Blood and Sand (1922 film)
| Blood and Sand | |
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 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Fred Niblo |
| Produced by | Executive Producer: Jesse L. Lasky Producer: Fred Niblo |
| Written by | Novel: Vicente Blasco Ibáñez Play: Tom Cushing Scenario: June Mathis |
| Starring | Rudolph Valentino Lila Lee Nita Naldi Rosa Rosanova Walter Long |
| Cinematography | Alvin Wyckoff |
| Editing by | Dorothy Arzner |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 5, 1922 |
| Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
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 Spanish 1909 novel Blood and Sand (Sangre y arena) by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. There is an earlier version of Blood and Sand (1916), filmed by Blasco Ibáñez himself, with the help of Max André. This earlier version was restored in 1998 by the Filmoteca de la Generalitat Valenciana (Spain).
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[edit] Plot
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.
[edit] Production background
Blood and Sand proved very successful at the boxoffice. The film was also the source of legendary football player Johnny "Blood" McNally's nickname - he started playing professional under an alias to protect his remaining college eligibility. He and a friend passed a theater where Blood and Sand was playing. Suddenly, McNally exclaimed to his friend, "That's it. You be Sand. I'll be Blood", playing his Hall of Fame career under the name "Johnny Blood".[1]
The film was parodied by Stan Laurel in Mud and Sand (1922) and by Will Rogers in the Hal Roach short film Big Moments From Little Pictures (1924).
[edit] Cast
- Rosa Rosanova - Angustias
- Leo White - Antonio
- Rosita Marstini - Encarnacion
- Rudolph Valentino - Juan Gallardo(billed Rodolph Valentino)
- Lila Lee - Carmen
- Charles Belcher - Don Joselito
- Fred Becker - Don Jose
- George Field - El Nacional
- Jack Winn - Potaje
- Harry Lamont - Puntillero
- Gilbert Clayton - Garabato
- Walter Long - Plumitas
- Nita Naldi - Dona Sol
- George Periolat - Marquis of Guevera
- Sidney De Gray - Dr. Ruiz
[edit] Remakes
Blood and Sand has been remade twice:
- The 1941 version was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starred Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, and Rita Hayworth.
- The 1989 Spanish remake was directed by Javier Elorrieta and starred Chris Rydell, Sharon Stone, and Ana Torrent.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Blood and Sand at the Internet Movie Database
- Blood and Sand is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]
