Hostages ** (1943, Luise Rainer, Paul Lukas, William Bendix, Oscar Homolka, Arturo de Cordova, Katina Paxinou, Roland Varno) – Classic Movie Review 13,392

Hostages (1943, Luise Rainer, Paul Lukas, William Bendix),

26 Czech citizens are jailed as hostages by the Gestapo until the supposed killer of a Nazi officer – who committed suicide – is handed over, in the 1943 war film Hostages. 

Director Frank Tuttle’s 1943 Paramount Pictures black and white film Hostages is based on the 1942 novel by Stefan Heym, and stars Luise Rainer, Paul Lukas, William Bendix, Oscar Homolka, Arturo de Cordova, Katina Paxinou, Roland Varno, and Reinhold Schünzel.

Nazis threaten to kill 26 jailed Prague refugee hostages as a reprisal for the apparent murder of a German officer by the Czech underground – the Nazi officer actually committed suicide – in this well-meaning, very good-spirited if ultimately run-of-the-mill war movie. It was, however, relevant and urgent at the time of its making.

William Bendix gives it a lift as the Czech underground resistance leader who is one of the hostages, and so does Oscar Homolka as Lev Pressinger, a collaborator.

Its routine nature is no doubt why this film is largely forgotten, along with its star, German-born film actress Luise Rainer, despite winning two consecutive Oscars.

With Rainer’s MGM long expired and no agent, David Rose, head of Paramount Pictures, offered her the starring role in Hostages. Rainer commented: ‘It’s certainly not an Academy Award part, and, thank goodness, my bosses don’t expect me to win an award with it. No, this is something unspectacular, but, I hope, a step back in the right direction.’

The screenplay is by Frank Butler and Lester Cole.

Release date: August 12, 1943 (US).

Running time: 88 minutes.

The cast

The cast are Luise Rainer as Milada Pressinger, Arturo de Córdova as Paul Breda, William Bendix as Underground leader, Paul Lukas as Rheinhardt, Katina Paxinou as Maria, Oskar Homolka as Lev Pressinger, Reinhold Schünzel as Kurt Daluege, Frederick Gierrman as Captain Patzer, Roland Varno as Jan Pavel, Felix Basch as Dr Wallerstein, John Mylong as Proskosch, Hans Conried as Lt Glasenapp, Steven Geray as Muelle, John Mylong, Michael Vissaroff, Eric Feldary, Mikhail Rasumny, Philip Van Zandt, Rex Williams, Bob Gilbert, Crane Whitley, Louis V Arco, Ludwig Donath, George Sorel, Mary Dietrich, Ivan Triessault, Richard Ryan, Louis Aldon, Kurt Neumann, Lisa Golm, Otto Reichow, Harry Strang, Lucien Prival, Otto Reichow, and Gloria Williams.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,392

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