Silas was a 1981 ZDFAdventureTV mini-series based on the Danishchildren'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 despite being recorded in Normandy and in Brittany France, it was filmed solely in German. Still it received attention beyond German-speaking countries and consequently the successor Jack Holborn involved international producers and was dub filmed in English.
Plot
As a little childSilas was sold to a circus where he learned to pull stunts 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 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 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. Getting hungry he accepts a meal provided by swindler Emanuel and his likewise rogue wifeTheresa. They use a strong barbiturate on Silas and disappear with his horse. After Silas awakens in a boat on a river he sees Philipp trying to steal fresh milk from a blind girl. When the girl's mother arrives Philipp puts the blame on Silas, who as a result 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 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 who is running from an unsavoury woman called Corby. Silas, Godik and Jenny reach a town where Silas gets the idea of buying a bear with money from the smuggler's treasure. 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 not really an orphan. Silas and Godik return Jenny to her family. Then Silas accompanies his friend Godik to his family. The lost son Godik is heartily welcomed and so is Silas, but Silas doesn't feel safe and believes his presence is endangering his new friends. On the road again he makes new friends - he saves merchant Sandal and later also his son Japetus from harm. But Corby has followed him. She teams up with some other low-lifes who eventually capture Silas and Japetus for ransom. Sandal's employee Karneol saves them. Corby and her gang are imprisoned. Silas finally feels saved and returns to Godik and his family.
International Broadcast
The BBC took the series from Cori Film Distributors and split it into 12 half hour episodes starting on 16 May 1984 with repeats in 1986, 1987 and 1988.
