WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

ShangLuda Admirable film.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

lugonian THE SHEIK (Paramount, 1921), directed by George Melford, taken from the source material of Edith Maude Hull's daring novel, stars silent screen legend Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926) in one of his most acclaimed performances. Following the great success of THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE (Metro, 1921), it was his role of Ahmed Ben Hassan that elevated Valentino's status to popular leading man. Cast opposite Agnes Ayres, a name virtually forgotten among popular silent film stars, this is one for which she's best known solely due to the presence of Valentino, if not much else.Starting off with a proverb (credited to Oliver Wendall Holmes), "Mohammed's land - where saint and sinner chant as one, their praise to Allah - bowing low beneath a desert sun" and subsequent inter-titles, "Allah is Allah - there is no God but Allah," before the story gets underway with the introduction of Ahmed Ben Hassan (Rudolph Valentino) a rich tribal prince "whose shoulders has fallen the heritage of leadership," choosing a maiden at the marriage market. Choosing Zilah (Ruth Miller), he returns her to Yousef (Charles Wagener), a tribal chieftain who loves her. Also there is an observant tourist, Diana Mayo (Agnes Ayres), an "orphaned daughter of an English poet," whose free spirited ways has her both refusing a marriage proposal from a young man ("marriage is captivity" she says), and going against the wishes of her brother, Sir Aubrey (Frank R. Butler), in favor of traveling through the Sahara desert alone with camel riding Arabs headed by Mustapha Ali (Charles Brindley), a tour guide. In Biskra, "gateway to the desert, city of adventure" Diana is insulted when refused admittance into a casino ("The Monte Carlo of the Sahara") that is, under Ben Hassan's rule, reserved only for Arabs. In protest, Diana enters, disguised as one of the slave girls. With her revealed white hands giving her away, Hassan escorts the phony slave girl out. Learning about her travels through the desert the following morning, Hassan abducts Diana against her will, keeping her captive in his palace tent. Unable to break away through the violent sand storm, she does make her escape from his camp only to be rescued by Hassan in time from the abduction by Omair (Walter Long) and his bandits. Learning that Raoul DeSaint Hubert (Adolphe Menjou), a famous French novelist and close friend of Hassan, is coming for a visit, Diana, fearing the humiliation of meeting "a man from her own world" to see her as the sheik's prisoner, is forced to act proper during his stay. It is Hubert who insists on Diana's freedom and return to Biskra. As Hassan agrees on releasing her, he discovers Diana gone, abducted by the rival tribe.At first glance, THE SHEIK gives the impression of being a throwback from the Theda Bara era from the 1910s, ranging from Agnes Ayres overactive emotions to Valentino's suggestive eye gestures. After repeated viewing, it becomes acceptable in that manner, especially how everything comes together through its primitive acting style. Not exactly "The Sheik of Araby," Valentino's Sheik is educated, having acquired lasting friendship between Gaston, his valet (Lucien Littlefield) and noted poet (Adolphe Menjou) during his stay in Paris. His Hassan sings the Stephen Foster song, "Beautiful Dreamer" whenever happy and is seen smoking cigarettes in the process. For his cultural background perspective, he usually gets what he wants, especially the woman of his choice. The big moment occurs when he abducts one outside his race, the liberated English Diana who addresses him as a "desert savage bandit." This scene alone is one of its true highlights, especially for 1921. For those familiar with Adolphe Menjou (1890-1963), and his countless roles during the sound era, it's interesting finding him in a silent movie so early in his career. Very thin with unmistakable mustache trademark, he's almost unrecognizable through his advanced aging process with slightly white hair and heavy makeup over his eyelids.As popular as THE SHEIK was back in the day, there never was a remake, only a sequel titled THE SON OF THE SHEIK (United Artists, 1926) that not only marked the turning point in Valentino's career, in a dual role of both father and son, but his final screen performance as well, having died shortly after its theatrical premiere. Had THE SHEIK been put under consideration as a remake in the 1930s, no doubt that Ricardo Cortez, who bears a near striking resemblance to Valentino, might have inherited the role, with my take on Kay Francis playing Diana Mayo. As legend has it, there's only one sheik, and that's Valentino. Interestingly, while THE SON OF THE SHEIK did have more exposure than its predecessor, ranging from television broadcasts and home video, THE SHEIK finally turned up on cable television's American Movie Classics where it frequently aired from 1990 to 1999. Former AMC host once commented during its April 9, 1990 premiere presentation of THE SHEIK as being the station's first silent film broadcast.With several video distributions of THE SHEIK, two 1999 releases are worth noting: one from Paramount home video with the orchestral and chanting score by Roger Bellon, and other from Gravevine Video with agreeable piano scoring. The Paramount edition with Bellon score is most commonly available, and one used for both AMC and Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: July 5, 2011) broadcasts. On a personal level, Grapevine's piano scoring is appropriate and much more agreeable. Although no piano score credit is given, it's quite reminiscent to William Perry's style from his Killiam Collection in public television's "The Silent Years" series of the 1970s.As silent movies go, THE SHEIK is actually quite entertaining. In other words, "campy" with unintentional humor, and one not to be taken seriously. How the story and Valentino's performance appeals to contemporary audiences simply "rests with Allah." (***)

