Silas (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Silas was a 1981 ZDF
Adventure
TV mini-series based on the Danish
children's book „Silas og den sorte hoppe“ by Cecil Bødker
who kept on writing instalments until 2001.
The series was Patrick Bach's debut and because the series did so well he also starred the very next year in another adventure series about a young orphan: Jack Holborn
Silas was a German production and filmed solely in German. Still it received attention beyond German-speaking countries and consequently the successor Jack Holborn involved international producers and was filmed in English.
) was sold to a circus
where he learned to pull stunt
s and tricks from early on. This comes in handy when he decides to rather live an adventurous life on his own than to be trained in the dangerous art of sword swallowing
. Also being threatened by director Philipp (Diether Krebs
) that the sinews of his feet would be cut just in order to prevent him from running away, it occurs to him it is now or never and off he goes. A farmer called Bartolin (Shmuel Rodensky) gives him shelter but underestimates the boy's skills and carelessly bets him his horse. Bartolin cannot accept the outcome of this bet and so Silas is on the run again. tting hungry he lets himself lured into a meal provided by swindler Emanuel (André Lacombe) and his likewise rogue wife Theresa (Reine Barteve). They use a strong barbiturate
on Silas and disappear with his horse. After Silas awakened in a boat on a river he sees Philipp trying to steal fresh milk from a blind girl. He can hinder him but when the girl's mother arrives the wicked Philipp achieves to put the blame on Silas. As a result of this Silas finds himself in a wooden cage. He has to find a way to gain the family's trust if he wants to escape. While searching for his horse he mets the scallywag Godik (Lucki Molocher) who helps him to retrieve the animal. They stick together, both trying to make a living on what they've learned. Silas shows circus tricks and Godik works as a carver. Yet Silas gets into trouble again because he and Godik stumble across a treasure hidden by smugglers. Hunted by the smuggler's gang they run into homeless young Jenny (Nina Rothemund) who is running from an unsavory woman called Corby (Ingeborg Lapsien). Silas, Godik and Jenny get into a town where Silas gets the idea to buy a bear with money he has taken from the smugger's treasue. The citizens decide to investigate him over theft. He finds himself in prison with Corby who once abducted Jenny. Eventually he learns that Jenny is no real orphan. Silas and Godik return Jenny to her family. Then Silas accompanies his friend Godik to his family. The lost son Godik his heartily welcomed and so is Silas. But for Silas doesn't feel safe and has angst
to endanger his new friends by his presence On the road again he makes new friends. He saves merchant Sandal (Hans Helmut Dickow) and later also his son Japetus (Armin Schawe) from harm. But Corby has followed him. She teams up with some other low-life
s who eventually capture Silas and Japetus for ransom
. Sandal's employee Karneol (Jacques van Dooren) saves them. Corby and her gang are imprisoned. Silas finally feels saves and returns to Godik and his family.
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
Adventure
Adventure
An adventure is defined as an exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome. The term is often used to refer to activities with some potential for physical danger, such as skydiving, mountain climbing and or participating in extreme sports...
TV mini-series based on the Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
children's book „Silas og den sorte hoppe“ by Cecil Bødker
Cecil Bødker
Cecil Bødker is a Danish writer, most famous for the use of the character "Silas" in her books. In 1977, "The Leopard" won The Mildred L...
who kept on writing instalments until 2001.
The series was Patrick Bach's debut and because the series did so well he also starred the very next year in another adventure series about a young orphan: Jack Holborn
Jack Holborn
Jack Holborn was a 1982 ZDF Adventure TV mini-series. The story is based on the book by Leon Garfield.-Plot:Jack Holborn is a 13-year-old boy living in an orphanage in late 18th-century Bristol. Jack was found on the steps of the Holborn Catholic church in London when he was a toddler. He was...
Silas was a German production and filmed solely in German. Still it received attention beyond German-speaking countries and consequently the successor Jack Holborn involved international producers and was filmed in English.
Plot
As a little child Silas (Patrick BachPatrick Bach
Patrick Bach is a German actor and voice actor. His parents are Beate Molina and lawyer Horst Bach.He was discovered while playing a soccer game and got the title role in the miniseries Silas which is based on the books by Cecil Bødker.He is best known for his lead roles in the two miniseries...
) was sold to a circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
where he learned to pull stunt
Stunt
A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema...
s and tricks from early on. This comes in handy when he decides to rather live an adventurous life on his own than to be trained in the dangerous art of sword swallowing
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
. Also being threatened by director Philipp (Diether Krebs
Diether Krebs
Diether Krebs was a German actor, cabaret artist and comedian.-Youth and initial success:...
) that the sinews of his feet would be cut just in order to prevent him from running away, it occurs to him it is now or never and off he goes. A farmer called Bartolin (Shmuel Rodensky) gives him shelter but underestimates the boy's skills and carelessly bets him his horse. Bartolin cannot accept the outcome of this bet and so Silas is on the run again. tting hungry he lets himself lured into a meal provided by swindler Emanuel (André Lacombe) and his likewise rogue wife Theresa (Reine Barteve). They use a strong barbiturate
Barbiturate
Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia. They are also effective as anxiolytics, as hypnotics, and as anticonvulsants...
on Silas and disappear with his horse. After Silas awakened in a boat on a river he sees Philipp trying to steal fresh milk from a blind girl. He can hinder him but when the girl's mother arrives the wicked Philipp achieves to put the blame on Silas. As a result of this Silas finds himself in a wooden cage. He has to find a way to gain the family's trust if he wants to escape. While searching for his horse he mets the scallywag Godik (Lucki Molocher) who helps him to retrieve the animal. They stick together, both trying to make a living on what they've learned. Silas shows circus tricks and Godik works as a carver. Yet Silas gets into trouble again because he and Godik stumble across a treasure hidden by smugglers. Hunted by the smuggler's gang they run into homeless young Jenny (Nina Rothemund) who is running from an unsavory woman called Corby (Ingeborg Lapsien). Silas, Godik and Jenny get into a town where Silas gets the idea to buy a bear with money he has taken from the smugger's treasue. The citizens decide to investigate him over theft. He finds himself in prison with Corby who once abducted Jenny. Eventually he learns that Jenny is no real orphan. Silas and Godik return Jenny to her family. Then Silas accompanies his friend Godik to his family. The lost son Godik his heartily welcomed and so is Silas. But for Silas doesn't feel safe and has angst
Angst
Angst is an English, German, Danish, Norwegian and Dutch word for fear or anxiety . It is used in English to describe an intense feeling of apprehension, anxiety or inner turmoil...
to endanger his new friends by his presence On the road again he makes new friends. He saves merchant Sandal (Hans Helmut Dickow) and later also his son Japetus (Armin Schawe) from harm. But Corby has followed him. She teams up with some other low-life
Low-life
A low-life or lowlife is a term for a person who is considered morally unacceptable by their community, especially those who exploit others for their own selfish purposes...
s who eventually capture Silas and Japetus for ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
. Sandal's employee Karneol (Jacques van Dooren) saves them. Corby and her gang are imprisoned. Silas finally feels saves and returns to Godik and his family.