Museum Becomes "Sheik Shack"

The Silent Saturday program of 'Cinema 80' at the Franklin Historical Museum continues May 18 at 6 pm with The Sheik, a 1921 American silent romantic drama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky, directed by George Melford, and starring Rudolph Valentino. It was the film that made Valentino a national heart throb and box office smash.

The film relies heavily on exoticism – the culture and people of Arab North Africa – to add interest to what remains largely a story of desires and mores. IMDB summarizes the film as follows: A charming Arabian sheik becomes infatuated with an adventurous, modern-thinking Englishwoman and abducts her to his home in the Saharan desert. The film runs about 80 minutes.

The Sheik had enormous influence on popular culture at the time and for decades after.

The Program is Free at the Franklin Historical Museum, 80 West Central Street. The showing is curated by film buff and videographer Chris Leverone in cooperation with the Franklin Senior Center.