Happy Birthday Archie!

                                Today is Archie Kennedy's birthday!!!!

    Er, that is, today is actor Jamie Bamber's birthday, which is the same thing since he is the one who plays Archie.

    Now, you may be thinking, who is this Archie Kennedy?

   
    Archie--that is, Lieutenant Kennedy-- is Horatio's faithful friend and fellow midshipman (and later lieutenant) in the Horatio Hornblower series.

    The Horatio Hornblower movies are my favorite period dramas of all time, which you probably already know if you've been reading my blog for any amount of time. They're sooooo amazing. I've seen all eight movies about seven times. It's kind of a tradition in my family to watch them every year around Easter, since it was at that time of year that my sisters and I first saw them (my parents had seen the movies on TV when they first came out in the '90s). Though all of the movies are wonderful and I love them all, the first six are most definitely the best, in my opinion, one of the main reasons being....yes, Archie Kennedy.

     I'm in love. :-)

    In the Horatio Hornblower books, Archie is only a very small, insignificant character in the first book, and that's it. C.S. Forrester didn't even name him Archie, he's just Midshipman Kennedy. (The books aren't anywhere NEAR as good as the movies are, friends. In fact, it's kind of sad. Horatio isn't the same at all, and even the stories aren't the same. So even though they didn't stick to the books, the screenwriters made the whole series MUCH better.) The character of Archie Kennedy in the movie series is completely the creation of the screenwriters' genius, but still refer to him as a "literary hero".

   When Horatio first arrives on the Justinian at the very beginning of the first movie, Archie is the first person he meets and the first one to welcome him aboard. He's young and excited and perfectly adorable, and he seems to enjoy his duty of showing Horatio around the ship and enlightening him on all that's going on with the "Frogs", as the British sailors called the French.

   Archie is my second-favorite literary hero, second only to Horatio himself. But in a way, I love him even more than Horatio. When I first saw the movies when I was eleven (and didn't care about them at first-- but that's a long story), my favorite character was immediately "the Kennedy guy". He was also my first literary crush (besides Joe Hardy from The Hardy Boys, who doesn't really count because I was only ten. :-P) I fell in love with him almost at first sight, and the more I was of him the more I loved him. He was brave, loyal and very handsome, but he also had a vulnerability about him that made him compassionate and even more dear.

   Now, Archie is not perfect. Far from it. He has his issues, just like everyone else. He's not your typical heroic, dashing, Sir-Percy-type hero. In fact, if you only watch the first four Hornblower movies, it may seem like Archie is kind of a wimp. He's young, inexperienced, afraid, and in his own words, "a little prone to panic". (He's also an epileptic.) But the fact that he is afraid at first and then learns the meaning of courage only makes me love him more. He does have problems, yes, and some people might think he's not very strong. But I disagree. He and Horatio are very different, because Horatio is a "born leader" and is very capable and doesn't seem to be afraid of anything, and Archie is much more timid by nature and panicky about things. But Archie is very strong, because he overcomes his weaknesses. After being in a Spanish prison for months he's grown quite a bit tougher, but he's definitely at his best in The Mutiny and Retribution.

 

   Man, I love this movie. :-)

    The friendship between Archie and Horatio is absolutely adorable. They become friends almost at once, but it isn't until Archie goes missing and then is found in the very same Spanish prison where Horatio is taken to that they really start to become best friends. And that's also when things start to get really good. *rubs hands together* Not that things weren't really good all along, of course. :-P

    This scene....OHHHH, THIS SCENE. This is one of my favorite scenes in the entire series. No, in all of cinema history. I cannot express with words how awesome it is.

   The scene in Retribution when Archie dies is also one of my favorite scenes ever. It's so tragic, and yet it's so powerful. Archie's loyalty and his sacrifice for Horatio and everyone else on board the ship.....ohhhhhhh! *SOB*

   "Nations need heroes, Mr. Hornblower. Heroes make us believe that the impossible is achievable."

"Only if one knows their name. Mr. Kennedy--"

"Mr. Kennedy took a calculated risk when he pushed Captain Sawyer down the hold, for the good of the ship and, in all likelihood, was right to do so."

"You think Mr. Kennedy was telling the truth?"

"I think Mr. Kennedy was a man of great loyalty, sir. He saw his duty and did it."

"And went to his grave without the merit of his good name."

"But you and I will not forget it."

 "Goodbye, dear friend."

    Happy Birthday, Archie!

 

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My Favourite Literary Heroes

 Finally, here is my list of my favourite heroes from classic literature. Back in February, I posted a list of My Top Ten Literary Heroines, and I've had this list of heroes mentally composed for a long time, but haven't gotten around to posting it until now. I didn't number them as I did my list of heroines, though, because I just thought it would be easier not to rank them this time. Surely you must understand. : )

  And so, without further ado, here is my list.

