The Sheik is a 1921 American silent romantic drama film produced by Famous Players-Lasky, directed by George Melford and starring Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres, and featuring Adolphe Menjou. It was based on the bestselling romance novel of the same name by Edith Maude Hull and was adapted for the screen by Monte M. Katterjohn. The film was box office hit and helped propel Valentino to stardom.