Blood and Sand (1922 film)
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Fred Niblo |
| Produced by | Fred Niblo (uncredited) Jesse L. Lasky |
| Screenplay by | June Mathis |
| Based on | The novel Blood and Sand by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez and the play by Thomas Cushing |
| Starring |
Rudolph Valentino Lila Lee Nita Naldi Rosa Rosanova Walter Long |
| Cinematography | Alvin Wyckoff |
| Edited by | Dorothy Arzner (uncredited) |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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80 minutes 9 reels (8,110 feet) |
| Country | United States |
| Language |
Silent English intertitles |
| Box office | $1,250,000 (US/Canada) |
Blood and Sand is a 1922 American silent drama film produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Fred Niblo and starring Rudolph Valentino, Lila Lee and Nita Naldi. It was based on the 1909 Spanish novel Sangre y arena (Blood and Sand) by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez and the play version of the book by Thomas Cushing.
Juan Gallardo (Valentino), a village boy born into poverty, grows up to become one of the greatest matadors in Spain. He marries a friend from his childhood, the beautiful and virtuous Carmen (Lee), but after he achieves fame and fortune he finds himself drawn to Doña Sol (Naldi), a wealthy, seductive widow.
They embark on a torrid affair with rather sadomasochistic overtones, but Juan, feeling guilty over his betrayal of Carmen, tries to free himself of Doña Sol. Furious at being rejected, she exposes their affair to Carmen and Juan's mother, seemingly destroying his marriage. Growing more and more miserable and dissipated, Juan becomes reckless in the arena. He is eventually killed in a bullfight but does manage to reconcile with Carmen moments before he dies.
There is also a subplot involving a local outlaw whose career is paralleled to Juan's throughout the film by the village philosopher: Juan's fatal injury in the bullring comes moments after the outlaw is shot by the police.
The film was produced by Famous Players-Lasky Corporation and Paramount Pictures, and distributed by Paramount. June Mathis, who has been credited as discovering Valentino, adapted the novel for the screen.
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