyecroft that the murderers spoke English; next day three gypsies, with whom Zara was to have stayed, are found garrotted. Sharpe's suspicions are aroused by the unexplained deaths and Brand's assumption that 'Pyecroft's gypsy' was among them.

As their joint mission unfolds, Sharpe realizes Brand is a traitor and French spy, luring them in order to trap Ross for his knowledge of Wellington's plans.

Forewarned, Sharpe is able to turn the tables on the turncoat. After Sharpe's men capture the fort where the gunpowder is stored, he has Ross convene a court-martial, in which Brand is convicted and sentenced to death. Fearing that Brand's influential friends may be able to overturn the verdict, Sharpe conducts an impromptu execution by pushing the traitor into a deep well. The British blow up the gunpowder and escape, while Brand's men are given the opportunity to redeem themselves by acting as a rearguard to hold off the attacking French forces.

However all is not well for Sharpe. His wife Jane (Abigail Cruttenden) is becoming more and more dissatisfied with his career as a soldier. Nonetheless, a would-be seducer (journalist Shellington) is foiled by Harris, acting as manservant. Pyecroft and Zara become engaged.

Cast

• Sean Bean – Major Richard Sharpe
• Daragh O'Malley – Sergeant Major Patrick Harper
• Abigail Cruttenden – Jane Gibbons
• Hugh Fraser – Lord Wellington
• James Laurenson – Major General Ross
• Mark Strong – Colonel Brand
• Andrew Schofield – Sergeant Pope
• Nigel Betts – Major Septimus Pyecroft
• Warren Saire – Shellington
• John Tams – Rifleman Daniel Hagman
• Jason Salkey – Rifleman Harris
• Diana Perez – Ramona
• Peter Le Campion – Colonel Cresson
• Olivier Pierre – General Calvet
• Christian Rodska – Captain Crake
• Berrin Politi – Zara
• Michael Mallinson – Provost Marshal
• Aysun Metiner – Conchita

External links

• Sharpe's Mission at IMDb
• Sharpe's Mission at SharpeFilm.com Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine