Queen of Sheba

Queen of Sheba, like many early Fox successes, has been lost for ages in a fire of the Fox vaults. Originally released in 1921, it starred Betty Blythe. When you come across her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, chances are you won't remember who she was. She achieved stardom thanks to this film and her willingness to appear semi-nude in front of the camera.
As a matter of fact, she used to joke that all of her 28 costumes for the film could fit in a shoe box. And the remaining stills of the film tend to prove her right. When her star faded, she went on working, mostly uncredited, as a character actress until 1964, where she appears quite briefly in My Fair Lady. If you get a chance, listen to the 1950 radio adaptation of Rebecca: she plays the infamous Mrs. Danvers.

The script of the film apparently was rather different than the later films dealing with the Queen. It seems closer to the story of Ben Hur with its theme of rivalry (there's even a chariot race!).
In this film, The Queen's name is Balkis and her throne has been stolen by evil Armud (George Siegmann from Birth of a Nation) so Balkis, her sister Nomis and her people lived by the red sea, away from her kingdom. There she finds the crown of the Kingdom washed away by the waves. Armud abducts Nomis who drowns herself to avoid the shame of his assaults. When the crowd hears of her suicide, a revolution occurs and Armud has to make a concession. He offers marriage to Balkis (even though he was bethrothed to lovely Princess Vashti) to appease the tensions. Balkis tricks him into thinking she accepts and stabs him on their wedding day. Now the Queen of Sheba again, she leaves to the court of King Solomon (Fritz Leiber from Romeo and Juliet) to seek his advice on ruling her Kingdom. Unfortunately, Princess Vashti has taken refuge there and, helped by Solomon's brother Adonijah, she plots against Balkis and King Solomon who fall in love for each other.

The Queen's caravan

Betty Blythe

One day, a chariot race is organized in honor of the Queen. And while Adonijah poisons Solomon's horses, Vashti challenges Balkis to race them against her. Balkis accepts, but with a different set of horses, and wins the race. Adonijah tries to molest her but Solomon comes to the rescue and bans his brother out of the Kingdom. Solomon and Balkis confess their love. But Solomon is already married and his wife, Pharaoh's daughter, warns her father that she may be repudiated. Fearing a war with Egypt, Balkis decides to leave Solomon after she has spent a last night with him and he has given her a ring and a son that she names David (played by child actor Pat Moore who was the son of Pharaoh in The Ten Commandments and who later worked with its director Cecil B. DeMille on the remake as a sound editor).

David at his father's court

Solomon and David

Five years later, she sends little David to meet his father and recognizing the ring attached on a golden chain around his neck, Solomon is overjoyed and proceeds to spend all his time with him. Vashti and Adonijah (who came back to the court) kidnap the child and hold him hostage in the Kings' tomb. Warned by Solomon, Balkis raises an army and kills Adonijah. She thinks she arrives too late to save her son when she finds his lifeless body but Solomon's prayers bring a miracle and the boy awakes. Balkis and her son safely return to the Kingdom of Sheba while King Solomon watches them from his castle.

The following film clip (mislabeled "Cleopatra") is apparently all that remains of this lavish production, originally intended for Fox's star Theda Bara.

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That's all for today folks!