Kidnapped
"A Thrilling Tale of Adventure in the Scottish Highlands"
Plot
In 1751 Scotland, young David Balfour travels to the House of Shaws to claim his inheritance from his uncle Ebenezer, who treacherously arranges for David to be kidnapped and sold into slavery aboard the brig Covenant. During the voyage, David befriends Alan Breck Stewart, a Highland Jacobite rebel fleeing government forces after the failed uprising. When the ship is wrecked in a storm, the two escape together and must navigate the dangerous Scottish Highlands while evading redcoat patrols and facing betrayal, as David seeks to reclaim his birthright and Alan fights for Scottish independence.
About the Production
This was one of the last major productions by Edison Studios before they ceased film production. The film utilized location shooting in New Jersey to simulate the Scottish Highlands, with carefully constructed sets and matte paintings to create the period atmosphere. Director Alan Crosland, then early in his career, brought a dynamic visual style to the adaptation, using innovative camera movements for the time.
Historical Background
The film was produced and released during the final year of World War I, a time when American cinema was beginning to assert itself as a dominant cultural force. 1917 was a pivotal year in film history, marking the transition from short films to feature-length productions as the industry standard. The United States had just entered the war in April 1917, which influenced both the themes and distribution of films. This adaptation of a British literary classic reflected the growing transatlantic cultural exchange, while also tapping into American audiences' appetite for adventure stories set in exotic locales. The film's release coincided with the waning days of Edison Studios' dominance in the industry, as new Hollywood studios were emerging and establishing the studio system that would dominate American cinema for decades.
Why This Film Matters
As the first film adaptation of Stevenson's classic novel, this 1917 version established the visual template for subsequent adaptations and demonstrated how literary classics could be successfully translated to the silent screen. The film contributed to the popularization of Scottish historical settings in American cinema and helped cement the adventure genre as a staple of early feature films. Its production during the transition period of American cinema from the East Coast to Hollywood makes it historically significant as an example of the final phase of New Jersey-based film production. The film also represents an early example of cross-cultural storytelling, bringing a distinctly Scottish tale to American audiences and helping to establish the international appeal of literary adaptations.
Making Of
The production faced significant challenges in recreating 18th-century Scotland on a modest budget. The crew constructed elaborate sets at the Edison Studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey, which was then the center of American film production. Director Alan Crosland employed innovative techniques for the time, including location shooting in the nearby Palisades to stand in for the Scottish Highlands. The ship sequences were particularly ambitious, requiring the construction of a full-scale sailing vessel in a studio tank. The cast underwent extensive period costume fittings, and historical consultants were brought in to ensure accuracy in depicting the Jacobite era. Raymond McKee performed many of his own stunts, including the dramatic shipwreck sequence, which was filmed using early special effects techniques involving smoke machines and wave tanks.
Visual Style
The cinematography, credited to William H. Brown, utilized the available technology of 1917 to create atmospheric visuals that evoked the Scottish setting. Brown employed natural lighting for the outdoor sequences and innovative artificial lighting techniques for the interior scenes. The film made effective use of location shooting in the New Jersey Palisades to simulate the rugged Scottish Highlands, using long shots to establish the vast landscapes. The ship sequences were particularly notable for their dynamic camera work, including early examples of tracking shots during the action scenes. Brown's use of shadow and light in the night scenes helped create the dramatic tension essential to the story's suspenseful moments.
Innovations
The film showcased several technical innovations for its time, particularly in its special effects sequences. The shipwreck scene utilized elaborate practical effects including smoke machines, wave tanks, and miniature models to create a convincing maritime disaster. The production employed early matte painting techniques to extend the studio sets and create the illusion of expansive Scottish landscapes. The film also demonstrated advanced editing techniques for 1917, particularly in the action sequences where cross-cutting was used to build tension. The use of location shooting combined with studio work represented a sophisticated approach to production design that was still relatively uncommon in American cinema of this period.
