Valentino (1977)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Ken Russell (screenplay) and
Mardik Martin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 September 1977 (France)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

In 1926 the tragic and untimely death of a silent screen actor caused female moviegoers to riot in the streets and in some cases to commit suicide...

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Rudolph Valentino | Riot | Death | Love

Awards:

Nominated for 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Rudolf Nureyev	...	Rudolph Valentino
Leslie Caron	...	Alla Nazimova
Michelle Phillips	...	Natasha Rambova
Carol Kane	...	Starlet
Felicity Kendal	...	June Mathis
Seymour Cassel	...	George Ullman
Huntz Hall	...	Jesse Lasky
Alfred Marks	...	Richard Rowland
David de Keyser	...	Joseph Schenck
Linda Thorson	...	Billie Streeter
Leland Palmer	...	Marjorie Tain
Lindsay Kemp	...	Angus McBride
Peter Vaughan	...	Rory O'Neil
Anthony Dowell	...	Vaslav Nijinsky
Penelope Milford	...	Lorna Sinclair (as Penny Milford)

Also Known As:

Ken Russell's Valentino (Australia)

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:18 | Ireland:18 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:X | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Spain

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

"Romantic" co-stars Rudolf Nureyev and Michelle Phillips got along so poorly during the making of this film that they were reported to have engaged in an on-set slapping match during shooting of the love scenes.

Movie Connections:

References What Price Beauty? (1925)

Soundtrack:

Pink Powder Puff (The Sheik of Araby)

Ken Russell's Brilliant and Irreverent Valentino Bio.

As in all of his biography films Ken Russell takes no prisoners. A series of warped biographies on composers (Mahler, Tchaikovsky, List)incensed more than entertained audiences and critics. Laced with dark humor, vibrant costuming and Russell's sardonic use of the composers works in conjunction with his colorful and outlandish compositions the films were visual feasts that bordered on character assassination.

In Valentino, Russell comes to America to offer his take on silent Hollywood and its biggest star of the era, Rudolph Valentino. Russell is relentless in his depiction of the exploitative and greedy nature of producers who in the opening scene stand over Valentino's body lamenting financial loss. Russell also works over newspaper reporters, actresses, Valentino's ex-wives and a comedian known as Fatty (Arbuckle?). Dancer, Rudolph Nureyev is no actor but as Valentino his poorly pronounced flatly emoted English fits and contributes to his sympathetic character.

As in all Russell films there are scenes that are lush and grandly staged (ably assisted by ex-wife, Shirley Russell's original and over the top costuming) such as Leslie Caron's entrance at the funeral home, the fight sequence where ball room dancing takes place in between rounds, the producer with the pet gorilla in his living room, and a cult fan gathering outside Valentino's mansion.

This film quickly sank from sight when it was released and thirty years later consensus remains the same. I personally believe however that Valentino is a sharply drawn dark humored satire that spits cynicism at two institutions (Hollywood and the media) that it depended heavily on for its success. Valentino succeeds on every level and that was probably its problem.