Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

mraculeated The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

allWoRknPlaY68 *****************SPOILERS BELOW************************************** First off, "Sweet Hostage" based on the book "Welcome to Xanadu"(not to be confused with the 80's roller movie with Olivia Newton-John), is about a 16 year old country ragamuffin(Linda Blair) who gets kidnapped by an escaped mental patient(Martin Sheen) when her truck breaks down in the middle of the road. He takes her up to an isolated log cabin. She tries to escape quite a few times, but, as always: gets caught. Evetually, she starts to see that this man has a beautiful soul. They soon become lovers.Now, I saw this movie because I'm a big Linda Blair fan, and I admire Sheen as well. I was mesmerized when I saw this. This is one of very few movies that can suck you in, with just two characters through the film. You won't find TV-movies like this today, which is actually quite sad. Don't let the premise fool you, because this is a pure, touching, funny, tragic movie that does very well without anything racy or too violent.Linda Blair stars as Doris Mae Withers, a 16 year old farm girl, who got kicked out of school, for punching a teacher. So, her vocabulary isn't the very best. Linda is absolutely amazing in this role. She's adorable at this age, and beautiful when Hatch buys her, her first dress. One scene I found just adorable, is when she starts assuming Sheen's character is a little flamboyant, because he tells her he thought she was a boy at first. The way she presents it is so cute and typical of a 16 year old, who thinks it's the funniest thing in the world. Also a part where she dons a French accent that is the most adorable thing ever. As time goes on, Doris Mae or, know formally know as "Cristabelle" vocabulary, starts to become more gentle and poetic. The last scene of the film, has to be the best acting I've seen from her so far(besides The Exorcist). But, she's a great actress all around. Another scene, I like is when she asks Sheen's character where the bathroom is. Her smart-Alec delivery and tone there always has me laughing.Martin Sheen is captivating(and, jaw dropping gorgeous) as the kidnapper who's an escaped mental patient with a different but beautiful way of thinking. Although, his condition isn't really focused on, Sheen would be talking as himself one minute, then the next, he would be "Kublah Kahn." Hatch assures Doris Mae that he doesn't want to do anything to her. But at times he does rough her up a bit by, pulling her hair and pushing her around pretty hard. A scene where he expresses anger at her is when he has hiccups that he's pretty mad about having, she tells him to put a paper bag over his head, he reluctantly does, and she comes up and scares him. Resulting, in pushing her against the wall and grabbing her hair in anger. A scene where Sheen really shines(almost a tongue twister, huh?)is when, "Cristabelle" reads a poem she wrote just for him, that moves him to tears. Such a beautiful reaction and scene between the two actors.I highly recommend this movie. It's touching,poetic, beautiful, funny, romantic, and tragic. 10/10 stars.Also, apparently Linda fell in love with Martin Sheen over the course of this movie. I don't blame her! Although, he was married but I still think it's cute and sweet.

KEdworthy I First Watched This film when i was 17 and it was the most moving film i had ever watched it was so good both Linda Blair and Martin Sheen were fantastic in this movie i have tried to purchase this film for years and was told it had been withdrawn from British shops My boyfriend decided to search the net and found a copy from USA for $150 and decided to purchase for me for Xmas last year and again when i watched it it made me laugh and cry it is still the best and was worth the money all my friends agree and even my boyfriend agreed what a good film it is all i can say is if you haven't seen it try and get it cause i am sure you will love it as much as me.....

michaelkeelee I watched this movie many moons ago and enjoyed it very much. In todays standards it probably would not rate but even if I saw it today I would still love it, wish I could buy the movie on DVD. This movie is for the romantics at heart! It starts off strange and mean and the whole time your rooting for linda blair character to get away, but towards the middle you find yourself wanting them to get along and be together. Martin sheens character is very strange, but towards the end you love him and understand him. Even though he's supposed to be crazy you want to be like him because he sees the world differently, a kinder world until the end.

moonspinner55 Martin Sheen gives a rich, rewarding performance in this memorable, underrated television drama. It's rare to find a film simply and honestly built on the budding relationship between just two main characters. Sheen's escaped mental patient and Linda Blair's kidnapped farm girl talk, fight, come to a mutual understanding, and finally become lovers. Sheen spouts poetry to tomboyish Blair, but he grows on her, and she to him. The scenes where they discuss the meaning of words like "symmetry" and "phosphorescence" is charmingly played, and Blair is right in tune with Sheen's reckless, showy abandon. This ABC-TV production, based on Nathaniel Benchley's book "Welcome to Xanadu", is let down a bit by the low budget (as well as by the romantic theme song which plays at the beginning and nearly gives away the plot!), but it has two terrific lead performances and a loose, brisk direction by Lee Philips. "Sweet Hostage" is mighty sweet indeed.