 Horatio Hornblower of Horatio Hornblower

I believe I can accurately say that Horatio Hornblower is beyond a doubt my absolute favourite hero ever. There is simply no question about it. However, it wasn't always this way, believe it or not! A year ago, I likely would have said Edward Ferrars or Nicholas Nickleby was my favourite. In other words, it was not love at first sight. When Horatio first entered our house, I had absolutely no interest in this unkown series full of ships and officers in uniform which  lacked dancing and pretty costumes (which I must have thought imperative in those days) and which I hastily concluded was not my cup of tea. Needless to say, I was very foolish to have thought so. It wasn't until around two years ago that I actually realized how very foolish I had been, and since then I have completely fallen in love with Horatio and his heroic, selfless nature. He is honourable, courageous, noble, selfless- the epitome of a hero. But he's not perfect. He has his faults, as we all do, and he makes mistakes- rarely, but all the same, he does. But if he didn't, the character wouldn't be nearly as believable, and that's one of the reasons he is the hero that he is. It's difficult to explain- if you haven't seen the series, I would highly recommend that you do and then you will understand!
 However, the Horatio of the C.S. Forester novels is not the same. I read the first book in the series for the first time this spring, and I am quite sorry to say that I was not at all impressed- which must sound terrible because, after all, the books were here first! But Horatio was so much different from the way he is in the movies- he was awkward, incapable and had a very bad temper. It was a bitter disappointment to find that the original character C.S. Forester created was not the Horatio I know and love, but he did still had a few good qualities and it wasn't as if I strongly disliked the character- it just wasn't Horatio. Also, since Archie was such an insignificant character and he had no other friends, Horatio seemed to be extremely lonely and unhappy, which I didn't like a bit. But even so, not even my disappointment at the literary character of Horatio could make me change my opinion of this courageous, dashing hero. He may not be very impressive in the book series, but in the movies he is the perfect example of a gentleman in every way. He is still my favourite and always will be!


 Archie Kennedy of Horatio Hornblower

Archie is Horatio's loyal friend and fellow officer, and although as I mentioned before he is a hardly mentioned in the book, in the series he really is a secondary hero and is just as dear as Horatio himself. By nature he is more of a melancholy person, and at first is rather timid and unsure of himself, but as the series progresses it becomes quite clear that he really is incredibly brave and selfless, a true hero indeed. The friendship between him and Horatio is so adorable and he has such an endearing personality, and he really becomes a better officer, leader, and man as the series progresses.


Edward Ferrars of Sense and Sensibility

This is my very favourite Jane Austen story, mostly because it contains some of my favourite literary characters ever, including Edward Ferrars. Edward is not usually considered dashing or heroic like some other heroes, but he is extremely kind and charming and romantic in a quiet sort of way. He and Elinor both have such charming personalities and are just so perfect together! And of course no one could ever play him like Hugh Grant. : ) When I was younger, I didn't really think of Edward as being one of my favourite heroes, but now he's right up there with Horatio and Archie.


Nicholas Nickleby of Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby is one of those characters it's impossible to dislike, because he's just so very good.  He does all he can to provide for his mother and sister after his father dies, despite his scoundrel of an uncle, he stands up to the injustices of Dotheboy's Hall, he befriends a crippled inmate of the establishment, he defends his sister's honour, he tries to help a girl in unfortunate circumstances whom he knows hardly anything about....need I say more? This is one of my very favourite movies and my favourite Dickens' story. It's also the only Dickens novel I've read, after first seeing the movie, and I was not at all disappointed with the book or Nicholas- he was still the same noble character I have come to love and admire.


William Bush of Horatio Hornblower
 (Most commonly known as Mr. Bush.)

Mr. Bush, another secondary hero in Hornblower, doesn't come into the picture until a bit later in the series. He, like Horatio, is a wise and capable leader and a very honourable gentleman, and he is the one who actually has to talk some sense into Horatio in the last movie, Duty. He doesn't mince words either: he likes to get right to the point, which is another thing I have grown to really like about him. When he first arrives in The Mutiny, he seems a bit uppity- which he kind of is- but he is also very kind and compassionate, especially in the last two movies, and his slightly arrogant demeanor only makes him more endearing.


