Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story (1991) Marlo Thomas, David Dukes, G.W. Bailey, Michael Cavanaugh Movie Review

Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story (1991)   3/53/53/53/53/5


David Dukes and Marlo Thomas in Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story (1991)

Held by the Hezbollah

After they married Lucille 'Sis' Levin (Marlo Thomas) headed out to Lebanon where her husband Jerry Levin (David Dukes) is stationed as a journalist covering the troubles in the Middle East. But in the course of doing his job Jerry ends up being taken hostage by Hezbollah who hold him in captivity. Having been told to return to American Sis and their friends work to try and help get Jerry out and after almost a year and thanks to the efforts of Sis and their friends Jerry escapes.

I didn't say but all this takes place back in 1984 and whilst I am sure for some the events of that time will never truly fade from their memories for many they will have been forgotten about it. I am not just on about now over 30 years after the story in "Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story " takes place but I also mean in 1991 when this TV movie was made. And as such it is a bit curious as these sorts of true story movies tend to be rushed out soon after the events rather than coming 7 years later when as I said people will have started to forget about them.

Now that doesn't take anything away from Sis and Jerry Levin's Story and "Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story" does a solid if shall we say typical job of getting across that story. That means on one hand we have Sis and the nightmare she went through when it comes to not only dealing with the not knowing where Jerry is but initially being in a foreign country with different ways of doing things and different levels of urgency. On the other there are the experiences of Jerry as he is kept prisoner, trying to keep going. But this is a made for TV movie and so rather than being gritty it goes more for drama and the actors responses to the situations than showing the horror. Having said that there is some very good staging especially early on in the movie which helps to set the volatile scene in Lebanon.

What this all boils down to is that "Held Hostage: The Sis and Jerry Levin Story" is one of those movies which now more than ever will have the biggest impact on those who were involved and remember the story of Jerry Levin's kidnapping. But for those who don't this TV movie from 1991 is only typical with some nice staging but a greater focus on the main actor's dramatic responses to news rather than action.


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