Bella Donna on AllMovie

In her autobiography, Pola Negri claims she felt dubious about playing the lead role in this exotic drama based on the novel by Robert Hichens; as her first role in an American production, Negri felt it would typecast her as a vamp. In spite of her doubts, critics felt that the role of Ruby Chepstow was tailor-made for her. When Ruby's husband, Wodehouse Chepstow (Adolphe Menjou), dies after murdering one of Ruby's lovers, Ruby prepares to shoot herself. But a maid saves her, and instead she takes on the name Bella Donna, marries British engineer Nigel Armine (Conrad Nagel), and heads for Egypt. There she becomes involved with Mahamoud Baroudi (Conway Tearle), who suggests that she get rid of her husband -- permanently. She tries to poison Armine, but his doctor friend (Claude King) puts a halt to her plans, and when Bella Donna goes back to Baroudi, he's no longer interested. Meanwhile, Armine reconciles with his former sweetheart. Left completely alone, Bella Donna wanders out into the desert to her death.