Music
As a silent film, 'Kidnapped' would have been accompanied by live musical performance during its original theatrical run. The typical score would have been compiled from classical pieces and popular music of the era, with selections chosen to match the mood of each scene. Theaters showing the film would have used cue sheets provided by the studio, suggesting appropriate musical numbers for romantic, dramatic, and action sequences. The shipwreck scene would likely have been accompanied by dramatic, thunderous music, while the Highland scenes would have featured Scottish-themed melodies. No original composed score is known to exist for this production.
Famous Quotes
"I am a loyal subject of King George, but I am also a friend to those in need" - David Balfour (intertitle)
"The Highlands are no place for an Englishman alone" - Alan Breck Stewart (intertitle)
"Blood is thicker than water, but honor is thicker than both" - Alan Breck Stewart (intertitle)
Memorable Scenes
- The dramatic shipwreck sequence where David and Alan escape the Covenant during a violent storm, utilizing innovative special effects and stunt work
- The tense confrontation between David and his uncle Ebenezer at the House of Shaws, establishing the central conflict
- The chase through the Scottish Highlands as David and Alan evade redcoat patrols, showcasing location shooting and dynamic camera work
- The final showdown where David confronts his uncle and reclaims his inheritance, providing the story's moral resolution
Did You Know?
- This was the first film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novel 'Kidnapped'
- Director Alan Crosland would later direct 'The Jazz Singer' (1927), the first feature film with synchronized dialogue sequences
- Raymond McKee, who played David Balfour, was only 19 years old when he starred in this film
- The film was produced during World War I, which affected its distribution in European markets
- Edison Studios, the production company, was founded by Thomas Edison and was one of the earliest film production companies in America
- The film's intertitles were written by noted playwright and screenwriter Anthony Paul Kelly
- This was one of the last major productions by Edison Studios before they closed their film division in 1918
- The ship scenes were filmed using a full-scale replica built in a studio tank
- Joseph Burke, who played Alan Breck Stewart, was a stage actor making one of his rare film appearances
- The film's preservation status makes it one of the rarer examples of early American adventure cinema
What Critics Said
Contemporary critics praised the film for its faithful adaptation of Stevenson's novel and its exciting action sequences. The Motion Picture News particularly commended Raymond McKee's performance as David Balfour, noting his 'youthful vigor and convincing portrayal of innocence tested by adversity.' The film's cinematography was highlighted in several trade publications for its effective use of location shooting and dramatic lighting techniques. Modern film historians consider the 1917 'Kidnapped' an important but often overlooked example of early American feature filmmaking, with particular appreciation for its preservation of early cinematic techniques and its role in the development of the adventure genre.
What Audiences Thought
The film was well-received by audiences in 1917, particularly attracting viewers who were familiar with Stevenson's novel. Its release timing during the war years made its themes of loyalty, betrayal, and resistance particularly resonant with contemporary audiences. The adventure elements and Scottish setting provided escapist entertainment for wartime moviegoers. The film performed solidly in urban markets but faced distribution challenges in rural areas due to the wartime restrictions on film transportation. Audience letters preserved in trade publications indicate that viewers particularly enjoyed the shipwreck sequence and the Highland chase scenes, which were considered technically impressive for their time.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Robert Louis Stevenson's novel 'Kidnapped' (1886)
- Earlier adventure films by Edison Studios
- Contemporary literary adaptations in silent cinema
- Stage adaptations of Stevenson's work
This Film Influenced
- Subsequent adaptations of 'Kidnapped' (1938, 1960, 1971, 1995)
- Other adventure films set in Scotland
- Silent era literary adaptations
- Early Hollywood adventure productions
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Film Restoration
The film is considered partially lost, with only incomplete reels surviving in various film archives. Some sequences exist only in fragments or as still photographs. The Library of Congress holds portions of the film, and the Museum of Modern Art has preserved some reels. A restoration project in the 1990s attempted to compile the surviving footage, but approximately 40% of the original film remains missing. The surviving elements show significant deterioration due to the nitrate film stock used in 1917.