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Sharpe's Mission (1996)

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Synopsis

Colonel Brand, believed by everyone to be a hero, is really in the pay of the French and he plots with them to lure Wellington's intelligence officer Ross into a trap. He reports the discovery of the French stores of ammunition and other stores in caves near a fort behind enemy lines. Before riding into the camp, he and his vicious Sergeant, Pope, murder a gypsy family who accidentally see them talking with the French. Zara, however, survives and is taken up by Pyecroft, an explosives officer who now wears a leather hood because of injuries to his face and who dug graves for her murdered family. Zara, now at the camp with some other gypsies, recognises Brand, who kills Conchita and her family during the night, believing Zara to be with them. Harris discovers the bodies and is accused of the crime. Sharpe stands up for him and orders him to be posted to his quarters in order to keep an eye on Jane, whom he suspects the poet Sherrington may try to seduce. Left behind in camp Jane is bored and frustrated. Brand and his men scout ahead of Ross, Pyecroft and Sharpe and his men, massacring a group of French deserters set up by their own Colonel. Sharpe is suspicious and discovers that the powder in the guns used by the massacred French was ineffective. They trap Pope in the act of trying to murder Zara and make him tell all he knows. Harper then fights with Pope, killing him in revenge for Pope's earlier attack on Ramona. Brand and all his men are made prisoner. Back at camp, Sherrington nearly succeeds in seducing Jane, who is touched by his poetry. However, Harris shows him up to be a fraud and a plagarist. Sharpe persuades another group of French deserters that they have been set up, and they leave the fort open to Sharpe and his men. Brand is court-martialled and Sharpe knocks him down a well. Pyecroft and Ross set charges to blow up the stores, whilst they and Sharpe make their escape, with the rest of Brand's men agreeing to fight off an attacking French force in order to restore their honour.

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