Sir Percival Blakeney of The Scarlet Pimpernel

All right, I'm not exactly sure what to say about Sir Percy- I'm pretty sure everyone who knows him adores him, as I do, but I'm not one of those people who can gush on and on about him, which I like to say is because I still have yet to read the books and don't yet know him very well, having only seen the movie twice as of yet. But still, it didn't take long to decide he was one of my new favourites! Sir Percy is the epitome of a hero- he doesn't care what people may think of him, as long as he knows he is doing the right thing and for the right reasons, which shows a remarkable kind of conscience that is very admirable. Also, he's very handsome, but that's beside the point. : )


 Daniel Deronda of Daniel Deronda

I haven't read much of this book- and what I have read of it was all about Gwendolen Harleth anyway- but ever since I saw this BBC miniseries with my sister last autumn, the compassionate, honourable, handsome Daniel Deronda has been one of my favourite heroes. He is a very noble character: kind, honest, and gentlemanly, and a very loyal friend. I thought it was very admirable how he had compassion on Mirah Lapidoth and helped her find her family again, and how he tried to help Gwendolen in her unhappy marriage and still remained a friend to her even after the way she behaved. I will admit that I was *secretly* hoping he would marry Gwendolen in the end, but I was still very happy for him and Mirah, and I was glad that he and Gwendolen could still be friends. I truly think that she was "better for having known him". A most honourable sir indeed! (Not to mention extremely good-looking. :P)

John Geyser of The Blue and the Gray


This was honestly the only picture I could find of him.

This is one of my favourite stories ever, and even though the John Geyser of the novel (if it can be called one- more on that in a minute,) is not the same as in the miniseries- it was kind of the same situation as Hornblower- John Geyser is still one of my favourite literary characters. The book was incredibly disappointing mostly because it was so ill-written- it was very short and to the point and not epic at all, as if the writer wasn't really a writer at all, but a dull historian with no concept of the way classic literature is supposed  to be. Also, the characters were not well-developed at all- some of them were even left out, such as John's love interest, Kathy (whom I don't care for a bit, so maybe that part was just as well!) John was supposed to be older too, I think, and since he was very young in the miniseries I had a hard time picturing that. Also, like C.S. Forester's Horatio, he seemed lonely- maybe it was because there was no Kathy, but somehow he just wasn't the same. However, in the miniseries he is a perfect gentleman and I have grown quite fond of him. As evident by the title, the story takes place during the Civil War. John doesn't want to fight for the Confederacy with his brothers, but neither does he want to take up arms against his own family and fight for the Union. So, he uses his gift for drawing to become an "artist correspondent" and gets a job covering the war for his uncle's newspaper in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. John is gentlemanly and kind and a very endearing hero. I think perhaps the reason why I loved him from the very first is because he reminds me so much of John-Boy Walton! I must admit, John Geyser does not quite hold the position John-Boy does, but he is a very noble hero and one of my favourite literary characters.

George Knightley of Emma
 (Most commonly known as Mr. Knightley.)

Mr. Knightley is such a dear! This is my second favourite Jane Austen story, and though I haven't read this book yet- hopefully soon- I knew from the first time I watched the 2009 miniseries that Mr. Knightley was one of my new favourites. He is so clever and witty, and he cares for Emma so much, it's impossible to dislike him. (Though why you would even want to try is ridiculous, which is why no one does!) He is such a perfect gentleman and so very kind to Emma and her father-  and everybody else, for that matter. He and Emma's initial brother-and-sister relationship is so adorable, and they are probably one of my favourite film couples ever because I love them both so much!

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Horatio and Archie

This is an excerpt from the first Horatio Hornblower novel, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, which my sister Sadie is currently reading. My second favourite character in the series, Archie Kennedy, is a far smaller and insignificant character in the books; indeed, he only has a few lines in the first book. And that's it. They made him into a much bigger character in the movie series, which furthers my very strong belief that the screenwriters knew EXACTLY what they were doing! However, I really liked this one line (of his three- THREE!) in the book, because it shows how he and Horatio really were friends, even if they were not as close as was portrayed in the movies.


  Excerpt from chapter 4, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower

 Midshipman Hornblower was walking the lee side of the quarterdeck, as became his lowly station as the junior officer of the watch, when Midshipman Kennedy approached him. Kennedy took off his hat with a flourish and bowed low as his dancing master had once taught him, left foot advanced, hat down by the right knee. Hornblower entered into the spirit of the game, laid his hat against his stomach, and bent himself in the middle three times in quick succession. Thanks to his physical awkwardness {*} he could parody ceremonial solemnity almost without trying.
  "Most grave and reverend signor", said Kennedy. "I bear the compliments of Captain Sir Edward Pellew, who humbly solicits Your Gravity's attendance at dinner at eight bells in the afternoon watch."
  "My respects to Sir Edward", replied Hornblower, bowing to his knees at the mention of the name, "and I shall condescend to make a brief appearance."
   "I am sure the captain will be both relieved and delighted", said Kennedy. "I will convey him my felicitations along with your most flattering acceptance."

                                        

           Awwww! That's enough, Emma.

* Physically awkward indeed!

Very Truly Yours,

         Emma Jane

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