Travelling theater group's girl dancer loves young men and sex: she flirts, in the beginning, with a boy of her troupe (who is never to be seen in the film afterwards), not taking in any consideration the more devote admirer belonging to the actors' company, a somewhat deformed clown who loves her of true love. Later she flirts with a Sheikh's son. But, more than young men she, loves riches and wealth, and does not hesitate - at due time - to have sex with the father of the young sheikh, much more wealthy than his son.
The old sheikh - before himself falling in love with the dancer, whom he tries to buy as a slave - had a favourite wife, Sumurun. But she loved a rich merchant, Nur-Al Din. The old sheikh, in a fit of jealousy, tries to have her executed and fails. At the end, Sumurun - with the help of her girl-friend in the harem - manages to escape the sheik's palace and reunites with Nur-Al Din. The dancer and the young sheik are killed, and the old sheikh remains alone. Not as much disconcerned as the clown.
Magnificent as regards the visual aspects, the film has a quite complicated plot, not made easier by Lubitsch's direction. The bad state of the film (even after the restauration) could have contributed to its poor recognizion.
The old sheikh - before himself falling in love with the dancer, whom he tries to buy as a slave - had a favourite wife, Sumurun. But she loved a rich merchant, Nur-Al Din. The old sheikh, in a fit of jealousy, tries to have her executed and fails. At the end, Sumurun - with the help of her girl-friend in the harem - manages to escape the sheik's palace and reunites with Nur-Al Din. The dancer and the young sheik are killed, and the old sheikh remains alone. Not as much disconcerned as the clown.
Magnificent as regards the visual aspects, the film has a quite complicated plot, not made easier by Lubitsch's direction. The bad state of the film (even after the restauration) could have contributed to its poor recognizion.