A Son of the Sahara is a 1924 American silent drama film produced and directed by Edwin Carewe and co-directed with René Plaissetty. It stars Claire Windsor and Bert Lytell. First National handled the distribution of the film.[1][2]

A Son of the Sahara
Film still
Directed byEdwin Carewe
René Plaissetty
Written byAdelaide Heilbron (scenario)
Based onA Son of the Sahara
by Louise Gerard
Produced byEdwin Carewe
StarringClaire Windsor
Bert Lytell
CinematographyRobert Kurrle
Al M. Greene
Edited byRobert De Lacey
Distributed byAssociated First National
Release date
  • April 13, 1924 (1924-04-13)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

Plot

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As described in a film magazine review,[3] Raoul Le Breton is brought up as the son of a sheik of an Arab tribe, although he has been to college. He falls in love with Barbara Barbier, who first accepts and later dismisses him when she learns of his native birth. Back in the desert, Raoul plans his revenge. In a raid he captures Barbara, her father, and Captain Jean Duval, who is a rival. She is sold as a slave but is secretly purchased by Raoul. French troops rescue the captives, but in the meantime it transpires that Raoul is the offspring of white parents, and he and Barbara find happiness together.

Cast

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Production

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A Son of the Sahara was shot on location in Algeria with an American cast.

Critical review

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Of the "Sheik" films of the 1920s, the plot of A Son of the Sahara was among the more racist in that Barbara, the European woman, completely rejects any romantic interest in Raoul until the very end of the film where it is established that he lacks any Arab ancestry and is fully French.[4]

Preservation

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With no copies of A Son of the Sahara located in any film archives,[5] it is a lost film. However, a trailer of the film survives in the Library of Congress.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Progressive Silent Film List: A Son of the Sahara at silentera.com
  2. ^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: A Son of the Sahara
  3. ^ Pardy, George T. (May 10, 1924). "Box Office Reviews: A Son of the Sahara". Exhibitors Trade Review. New York: Exhibitors Review Publishing Corporation: 23. Retrieved December 8, 2022.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ Jackson, Wesley (2017), "A Son of the Sahara (1924)", in Bernardi, Daniel; Green, Michael (eds.), Race in American Film: Voices and Visions that Shaped a Nation, Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood, ABC-CLIO, pp. 808–09, ISBN 978-0-313-39839-1
  5. ^ The Library of Congress / FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: A Son of the Sahara
  6. ^ Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress p. 170 (trailer only) c.1978 American Film Institute
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