Maciste against the Sheik

{{Infobox film

| name = Maciste against the Sheik

| image =File:Maciste against the Sheik.jpg

| caption =

| director = Mario Camerini

| producer =

| writer = Mario Camerini

| starring = Bartolomeo Pagano
Franz Sala
Felice Minotti

| music =

| cinematography = Anchise Brizzi

| editing =

| studio = Fert Film

| distributor = Societa Anonima Stefano Pittaluga

| released = {{Film date|1926|02}}

| runtime = 82 minutes

| country = Italy

| language = Silent
Italian intertitles

| budget =

}}

Maciste against the Sheik ({{langx|it|Maciste contro lo sceicco}}) is a 1926 Italian silent adventure film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Bartolomeo Pagano, Franz Sala and Felice Minotti. It was part of the long-running Maciste series of Peplum films.Gundle p.44

Plot

Maciste, the legendary Italian strongman portrayed by Bartolomeo Pagano, finds himself in the unforgiving desert landscapes of North Africa, where he must confront a powerful and ruthless sheik who has been terrorizing the local population and disrupting peace in the region. The sheik, known for his cruelty and tyrannical rule over his desert kingdom, has been engaging in various nefarious activities including slave trading, pillaging caravans, and oppressing the indigenous tribes.

When Maciste arrives in this troubled land, he quickly becomes aware of the suffering caused by the sheik's reign of terror. Local villagers and tribal leaders appeal to the mighty strongman for help, knowing that only someone of his extraordinary strength and moral courage can stand against such a formidable adversary. The film follows Maciste as he navigates the treacherous political landscape of the desert kingdom, forming alliances with oppressed peoples while preparing for an inevitable confrontation with the sheik and his armed followers.

The narrative builds toward a climactic battle between good and evil, with Maciste using both his legendary physical prowess and his cunning to outmaneuver the sheik's forces.

Cast

References

Bibliography

Brunetta, Gian Piero. The History of Italian Cinema: A Guide to Italian Film from Its Origins to the Twenty-first Century. Princeton University Press, 2009.
Gundle, Stephen. Mussolini's Dream Factory: Film Stardom in Fascist Italy. Berghahn Books, 2013.
Ricci, Steven. Cinema and Fascism: Italian Film and Society, 1922–1943. University of California Press, 2008.