The Hostage

Important note: This is not a film review. I hope to be able to find and add as many silent film synopsis of films that have a survival status of unknown or presumed lost. I try to do as much research as I can and it is not my intention to deceive anyone, for sometimes the film does exist and some presumed lost films are still being discovered. I am more than delighted if someone has knowledge of a film listed as lost but survives, as I wish all silent films did survive. I hope the reader enjoys this brief synopsis.

The Highlanders and Lowlanders are sworn enemies until Lieutenant Kemper ( Wallace Reid ), the son of Brigadier Kemper ( C. H. Geldert ), the leader of the militaristic Lowlanders, is held hostage by the Highlanders until his father's army has retreated to its own boundaries. Much to his surprise, the lieutenant is treated with kindness and consideration by his captors, especially by Boyadi ( Noah Beery ) and his beautiful daughter Nathalia ( Dorothea Abril ), whom he learns to love. Thus, instead of obeying his father's command to escape at an appointed time when the Lowlanders plan to violate their pledge and storm the fortress, he keeps his promise to his captors and remains a prisoner. The Highlanders, inflamed by the Lowlander's broken word, are about to kill the lieutenant when news comes of the approach of another foe and, hailing the Kempers as saviours, the two former enemies unite to defeat this new foe.

This 1917 silent war/drama was produced by the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, starring Wallace Reid, Dorothea Abril, Noah Beery, C. H. Geldert, Lucien Littlefield and Gertrude Short. The survival status of The Hostage (1917) is listed in the American Silent Feature Film Database as; No holdings located in archives.