I have to admit, I found this film rather disappointing. It seems to possess everything needed for success, yet somehow fails to truly take off. Agnes Ayres portrays "Lady Diana Mayo," a no-nonsense British aristocrat, who travels to Algeria and encounters "Sheik Ahmed." She doesn’t seem particularly invested in him one way or another, but he becomes completely captivated and carries her away to his desert oasis. Though she fairly rejects his gentle and generous gestures, she wants nothing to do with his customs and the perceived degradation of being treated as property – even if his intentions are good. Following familiar Hollywood romance conventions, it’s easy to anticipate how their relationship will ultimately unfold; and when the bandit "Omair" (Walter Long) commits a kidnapping, the stage is set for an action-filled (though short) resolution. It's certainly a film with visual appeal, especially considering its centenary year. The cinematography is nearly flawless, and Valentino’s photography – he spends more time charming the audience than Ayres does – has a captivating effect. However, the story progresses very slowly. It felt like the desert sands themselves took as long to form as the plot did; eventually, even attractive people and horses require some kind of narrative drive—and I believe that purpose arrives too late in the film. The movie earned over $3 million at the box office, an extraordinary amount for 1921, which is partly due to Valentino’s star power and the subject matter itself. Still, I can't help but wonder how many other viewers were let down back then as well.

Source on TMDB