The Dictator

A silent romantic adventure melodrama (from the play and novel by Richard Harding) about a womanizer who follows a beautiful Hispanic woman to her home country and his adventures there. He ends up helping her father become dictator of the entire country, and is rewarded with marriage to her and he is named Minister of Finance!

Directed by James Cruze, The Dictator leans on a strong ensemble — Wallace Reid, Theodore Kosloff, Lila Lee — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about adventure titles of 1922.