Triangle Pictures, with the massive losses to one of its partners, D. W. Griffith, who incurred much red ink in his 1916 "Intolerance," was quickly dissolving the relationship with its three superstar directors, Griffith, Thomas Ince and Mack Sennett. The later was leaving the company with his beloved Keystone Studio behind to form an independent production company by himself. During the breakup, which caught Swanson and Vernon in the middle, the September 1917 "The Sultan's Wife" was produced. The movie would be the last between the very popular pairing of Swanson and Vernon.
The plot is still madcap Keystone trademark, with Gloria kidnapped by a devious sultan while touring India with Bobby. The sultan wants to make the actress one of many wives he has, whom are the Keystone Beauties. But Bobby and Teddy the dog come to the rescue in a wild chase with switched identities.
Also known as "Caught in a Harem," this last effort by the two concluded a nine-film collaboration between Swanson and Vernon, which broke the hearts of their fans. After the movie, the actress would graduate to feature films, eventually working with director Cecil B. DeMile, while Bobby enlisted in the Navy during World War One before resuming his career in comedy shorts.