Two Arabian Knights (1927)

Director:

Lewis Milestone

Writers:

Donald McGibney (story)
Wallace Smith (screen version) ...

Release Date:

23 September 1927 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Adventure

Plot:

Two American soldiers are captured by the Germans on the Western Front during World War One and escape a POW camp only to stumble into further life-threatening adventures when they come across an Arabian king's daughter while on the lam.

Plot Keywords:

Ship | Escape | Soldier | Emir | Arab

Awards:

Won Oscar.

Cast

William Boyd	...	W. Dangerfield Phelps III
Mary Astor	...	Mirza
Louis Wolheim	...	Sgt. Peter O'Gaffney
Ian Keith	...	Shevket Ben Ali
Michael Vavitch	...	The Emir
Michael Visaroff	...	The Skipper (as M. Visaroff)
Boris Karloff	...	The Purser
DeWitt Jennings	...	American Consul (as De Witt Jennings)
Nicholas Dunaew	...	Mirza's Man Servant (as Nicholas Dunaev)
Jean Vachon	...	Mirza's Maid Servant
David Cavendish	...	The Emir's Advisor (as Denis D'Auburn)

Runtime:

92 min (2004 alternate version)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

San Bernardino Mountains, California, USA

Company:

The Caddo Company

Trivia:

Lewis Milestone won an Oscar, then called the First Award, for Direction (Comedy Picture), the first and only year that category appeared in the Academy Awards. Milestone beat the only other nominee in the category, 'Ted Wilde' for Harold Lloyd's Speedy (1928). Charles Chaplin had originally been announced as a Best Comedy Director nominee for The Circus (1928), but subsequently was removed from the category (his nomination for Best Actor also was rescinded) and given a special Honorary Award. Milestone won a second Oscar for directing All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), which featured Louis Wolheim in a World War I setting, and was nominated one more time, for The Front Page (1931).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Howard Hughes: His Women and His Movies (2000) (TV)

William Boyd & Boris Karloff Starting their Careers !

Enjoyed viewing this 1927 Silent Film from the past and seeing great Classic actors like Mary Astor, William Boyd and Boris Karloff. The film depicts two soldiers fighting in the trenches of WWI and wearing gas masks against the Mustard Gas that the Germans were using to kill the American Forces in Europe. William Boyd,(Pvt W. Dangerfield Phelps),"Hopalong Cassidy",'49 TV Series, was a green horn to fighting in the muddy trenches and meets up with a veteran soldier, Louis Walheim,(Sgt.Peter McGaffney),"The Sin Ship",'31, who gave Pvt. Dangerfield a very hard time during half of the picture. The two soldiers meet up with Mary Astor,(Anis bin Adham/Miraz),"Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte','64, who wears a veil over her face and charms the two soldiers into paying for her fare on their voyage. If you look real close, you will see Boris Karloff,(Purser)"Targets",'68, who was the purser on the ship and was just starting his career with a minor role in this Army life comedy, at the age of 40 years. Howard Huges produced this picture for UA and was the first film to win an Academy Award for its direction. If you want to see a great Silent Film from 1927, you will definitely enjoy this CLASSIC!