Colonel John Wister, on duty with the British army in the desert region of Dubik, returns to England on leave. There he falls in love with Julia Ashton, who cares deeply for him but believes herself incapable of love following the death of her fiancé; some time before. Wister convinces her that he loves her enough to live without her romantic love and that she should marry him. She does so and returns to Dubik with him. There she meets his adjutant, Captain Denny Roark. Roark is a dashing young man who reminds Julia thoroughly of her lost love. Soon she finds she is indeed capable of love, but it is Roark with whom she falls in love, not her husband. As warfare with the local tribes heats up and as Wister gains awareness of the unconsummated romance growing between his wife and best friend, tragedy lurks.
Acting
Kay Francis's eyes do three acts of silent cinema.
Cinematography
Desert horizons that swallow morality whole.
Costume
White linen suffering beautifully in the heat.
Director
William Dieterle
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Errol Flynn filmed this right before Captain Blood made him a star; he's practically auditioning for stardom in every smolder.
The 'desert romance' genre peaked here—British colonialism as exotic backdrop for white people having feelings, a template Hollywood would recycle for decades.
US
