The Son of the Sheik (1926)

It took five years before this sequel was made, and you know what - I think it is better than the first one. Rudolph Valentino returns, this time as the son of "Sheik Ahmed" - handily also called "Ahmed" - who falls in love with the delightful dancing girl "Yasmin" (Vilma Bánky). All is not quite as it seems, however, as "Yasmin" is up to her neck with her father's gang of charlatans - not least with Montague Love ("Ghabah"), who has his eyes on this particular prize. When the two rendezvous for a clandestine meeting, the gang abduct the young man, beating him before hoping to ransom him. Fortunately, he escapes (phew!), taking his now well and try loathed girl with him. Can he ever be convinced that she didn't betray him and restore his confidence and their love? Just as with it's forbear, this is a great looking piece of cinema. The sparing appearances of Agnes Ayres (his mother) help to ensure the narrative continues smoothly and this has altogether more pace and adventure to keep the hour or so from getting too bogged down in the rather formulaic plot. There is clearly some chemistry between the two, Valentino seems more invested in this than with his 1921 character - and that engages the audience more. You feel that he really has some skin in the game and though we wouldn't know it at the time, this serves as a fitting cinematic epitaph - following the excellent "Eagle" (1926) - as his last film before his untimely death.