Blood and Sand 1922

Overview

Blood and Sand is a 1922 American silent drama film produced by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Fred Niblo and starred Rudolph Valentino, Lila Lee, and Nita Naldi. It is based on the 1908 Spanish novel Sangre y arena by Vicente Blasco Ibanez and the play Blood and Sand by Thomas Cushing. The story follows Juan, the son of a poor widow in Seville, who pursues a career as a toreador against his mother's wishes. He rapidly gains national prominence and marries his childhood sweetheart, Carmen. Later, he meets the Marquis' daughter, Dona Sol, and finds himself in the awkward position of being in love with two women. This situation threatens the stability of his family and his position in society, and his familial and social life is further threatened by an affair. During his journey, he also finds interesting parallels in the life of the infamous bandit Plumitas when they eventually meet by chance.