loza-1 I agree with most of the other reviewers here on most of their points except one. The one point is that the plot of the film is of its time. In fact, the plot of the 1985 film "Harem" with Ben Kingsley and Nastassja Kinski, and "The Sheik are almost identical. If "Harem" were a better-known film, there would be no need for sleeping pills, and shares in Glaxo-Smith-Kline would nosedive as a result."The Sheik", however kitsch its plot seems to be, is very well done. I agree that Valentino's popeyes look ridiculous, and kind of spoil the film. There is nothing challenging about his role, though he lives up to his image. Agnes Ayres's character, Diana, is a much meatier role. I admit that she went over my head on first viewing. On subsequent viewings, I got to appreciate her acting more, and I figuratively award her full marks. At the beginning of the film she is an independent woman, but it is all a facade, and a very thin one at that. After her capture this facade vanishes along with her gunbelt and pith helmet before the eyes of Valentino, and we see her "naked", even though she is dressed. I found that scene very powerfully done.Although the film more or less follows Edith Winstanley's novel as closely as public outrage would allow it to, I could not help feeling that Patsy Ruth Miller's character was left withering on the vine and should have been developed more. Making her a schemer instead of a bowed-head menial who has had the stuffing knocked out of her sometime in the past was a waste, I thought. On the credit side, Adolphe Menjou was great as the father figure. And Omair is a very Arabian Arab heavy.Some of the trite stuff written about this film is best ignored. For instance, they say that men hate this film or find it funny, and women love it. I'm male and I'm straight and I like this film. I agree it is not Valentino's best film objectively speaking, and it is perhaps not his best piece of acting...and, yet, there is something special about this film, something magical, something that I can't put my finger on - maybe the chemistry between the players. Maybe everyone on the set sensed that this film was going to shake filmdom to its foundations. Because of this certain "something", I will give it 10 out of 10 in spite of its flaws, because I knew when I was watching this film that I was watching something magical.It would be wrong to say that they don't make films like this anymore. "Harem" refutes that. They do make films like this anymore, but they're just not in the same league.

wes-connors Sheik Rudolph Valentino (as Ahmed Ben Hassan) lives in the blessed oasis of the Sahara Desert; when he sees a woman he wants, he takes her. Lady Agnes Ayres (as Diana Mayo), the orphaned daughter of an English poet, visits Arabia, and catches Mr. Valentino's eye. The modern Ms. Ayres wants to visit the local casino, where Valentino entertains, but she is turned away. Furious, Ayres borrows a harem dancer's costume, and sneaks into the action. Discovered, and ousted, Ayres is nevertheless attracted to the dreamy Valentino, who has decided to abduct her… Unexpectedly, Valentino's "Sheik" caricature became one of filmdom's most memorable roles; in fact, it might be considered, stylistically, Valentino's greatest. He must have had mixed feelings about the film; as Valentino admittedly approached acting as an art, which this isolated performance doesn't (arguably) show. Still, it is a great, however misunderstood, performance.Ayres is a good feminine conquest; she is lovely, but never ravishing enough to move the spotlight too far away from the star. Adolphe Menjou (as Raoul de Saint Hubert) lends both subtext, and a good performance. The presence of barbarous Walter Long (as Omair), coupled with the love of Ayres, helps reform Ahmed's immoral character. The supporting and bit players are uniformly interesting.Importantly, director George Melford and photographer William Marshall give "The Sheik" a very crisp, moving style. Roger Bellon's soundtrack is one of the best retrospective soundtracks composed for an old silent. Whatever its criticisms, Valentino's bulging "Sheik" is difficult to disregard; it remains a definitive classic. ********* The Sheik (10/30/21) George Melford ~ Rudolph Valentino, Agnes Ayres, Adolphe Menjou, Walter Long

pelezinho A few days ago,I got this DVD Edition and I must say,now I finally realize why many women got swooned over Valentino.There was something about him,not just physical beauty,but "that" something what comes from De Profundis.Let's face it,Valentino had a "catch",and we must try not to hate all "feminized men" (read:those who had manners) though to learn from them.I speak global for Valentino,not for this movie.He was a face of real gentleman,real lover and a man with tendering feelings.Sadly,I regret for times when a woman was seen as a lady and a person and when men were truly a gentlemen.No matter what,we can always rent and watch Valentino's films and to recall those times.