Son of the Sheik (1926)

Rudolph Valentino

This movie highlights the assets of Rudoph Valentino very well. He is young, sexy, passionate and a real "man". Who wouldn't want to fall in love with him. The movie also provides us with an exotic locale, a quick moving story and a great romance. What more could anyone ask for? Wouldn't you want to ride your horse into the desert with Rudy? July 22, 2007

Masterpiece of Film

This is one of the greatest films ever made in the history of time.Even if you are not a fan of silent films I would recommend watching this masterpiece.I even like this movie better than the first movie simply titled The Sheik.Rudolph Valentino playing dual roles of the old Sheik and his son.Not only was he a sexy actor he was also good at acting.When I watch him acting I get so depressed that he didn`t convert to talkies.If he would of he would of won several awards.
This movie also stars Hungarian actress Vilma Banky as Rudy`s love interest Yasmin.It also Agenes Aryes as the young sheik`s mother and his father`s wife.I don`t want to give the whole movie away,and think viewers should see it themselves.I am a devoted Valentino fan.I collect his movies and books about his life.I think he is a sex symbol who will never go out of style.This movie is a must see for ladies all over the world. August 3, 2006

The "Son of the Shiek"

As a historical silent movie, I enjoyed the disk very much. Considering when it was produced the scenery and technical aspects were very interesting. Jack Ward's pipe organ backup greatly enhanced the action of the film. Rudolph Valentino's eyes were very expressive. It is too bad that he met an untimely death. It would have been very interesting how he would have performed in sound motion pictures. Vilma Banky, as history tells us, couldn't make in the soundies because of a heavy accent. That is unfortunate, she was beautiful.
I am old enough to remember the silent movies and the Wurlitzer and similar Pipe Organs that backed and enhanced the silent movies.
I collect silent movies for the joy of taking me back and the historical values.
Allen Zimmerman
Allentown, PA. July 5, 2006

A true legend of the silent screen ...

"Not east of Suez but south of Algiers" ... with these intertitles abounds one of the greatest legends of the Hollywood that is no more. When one thinks of those times one remembers The Wizard Of Oz, Casablanca ... and those
scenes between Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky in a tent under
the desert sun.
Made in 1926 for United Artists, directed by master director
George Fitzmaurice and destined to even beat the 1921 original
"The Sheik" at the box office, this sequel to the former Valentino classic is in many ways the better of the two films.
Rudolph Valentino has never looked better than in this film, which would ultimately be his last, and Hungarian born Vilma
Banky outshines the original heroine Agnes Ayres from the "The Sheik" as well, together making these film the ultimate love story of the silent film age. Agnes Ayres however also appears in this film as the Sheik`s mother as a tribute to Valentino (his father is played by Rudy as well in a double role). But the movie has more assets to it. It is also more handsomely produced than "The Sheik", it has a far more glossy look with its` bigger budget and excellent art direction (by William Cameron Menzies of "Gone With The Wind"-fame), a slightly better script and it exposes far better the enormous acting range of Rudolph Valentino, who is still seen today only as the great Latin Lover (despite for example also being a great drama actor or comedian). The big difference might also líe in the fact that "The Sheik" was a typical product of the studio system and "The Son Of The Sheik" was made far more independently. The other interesting fact is that when this movie was made the silent film style had changed greatly since 1921, making the former film look far more primitive. And it is no wonder that all the famous scenes by which Rudolph Valentino is still judged today emerge from this movie, while the other Valentino films (even "The Sheik") are mostly forgotten today - this movie has its place as a sort of silent screen pop icon (and probably the only silent film most people have heard of in their lifetime today - I remember that as a child I only knew one silent film actor - Rudy, courtesy of this film). This
is also probably the curse of this film. It overshadowed all of his work so much and even made the critical judgment of "The Son Of The Sheik" nearly impossible. In fact it is an entertaining piece of Hollywood fairytale, packed with action and romance, exotic escapism and a great climax when Rudolph Valentino frees his love interest Banky from a band of robbers and rides with her into the endless desert ... and right into movie eternity. Truly a film of these ages, even not hampered by its dated plotline and some outrageous "silent film acting".

A note about the video quality: after being available for two decades only on bad quality tapes, KINO on Video now has released the first really good print of this film. Though not as beautiful as some of their other films or a Kevin Brownlow restoration, this version is multi-tinted and has an appropiate organ score that enhances many of the scenes. Only some of the reels seem a bit washed out, but at least you have now the chance to get a good quality video tape from Rudy`s most famous film. February 2, 2003

VALENTINO'S FINEST FILM.

Like many classic movie buffs, I often wondered what all the fuss about Rudolph Valention a.k.a. "The Great Lover" was about. The answer lies in watching this mesmorizing film! Really a tongue-cheek examination of his own bigger-than-life personna, the actor magnificently portrays the double role of father and son. As Ahmed, the son, Rudy falls in love with the Hungarian Vilma Banky (as Yasmin), a beautiful dancer. Ahmed later holds the beguiling young woman responsible when he is captured and held for by her roguish father's thieves. When Ahmed's father, the Shiek, intervenes, it is discovered that Yasmin is innocent of betrayal and after some heavy derring-do, there is a happy ending. This fast-paced film from 1926 has lost none of it's charm with the passage of time and proves over and over again that Valentino was without question the least understood and most maligned of all of Hollywood's great stars. He was indeed an enigmatic presence in this film. The photography is ethereal, and the desert looks more enchanting here than in any film, and the chases, rescues and stunts are still wonderful to watch. Valentino would die prematurely at the age of 31 of peritonitis 26 August, 1926. For a great companion piece, watch Valentino's great 1921 hit THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE. November 12, 2002

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