The Captive (1915 film)

The Captive is an American silent-era film released on April 22, 1915. It was released on five reels. The film was written, directed, edited, and produced by Cecil B. DeMille. Jesse L. Lasky was another producer and Jeanie MacPherson worked with DeMille to write the screenplay. The film is based on a play written by Cecil B. DeMille and Jeanie MacPherson. The Captive grossed just over $56,000. On a budget of only $12,154.Blanche Sweet stars as Sonia Martinovich, alongside House Peters who stars as Mahmud Hassan. The film details the romantic war-era plight of Montenegrin protagonist, Sonia Martinovich, and her Turkish lover, Mahmud Hassan.

The Captive chronicles the life of a young woman named Sonia Martinovitch (Blanche Sweet) who lived during the midst of the Balkan Wars. She lives close to the Turkish border on a small farm in Montenegro with her older brother Marko Martinovich (Page Peters) and younger brother Milo (Gerald Ward). Nearby, a Turkish nobleman by the name of Mahmud Hassan (House Peters) lives in a lavish palace. Marko Martinovich fights in the Battle of Lule Burgess, and is tragically killed, leaving Martinovich and her remaining brother, Milo, helpless. Subsequently, Hassan is taken prisoner, and assigned to the Martinovich’s farm to help her with the chores Sonia is unable to complete without her brother.

In the beginning, Sonia holds Hassan captive with the use of her bullwhip and forces him to complete tasks like getting water, baking, and plowing fields. Hassan begins to befriend young Milo to alleviate his humiliation and suffering. Gradually, Sonia warms up to him and they fall deeply in love.

The war waged on, and the Turks recaptured the village where Sonia, Hassan and Milo live. Unfortunately, a drunken officer (William Elmer) tries to force himself on Martinovich, but she refuses. Fueled by love, Hassan intervenes, despite the fact that the officer shares his national origin. When the Turkish army is driven out of the village, Hassan returns home only to be faced with the grim reality that he has been stripped of his title, his land has been taken, and he has banished from his homeland, all for thwarting the drunken officer away from Sonia. Meanwhile, at the farm, a pack of unruly scavengers have burned the Martinovich family’s modest house, forcing them to abandon the place they call home. The siblings meet Hassan on the road, and the lovebirds and Milo walk off to begin a new life together.