Sheik Ahmed desperately desires feisty British socialite Diana, so he abducts her and carries her off to his luxurious tent-palace in the desert. The free-spirited Diana recoils from his passionate embraces and yearns to be released. Later, allowed to go into the desert, she escapes and makes her way across the sands...
Acting
Valentino's eyes do what dialogue cannot.
Cinematography
Stunning desert vistas that invented location shooting.
Director
George Melford
Rudolph Valentino
Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan
Agnes Ayres
Lady Diana Mayo
George Waggner
Yousaef - Tribal Chieftain (as George Waggener)
Frank Butler
Sir Aubrey Mayo
Charles Brinley
Mustapha Ali - Diana's Guide (as Charles Brindley)
Lucien Littlefield
Gaston - French Valet
Adolphe Menjou
Dr. Raoul de St. Hubert
Walter Long
Omair - the Bandit
Sally Blane
Arab Child (uncredited)
Natacha Rambova
Arab Dancer (uncredited)
Loretta Young
Arab Child (uncredited)
Polly Ann Young
Arab Child (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Valentino's funeral in 1926 caused mass hysteria—suicides were reported among devastated fans, cementing his status as cinema's first true superstar.
The 'sheik' became instant slang for any handsome man; the film's success single-handedly created the 'Latin Lover' archetype that haunted Hollywood for decades.
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