The Sheik (1921)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

George Melford

Writers:

Edith Maude Hull (novel)
Monte M. Katterjohn (writer)

Release Date:

20 November 1921 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Tagline:

A photoplay of tempestuous love between a madcap English beauty and a bronzed Arab chief!

Plot:

A charming Arabian sheik becomes infatuated with an adventurous, modern-thinking Englishwoman and abducts her to his home in the Saharan desert.

Plot Keywords:

Desert | Sheik | Love | Bandit | Arabian

Cast

Rudolph Valentino	...	Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan
Agnes Ayres	...	Lady Diana Mayo
Ruth Miller	...	Zilahl (a marriage market prospect)
George Waggner	...	Yousaef (tribal chieftain) (as George Waggener)
Frank Butler	...	Sir Aubrey Mayo
Charles Brinley	...	Mustapha Ali (Diana's guide) (as Charles Brindley)
Lucien Littlefield	...	Gaston (French valet)
Adolphe Menjou	...	Raoul de Saint Hubert
Walter Long	...	Omair (the bandit)

Runtime:

80 min (22 fps)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Finland:S (1938) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Guadalupe Sand Dunes, Santa Barbara County, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Was partial inspiration for the naming of Hollywood High School's sports teams as "The Sheiks", a name which persists to this day (2008).

Quotes:

Ahmed: Lie still, you little fool!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis: Dig, Dig, Dig (#3.6)" (1961)

An essential period piece for film buffs

The Sheik. Like it or not it is part of film history and as such deserves at least a look. The plot is pure romance novel, the budget was microscopic and it's true about it not being Valentino's best film. In spite of all this, the film manages to be a neat bit of escapism.

No one expected this film to succeed in spite of being based on a wildly popular best seller. But the female film going population had other ideas and The Sheik made a mint, spawned many imitations and caused an Arabia craze.

The plot involves the lovesick Sheik Ahmed abducting an English beauty to be his wife. Clearly, this is not the sort of movie that would get released today except as a direct to video. Because of this, rather than in spite of, this movie is very fascinating to modern viewers.

The Sheik is strangely enjoyable if one puts aside modern inhibitions and gets into the spirit of things. Even with that, this is not a very well made movie, just a fun one. In spite of cries for censorship in the 20's, this movie is very tame by most modern standards. Nothing I would show a child, but most certainly not as wild as what is on an average network sitcom.

If you wish to check out the legendary Valentino, I suggest viewing The Eagle or the Son of the Sheik which feature much better performances.