The Son of the Sheik

The Son of the Sheik is a 1926 American silent adventuredrama film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Bnky. The film is based on the 1925 romance novel of the same name by Edith Maude Hull, and is a sequel to the 1921 hit film The Sheik, which also stars Rudolph Valentino. The Son of the Sheik is Valentinos final film and was released nearly two weeks after his death from peritonitis at the age of 31.

At the time of the films release, Rudolph Valentino was attempting to make a comeback in films. He rose to international stardom after the release of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and The Sheik in 1921, both of which were box office hits and solidified his image as the Great Lover. By 1924, however, Valentinos popularity had begun to wane after he appeared in two box office failures, Monsieur Beaucaire and A Sainted Devil, both of which featured him in roles that were a departure from his Great Lover image. He also squabbled over money with Famous PlayersLasky, the studio he was signed to, which eventually led to him walking out on his contract. Famous PlayersLasky eventually released Valentino from his contract and he signed with United Artists in 1925. In an effort to capitalize on the success that Valentino had achieved with The Sheik, United Artists president Joseph M. Schenck bought the rights to Edith Maude Hulls novel Son of the Sheik and cast Valentino in the dual role of father and son.The novel was adapted for the screen by Frances Marion and Fred de Gresac. The film was shot on location in California and in the Yuma Desert in Arizona. ........

Source: Wikipedia