THE SON OF THE SHEIK (1926) Unrestored Title and 50 similar items

Vintage original 11x14 in. US title lobby card from the classic 1920's silent film drama/romance, THE SON OF THE SHEIK, released in 1926 by United Artists and directed by George Fitzmaurice. The son of the sheik (Rudolph Valentino) and a dancing girl (Vilma Banky) fall in love, but when he is made to believe she has betrayed him, he seeks his revenge. The cast includes Agnes Ayres, George Fawcett, Montagu Love, Karl Dane, and Bull Montana. The Son of the Sheik was the final film in the career of silent screen legend Rudolph Valentino. Printed for the film's original 1926 US theatrical release, this title lobby card is unrestored and boasts bright colors and a clean overall appearance. There is a light vertical crease along the left side of the card in the background area (where it may have once been folded back) and a 0.25 in. trim along the bottom edge. It has general signs of use, such as slight edge wear, one pinhole in each top corner, and unobtrusive stains and smudges. At the time of the film's 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, Valentino's 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 Players-Lasky, the studio he was signed to, which eventually led to him walking out on his contract. Famous Players-Lasky 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 Hull's 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 and the film was shot on location in California and in the Yuma Desert in Arizona. The Son of the Sheik was not only one of the first "sequels" ever made, it was also one of the first films to come out after its star's death--Rudolph Valentino had unexpectedly died from peritonitis at the age of 31 on August 23, 1926, less than two weeks before this film went into it’s US theatrical release. It is the oldest sequel to be inducted into the National Film Registry. Valentino personally picked Vilma Bánky as his leading lady for this film, which would be his last. He borrowed the stallion named Jadaan from the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Ranch along with a Kellogg employee, Carl Raswan, who rode in certain scenes as Valentino's stunt double. Kellogg would later donate the 800-acre ranch to the state of California and it became the campus of California State Polytechnic University-Pomona which includes the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center, a facility specializing in equine breeding, research and teaching. The Son of the Sheik, along with The Eagle (1925), are two of Valentino's most popular films with today's audiences.