J. Gordon Edwards' QUEEN OF SHEBA (1921) Betty Blythe Lost Silent Film

Description

Vintage orignial 22 x 28 in. (56 x 71) US half-sheet poster
from the lost historical-themed silent film drama,
QUEEN OF SHEBA
, released in 1921 by the Fox Film Corporation and
directed by J. Gordon Edwards
(the grandfather of director Blake Edwards). The story tells of the ill-fated romance between Solomon, king of Israel (Fritz Lieber), and the Queen of Sheba (Betty Blythe). The cast includes Claire de Lorez, George Siegmann, Herbert Heyes, Herschel Mayall, G. Raymond Nye, and George Nichols.
Queen of Sheba
is a lost silent film
, as no prints are known to exist. Star Betty Blythe made twenty-eight costume changes throughout the film and famously said, "(If) I put them on all at once, I couldn't keep warm." The design features a beautiful color-tinted photographic scene depicting the Queen of Sheba (
Betty Blythe
) as she gives a command to Menton (
Herschel Mayall
) while Tamaran (
Herbert Heyes
) watches from behind it. Unfolded as originally issued, it is in fine+ condition with restoration to address creases in the borders and it appears that the last inch of the bottom border was expertly replaced. The color tints are fresh and vibrant without any signs of fading and this half-sheet is more striking when seen in person.
Queen of Sheba
(1921) is a silent drama film produced by Fox studios about the story of the ill-fated romance between Solomon, King of Israel, and the Queen of Sheba. Written and directed by J. Gordon Edwards, it starred Betty Blythe as the Queen and Fritz Leiber Sr. as King Solomon. The film is well known amongst silent film buffs for the risqué costumes worn by Blythe, as evidenced by several surviving stills taken during the production. The film was originally intended for Theda Bara; however, she chose not to renew her contract with Fox and, after making the ill-fated
Kathleen Mavourneen
, she all but retired from filmmaking. While making
Mavourneen
, construction began on the sets for
Queen of Sheba
. Not wanting it to go to waste, William Fox chose to put Betty Blythe in the role. The topless scenes filmed in this movie were seen only in European release versions of the movie. The film became a hit, but Blythe never matched its success with her later films.
Queen of Sheba
is presumed lost. A 1937 New Jersey vault fire destroyed most of the Fox silent film negatives and prints and it is unlikely a copy of this film exists. However, in May 2011, a 17-second fragment was found, and initially mistakenly identified as from
Cleopatra
(1917), starring Theda Bara, though comparison with stills from the movie have since led to it being identified correctly.
J. Gordon Edwards
began his career as an actor, then as director and producer at the Suburban Garden Theatre in St. Louis, then at the Academy of Music in New York, where he was hired by William Fox to direct films in 1914. He directed 22 films starring Theda Bara, who called him "the nicest director I ever worked with." His grandson is the director Blake Edwards.