Omar Khayham

In Bryan Foy's whimsical 1922 silent romp, 'Omar Khayham,' a lovelorn poetry piece-worker, Omar, portrayed with effervescent charm by Phil Dunham, finds his affections ensnared by Atta Bey-Bee, a captivating jewel within Sultan Hassan Feifeh's lavish harem. Driven by an irresistible yearning, Omar orchestrates a audacious infiltration of the seraglio, a realm guarded by bumbling eunuchs whom he deftly outwits. His clandestine rendezvous, however, is swiftly curtailed by the Sultan's vigilant eye, triggering a frenetic, slapstick pursuit across the opulent, labyrinthine quarters. Undeterred, Omar executes a daring masquerade, re-entering the harem disguised as an exotic dancer, a performance he leverages to mesmerize and disarm the unsuspecting Sultan. This artful deception facilitates Atta's dramatic rescue. Yet, the romantic crescendo takes an ironic plunge when Omar discovers his supposed damsel in distress already possesses a husband, prompting a swift, comedic renunciation of future 'harem-scarem' escapades and imparting a wry, cautionary moral about the perils of ill-chosen affections.