Sheik Week: Sheiks: The Epic Saga

Umm hello? It is officially SHEIK NIGHT!!! AHHHH!!! Can't handle the excitement? Me neither! If you're not in the LA area tonight I hope you pop it in the DVD player anyways (and if you don't own it Netflix does). If you are in the LA area click here for screening information and to purchase tickets.

We've taken quite a look at Valentino...I realized I've spent about 30 hours this week typing up these 7 articles. That's some serious Valentino love! But tonight we focus exclusively on his two biggest films: The Sheik (1921) and Son of the Sheik (1926). Seriously...I will go out on a major limb and say there is no other site that will delve so deeply into these films. We are da bomb. So...without further ado...enjoy.

The Sheik

In the beginning: Valentino had made a splash in "Four Horsemen" but his star was extremely recent. In fact Metro threw him into a cheap B picture afterwards, and neither "Conquering Power" nor "Camille" lived up to the hype. Valentino was pissed, and on a literal whim he signed with Famous Players-Lasky. Seriously...he didn't even consult a lawyer let alone his friends or his agents! Jesse Lasky knew he had a cash cow on his hands, and told his secretary to be on the look out for the perfect script for his new signee. His secretary responded that he already had the perfect script for Valentino, "The Sheik".

Edith M. Hull's novel "The Sheik" had been extremely popular, obviously especially with women. Jesse Lasky, Adolph Zukor, and Variety all gave different figures for how much Famous Players paid for the filming rights. If any of them are to be believed it fell in the area of $7,500-$50,000. Valentino (finally) consulted with his agents, and signed on for the role of Sheik Ahmed.

Behind the Scenes: Casting began way before Valentino even entered the picture. Some of the actors considered for Sheik Ahmed's role included Wallace Reid (rejected as 'too big brother type'), and Rod la Rocque (too suave and sophisticated), Thomas Meighan (too wholesome, or in my opinion 'too white'). When the filming rights were originally purchased, Famous Players hoped to have another foreign star in the role: Sessue Hayakawa. Hayakawa contract however expired in 1918. Hayakawa passed on the role, sick of playing rapey villains.

Another possible Sheik was James Kirkwood, a Griffith actor. Kirkwood was a major whitey, but that wasn't the problem. He wanted a lot of money. Valentino came at $500 a week...he probably could have gotten twice that had he been WISE on business dealings. Kirkwood wanted $1250 a week. Lasky and Zukor were thrilled that they had literally cut the films budget IN HALF by financially screwing Valentino.

George Melford was brought on to direct. He and Valentino got along very well with Valentino calling him "Uncle George". Melford was thrilled his leading man could do the stunts himself, including horseback riding. Valentino got along well with his crew, everyone remembered him as sweet and having a lot of fun.

The filming took place in Oxnard, California as well as the Guadalupe Dunes in Santa Barbra County. For the Biskra scenes stock footage of a real Algerian town was used. The rival tribes town and battle scenes were filmed at Famous Players-Lasky Studios, which was located at the corner of Selma and Vine in Hollywood (now a bank with a mural of silent stars stands there). Some of the palm trees used in filming were later replanted at the Ambassador Hotel, which was demolished in 2005.

Censors were a big concern. The Production Code was not yet in place (but about to be) and the crew had to keep second guessing what would be too much and what was just enough. The dancing girls were told to undulate...but not be TOO sexy and risque. To anyone familiar with belly dancing or Arabic culture these scenes look extremely silly...no Belly dancer would wear so many layers! But that's what they had to worry about. We already touched on race an article or so ago, but Valentino's actions and skin tone were of concern as well. For the most part he had to remain pale to look white enough, but his hands and arms were darker for the contrast when he grabbed Diana's 'white' hand. This made him almost appear cartoony.

More so than "Son of the Sheik" this film (poorly) dealt with feminism and interracial romance. But we'll touch on that a little more with the review tonight. A few authentic African American actors were used as servants (now don't get your panties in a bunch, they literally had black, white, and Arab servants). Most of the main cast did not appear to be in brown face (skin darkened to look 'Arabic') though I think Walter Long may have been. A lot of the supporting cast including Patsy Ruth Miller as well as 'The Jealous One' look like they are in some heavy brown face. Many of the extras were as well.

Son of the Sheik

In the Beginning: Valentino, for many years, swore up and down he would never do another fucking Sheik movie. And if he did it would 'be the last'. Unfortunately it was his last film ever, due to his untimely death. One might ask, given his hate for the Sheik image, WHY he would do another one. Simple: he needed money.

The funniest thing is he was never short of blunt about this. In an article he wrote titled "I am tired of being a Sheik" he stated point blank that he let them play him up as a lounge lizard and Latin lover because 'he wanted to make a lot of money'. I find this hilarious because these days we associate 'artistic' with 'money doesn't matter'. At least he was honest! Sure "Camille" was artistic but he didn't make shit off of it. Son of the Sheik wasn't exactly 'The Eagle' but it brought home the dough, which probably helped clear some of his debts before his death.

That being said he didn't OPT to do it. While Valentino was in Europe Joseph Schneck bought up the rights to it. George Ullman told him upon his return. According to polls 90% of his fans wanted to see him another Sheik role, Rudy relented and agreed to take the part.

Behind the Scenes: Despite being the last thing he'd want to do, UA did sweeten the pot. Francis Marion was brought on to write the script. No offense to Katterjohn but...he sucked. Marion was brilliant (this is the woman who wrote Pickford films) and she injected the film was comedic elements, some sexy Sheik rape-ness, and action. Valentino had wanted to work with her on an adaption of "The Flame of Love" but accepted his fate. George Fitzmaurice, a director Valentino had also long wanted to work with, was brought on as well. The pair shared mutual respect for each other and got along well.

Vilma Banky was brought back, this being her second time opposite Valentino (The Eagle was her first). Banky was a sexy little thing and a great actress. However its unlikely they dated, yet Valentino adored her as a friend and loved working with her. Much better then that piece of wood Agnes Ayres (that's my opinion anyways!) Vilma only had one complaint: she didn't like being thrown around, which caused her to become extremely bruised.

In addition to all this a really cool special effect (via a split screen) allowed Valentino not only to play Ahmed Jr. but Ahmed Sr. as well. For this he got to dress up as an old man and do character work, something he had not gotten the chance to do. The film was shot in the Yuma desert, where the animals and actors) were constantly hounded by flies. Apparently even this didn't detour Valentino, who was said to be in a good mood.

Valentino was also more hands on in other arenas with this film. He provided many of the costumes himself, authentic pieces he had collected likely with Natacha on their money burning binges. He also went to great lengths to acquire the horse he wanted, Jadaan, from the Kellogg Ranch.

The censors seemed less a concern this time, though things are still slightly tame by today's standards. Valentino looks like he's all over one color (not exactly dark but not as light either), and no interracial implications are really made. The rape scene is extended to actually convey what happened, and it is hot though we don't see what actually happened. There was also a lot of making out in this film...maybe more so then any other silent I've seen. Vilma and Rudy meet in the ruins for tryst, where they proceed to make out for maybe 5 minutes. Open mouth and necking and everything! I'm surprised the censors didn't get at that! Also Vilma's costumes are much more realistic, even showing her stomach (but not belly button).

I'm not sure how much brown face was used. There didn't seem to be that many servants around as last time, and those who were looked white or Arabic. I really sat and tried to take note but I'm still not sure how/if Karl Dane has any brown face on. Being a Dane I'd ASSUME some was needed, but if they did it they did it subtlety...for once.