Two Arabian Knights (1927)

Director:

Lewis Milestone

Writers:

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

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)

Directed by
Lewis Milestone

Writing credits
Donald McGibney		(story) (as Donald McGibeny)
Wallace Smith		(screen version) and
Cyril Gardner		(screen version)
James T. O'Donohoe		(continuity) (as James O'Donohue)
George Marion Jr.		(titles)

Produced by
John W. Considine Jr.	....	producer
Jeffery Masino	....	producer (alternate version 2004)
Howard Hughes	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Robert Israel

Cinematography by
Tony Gaudio		(photographed by) (as Antonio Gaudio)
Joseph H. August		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Douglass Biggs		(as Douglas Biggs)

Art Direction by
William Cameron Menzies

Production Management
Leeds Baxter	....	production manager
Walter Mayo	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nate Watt	....	assistant director

Art Department
Casey Roberts	....	interior decorator

Sound Department
Karen Eckhoff	....	sound engineer (2004 alternate version)
Vladislav Kvapil	....	recording director (2004 alternate version)
Vit Muzik	....	recording director (2004 alternate version)

Visual Effects by
Jeffery Masino	....	digital restoration (2004 alternate version)

Editorial Department
David Block	....	telecine: Ascent Media (2004 alternate version)
Alfonso Gomez	....	restoration film editor (2004 alternate version)

Music Department
Robert Israel	....	conductor: The Robert Israel Orchestra, Europe (2004 alternate version)
Robert Israel	....	music arranger (2004 alternate version)

Other crew
John W. Considine Jr.	....	presenter
John W. Considine Jr.	....	supervisor
Howard Hughes	....	presenter
Frank M. Lunn	....	legal services: Rosen, Feig, Conley and Lunn (2004 alternate version)
Ned Mann	....	technical director (as Ned Herbert Mann)
Tom Sehenuk	....	restoration: ADS (2004 alternate version)
Ariel Ticsay	....	restoration: ADS (2004 alternate version)

Thanks
Margaret Bodde	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Evans Butterworth	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Sean Cameron	....	special thanks: Turner Entertainment Networks (2004 alternate version)
Sean Clark	....	special thanks: UNLV Dept. of Film (2004 alternate version)
Patricia Coleman	....	special thanks: University of Nevada Las Vegas (2004 alternate version)
Michelle Cooley	....	special thanks: Turner Entertainment Networks (2004 alternate version)
Pirro Dollani	....	special thanks: University of Nevada Las Vegas (2004 alternate version)
Frank Donner	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
John F. Gallagher	....	special thanks: UNLV Foundation (2004 alternate version) (as John F. Gallagher Ph.D.)
Randy Haberkamp	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Tom Karsch	....	special thanks: Turner Entertainment Networks (2004 alternate version)
Marty Kearns	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Irvin Kershner	....	dedicatee: Robert Israel's music (2004 alternate version)
Jeffrey Koep	....	special thanks: University of Nevada Las Vegas (2004 alternate version) (as Jeffrey Koep Ph.D.)
Laneesa Lanier	....	special thanks: University of Nevada Las Vegas (2004 alternate version)
Francisco Menéndez	....	special thanks: UNLV Dept. of Film (2004 alternate version) (as Francisco Menendez)
John Novacek	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Kevin Orrock	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Brian Peterson	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Justin Pettigrew	....	special thanks: Turner Entertainment Networks (2004 alternate version)
Susan Ryan	....	special thanks: Turner Entertainment Networks (2004 alternate version) (as Susan K. Ryan)
David Schmoeller	....	special thanks: UNLV Dept. of Film (2004 alternate version)
Charles Tabesh	....	special thanks: Turner Entertainment Networks (2004 alternate version)
Morgan Tegtow	....	special thanks: University of Nevada Las Vegas (2004 alternate version)
Jennifer Vaughan	....	special thanks: University of Nevada Las Vegas (2004 alternate version)
Hart L. Wegner	....	special thanks: UNLV Dept. of Film (2004 alternate version)
Peter Wentzel	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Karin Wright	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)
Kevin Yates	....	special thanks (2004 alternate version)

