A company of travelling performers arrives in a fictional oriental city. Among them is the dancer Yannaia, who is secretly loved by Yeggar, a hunchbacked clown. The slave trader Achmed plans to sell her to the Sheik for his harem, and a web of desire and jealousy builds around that scheme.

How it was made

Filming began on 13 March 1920 at the Ufa studios Union Berlin Tempelhof. The monumental sets were built by Kurt Richter and Ernő Metzner. Lubitsch directed the film, co-wrote the screenplay with Hanns Kräly based on a pantomime, and played one of the leading roles, his last appearance on screen. The producer was Paul Davidson, and the company was PAGU.

Reception and legacy

German critics praised it as a journey of great emotional intensity. In America, where it was released as One Arabian Night, The New York Times highlighted Lubitsch's talent and Pola Negri's performance, and counted it among the year's best pictures. Today it is known mainly through restored DVD editions, which include a newly composed score.