该片改编自英国畅销作家佛瑞斯特(C. S. Forester)的最得意作品,描写了18世纪末到19世纪初霍恩布洛尔船长的海上传奇,刻画了一位正直、勇敢、智慧、富有冒险精神并时刻反思人生的船长形象,该书的系列作品到目前仍受到霍恩迷的支持,在国外亦有专门的网站和讨论区交流此作品。本片讲述的是初出茅庐的Hornblower作为一个海军学员的故事,是几年以来不可多得的人物撰记片。Still serving aboard the HMS Indefatigable, Horatio Hornblower has been promoted to acting Lieutenant. Neutral Spain has concluded a peace treaty with France and the British now have another enemy to face. They soon come across a sunken British supply ship and rescue its Captain, 'Dreadnought' Foster, a man with a reputation for bravery that some consider borders on foolishness. Hornblower is also pleased to learn that Captain Pellew has scheduled him for the next round of Lieutenants exams. Tempers are short with the crew after they are put on half rations due to the lack of supplies. After acquiring more supplies, Hornblower finds himself in charge of a supply ship when it is feared that plague may also be aboard. He soon makes it to Gibraltar, but when the enemy send a fire ship into the harbor, he must act quickly to avert disaster.