Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky.     Photograph: Silent Era low-res collection.

Cast: Rudolph Valentino [Ahmed; and the Sheik, his father], Vilma Banky [Yasmin], George Fawcett [André, her father], Montagu Love [Gahbah, the moor], Karl Dane [Ramadan], Binunsky Hyman [Pincher, a mountebank], Bull Montana [Ali, a mountebank], Agnes Ayres [Diana, Ahmed’s mother], Charles Requa, William Donovan, Erwin Connelly, Jaddin the horse

Feature Productions, Incorporated, production; distributed by United Artists Corporation. / Produced by John W. Considine Jr. Scenario by Frances Marion and Fred De Gresac, from the novel The Son of the Sheik by E.M. Hull (Edith Maude Hull). Production design by William Cameron Menzies. Cinematography by George Barnes. Intertitles by George Marion Jr. Presented by Emil C. Jensen. / © 24 August 1926 by Feature Productions, Incorporated [LP23046]. Premiered 9 July 1926 in Los Angeles, California. Released 5 September 1926. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1 format. / Valentino’s last film, as he had died on 23 August 1926. The film was released after Valentino’s death. The film was rereleased by Artcinema Associates, Incorporated. Rerelease music and orchestations by Arthur H. Gutman. Turbulent music sequences by Gerard Carbonara. Rerelease music synchronized and arranged by James C. Bradford. The film’s copyright was renewed by Artcinema Associates, Incorporated, in 1954.

Drama: Romance.

Survival Status: Prints exist [35mm preservation positive], in the Worldview Entertainment film holdings (Paul Killiam collection) [35mm release positive (1970 reedited, new intertitles, sound version, © 17 June 1985 by Paul Killiam [PA-311-406])], and in private film collections [16mm reduction positive, 8mm reduction positive].

Current rights holder: The Douris Corporation/Douris UK.

Keywords: Animals: Horses - Arabs - Deserts - Dual roles - Entertainers: Dancers - Fights: Sword - Gold - Money: Coins - Sand - Sheiks - Weapons: Swords

Listing updated: 19 October 2009.

References: Film credits, film viewing : Bohn-Light p. 96; Brownlow-Parade p. 335; Carroll-Matinee p. 130; Dardis-Keaton p. 137; Everson-American pp. 145, 171, 291; Higashi-Virgins p. 123; Jewell-RKO p. 54; Kerr-Silent p. 30; Kobal-Fifty p. 33; Lahue-Collecting pp. 27, 48, 131; Leish-Cinema p. 56; Limbacher-Feature p. 228; Maltin-Guide p. 1184; Quirk-Colman p. 107; Quirk-Powell p. 80; Shipman-Cinema p. 92; Sinyard-Silent pp. 4, 93; Sklar-Movie p. 100; Smith-Colman pp. 31-32, 79; Sweeney-Coming pp. 92, 95; Vermilye-Twenties p. 128.

Home video: DVD.