Even if you are major international film star with millions of adoring fans and one of the icons of popular culture, your career still might have ups and downs. Rudolph Valentino, one of the greatest icons of silent Hollywood experienced that with the underperformance of his films Monsieur Beaucaire and A Sainted Devil. He was, therefore, more than eager to return to the role that made him a star – Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan in [The Sheik](https://inleo.io /hive-166847/@drax/film-review-the-sheik-1921). Its sequel The Son of the Sheik, directed in 1926 by George Fitzmaurice, became his greatest hit but also his last appearance on screen.
Like the The Sheik, this film is based on the novel by British author Edna Maud Hall. Valentino returns in the role of Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan, leader of tribe of Saharan nomads, but he also plays the protagonist, his son also named Ahmed. The young man in the desert city of Touggourt meets Yasmin (played by Vilma Bánky), beautiful dancing girl who is member of troupe of travelling entertainers led by Andre (played by George Fawcett). Two of them fall madly in love and set up a night rendezvous at the ruins. What Ahmed doesn’t know is that Andre’s troupe supplements its income with opportunistic crimes. They abduct Ahmed for ransom and while torturing him, Andre’s main henchman Ghabah (played by Montagu Love) taunts him by claiming that Yasmin deliberately led him to trap. When Ahmed is released with help of his tribesmen, he seeks revenge and abducts Yasmin. But when his father learns of this, he chastises his son and demands that he sets young woman free.
The Son of Sheik represents one of relatively few sequels that are significantly better than their predecessors. That could be best explained with enormous advances of Hollywood craftsmanship in only five years. Cinematography by George Barnes is smooth and effective and William Cameron Menzies provides great production design. George Fitzmaurice directs the film in dynamic and effective way, with less static shows and greater emphasis on movement and drama. Even more impressive are the scenes in which Fitzmaurice, using rather simple trickery, manages to have Valentino playing two different characters in the same scenes. The script by Frances Marion and Fred Gresac also manages to add little bits of comedy, allowing formidable character actor Karl Dane to make good impression as Ahmed’s trusted lieutenant Ramadan. Both screenwriters were women and this “feminine” touch would probably be difficult to explain to certain segments in today’s audience who would be hostile towards Yasmin’s submission to Ahmed and even more revolted by implied rape at the middle of the film. The Son of Sheik, on the other hand, takes some elements of a modern Hollywood sequel by providing something of a fan service to those that enjoyed The Sheik and having Agnes Ayres in a cameo role of old Sheik’s love (now his wife and young Ahmend’s mother).
But the greatest asset of the film is Valentino. He has more than matured during his acting career and the performance in The Son of the Sheik shows much more ease in playing his famous “Latin Lover” persona, while at the same time he masterfully handles complexities of double role. This was very personal project for Valentino and he also took great care to find proper partner. He had starred with Hungarian actress Vilma Bánky in his previous film The Eagle and was apparently so impressed with her that he insisted on her being cast as Yasmin. Bánky, whose career would end with the arrival of sound films, is very good in her role and complements Valentino’s performance. The result is a simple, very short but an effective film that epitomises silent Hollywood at its best. Sadly, Valentino died of peritonitis shortly before the premiere. This guaranteed enormous publicity for The Son of the Sheik which became not only the best known of all Valentino’s films, but also one of best known silent Hollywood films and helped imprint Valentino as quintessential icons of the era. The film that was supposed to help preserve his career instead gave him immortality.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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