Blood and Sand

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.

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 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.

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 – Doña Sol
 * George Periolat – Marquis of Guevera
 * Sidney De Gray – Dr. Ruiz