The Son of the Sheik (1926)
In the North African desert, young Ahmed, son of the legendary Sheik, falls for the dancer Yasmin, but when her bandit father's gang kidnaps and beats him over a misunderstanding, he breaks free to mount a fiery rescue and reclaim her.
The Son of the Sheik was Rudolph Valentino’s final film, casting him as both the aging Sheik and his dashing son; he died of complications from a perforated ulcer just weeks before its release, and the picture’s runaway success turned his funeral into a national spectacle. It was selected for the National Film Registry in 2003.
Background
The Son of the Sheik was Rudolph Valentino’s final film. He died in August 1926 from complications of a perforated ulcer, and the picture was released after his death, drawing large audiences and a public response to his passing. Directed by George Fitzmaurice, it is a sequel to The Sheik (1921), which had made Valentino a romantic desert hero. He plays both the aging Sheik and his son Ahmed, a dual role that let him carry the film by himself. Vilma Banky plays Yasmin, the dancer at the center of the romance. The film was selected for the National Film Registry in 2003.
What to watch for
Look for the way Valentino separates his two roles through costume, bearing and makeup, so that the older Sheik and the younger Ahmed read as distinct characters. The second half turns on Ahmed’s capture and beating by Yasmin’s father’s bandit gang, followed by a fiery rescue staged in desert settings. The film’s tents, dunes and dance sequences reflect the Orientalist fantasy conventions of 1920s Hollywood, and modern viewers should weigh those depictions of North African life critically. At roughly sixty-nine minutes, the story leaves room for its romance and its action climax.
