The Bait is a 1921 American silent crime drama film produced by and starring Hope Hampton, directed by Maurice Tourneur, and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

John Gilbert, then working for Tourneur, wrote the scenario (silent film version of a screenplay) based on the stage play The Tiger Lady by Sidney Toler.

[4] Joan Grainger (Hampton) is about to be "sent up" to prison after being falsely accused of stealing when she is kidnapped by Bennett Barton (McDonald), mastermind of a band of crooks of which Simpson (Singleton) is a member.

The girl rebels but Bennett threatens to send her back to prison or, still worse, expose her to John, with whom she has now fallen in love.

The entire party return to the United States where Bennett forces Joan to accept John's proposal of marriage.