Production Companies

• The Caddo Company

Distributors

• United Artists (1927) (USA) (theatrical)
• Flicker Alley (2004) (worldwide) (DVD) (alternate version)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2004) (USA) (TV) (alternate version)
• University of Nevada Las Vegas (2004) (USA) (TV) (alternate version)

Other Companies

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)  special thanks (2004 alternate version)
• Advanced Digital Services (ADS)  digital restoration (2004 alternate version)
• Ascent Media Digital Imaging  telecine (as Ascent Media) (2004 alternate version)
• Chamber Music Recording (Europe)  special thanks (2004 alternate version)
• Film Foundation  special thanks (2004 alternate version)
• Flicker Alley  digital restoration (2004 alternate version)
• Howard Hughes Corporation  special thanks (2004 alternate version)
• Law Offices of Dennis Angel  special thanks (2004 alternate version)
• Rosen, Feig, Conley & Lunn  legal services (2004 alternate version)
• The Robert Israel Orchestra  orchestra (as The Robert Israel Orchestra {Europe}) (2004 alternate version)

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:

The print for this film that was found was recovered just in the nick of time - there are points in the film where severe damage (and near-disintegration) can be seen, although the restorers did their utmost to undo the damage.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977) (TV)

Amusing WWI buddy comedy, building on WHAT PRICE GLORY?

The tremendous popularity of WHAT PRICE GLORY? -a WWI tale of warring "buddies" by the names of Quirt and Flagg - was so great that it resulted in spin-off sequels and this separate but equal take on the theme. This was Lewis Milestone's first important film and oddly enough, it was a comedy (Milestone is not known as a comedy director). It was a blatant rip off of the previous film - same theme- warring "buddies" having escapades in WWI (escape from a prisoner of war camp, escape from a deportation attempt, rescue of an Arabian princess).

The results are amusing and entertaining with Louis Wolheim showing an adept comedy flair (as he would prove to also be a fine dramatic actor- he deserved an Oscar nom at least for his supporting work in ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT). William Boyd would appear in four Academy-recognized films in the two year period of 1927-28 (TWO ARABIAN KNIGHTS, THE LEATHERNECK, THE COP, SKYSCRAPER)and proves an able romantic foil for Wolheim.

The opening amusing foxhole sequence parallels Milestone's harrowing foxhole scene in his dramatic ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. There's a great overhead shot of a circle of firearms pointed into the hole that reminds one of a Busby Berkeley kaleidoscope dance sequence. There is an unusual and lengthy sequence of male nudity as men are being herded into a delousing station. There's a fun parallel duet of pickpocketing. Both men endure much water - a winter stream, two dunks in the bay, a tub. There are some well composed overhead shots on a sailing vessel. There's a slightly naughty visual joke related to "wetting the floor." Another risqué moment occurs when Wolheim mistakenly attempts to milk a male goat. There's an involved and suspenseful escape involving wriggling under an electrically wired fence. And what is that last shot all about with the Arab standing in the doorway?????

The film, which has existed as negative and print elements in the vaults of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas/Reno for 75 years was restored by UCLA and Flicker Alley and shown for the first time on television on a special Turner Classic Movie segment in December, 2004.

The second half of the film shows spotty but often severe nitrate deterioration, making the film in many spots practically unviewable. It is lucky the decomposition was caught in time.

The film won for Milestone an Oscar for Best Comedy Direction. It is unlikely that it was deserved. That year we had Ted Wilde's direction of Harold Lloyd's SPEEDY -another nominee in the category, as well as Chaplin's THE CIRCUS (for which he won a special Oscar), not to mention Buster Keaton and his masterpiece, THE GENERAL. If anyone deserved an Oscar for Comedy Direction that year it was Keaton.

All in all, an amusing but not great comedy.