Movie of the Day: The Sheik

Hello again, ladies and gents!
     Or, should I say, "مرحبا مرة أخرى، أيها السيدات والسادة!", because today, we are discussing the 1921 film "The Sheik", starring none other than Rudolph Valentino! (Also, expect spoilers!)

     It wasn't one of my favorite silent films, but its inherent campiness makes it a fun watch. I mean, just look at some of Rudy's facial expressions:

      But, deep down, this movie has character. I see Rudy's character, Ben Ahmed, as having a serious identity crisis. He's an Arabian Sheik, but in reality, he's just an orphaned English man who was educated in Paris. Then there's Diana, (Agnes Ayres) who's the epitome of feminine independence. All throughout the film, she does, says, and acts how she wants, going as far as to steal an Arab dancer's getup to go into a forbidden  casino.
     After Ben Ahmed kidnaps her, he takes away the freedom she treasures: She must wear the clothes he picks, do as he says, and be restricted to wherever he says. And while she struggles at first, eventually, she submits to his demands, because:

She loves him.

      This "awful brute" that kidnapped her falls ill, and only then does she realize how dear he had become to her. They confess their love to each other, and the film ends on a glorious, romantic high. It's truly a beautiful premise, all over-acting and campiness aside.
      And the public loved it. Well, the ladies, at least. Rumours have it that many wealthy women even went to the deserts just to try and get kidnapped by a sheik like Valentino! The men were a different story. They saw Valentino as effeminate, and a defamation of the "American Man". But, despite their hate, the movie made a splash. "Sheik" and "Sheba" entered the public's dictionary, and an equally successful sequel spawned in 1926, "The Son of the Sheik" with Rudy and Agnes reprising their roles.
     Maybe Ben Ahmed is more than a character: Maybe he's a projection of Rudy's identity confusion, and effeminacy. Or, he's just another of his timeless personas. Who knows?
     But, regardless of deeper meanings, "The Sheik" is a film worth watching, if only to see what drove women wild and the men mad. The film is available in it's entirety on Youtube, and the film and sequel are available on Amazon in a DVD pack.

So, whether you travel England, or the Arab sands, happy trails!

-Electric "Son of The Shiek" Phonograph