Valentino [1977] dir Kenssell

Valentino (1977)



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076868/




FULLSCREEN



Valentino is a biographical drama film very loosely based on the life of Rudolph Valentino, directed by Ken Russell. It is based on the book Valentino, an Intimate Exposé of the Sheik, written by Chaw Mank and Brad Steiger.



Upon release the movie was critically and commercially a failure most likely due to the dramatic license taken with Valentino's life. Russell has described his decision to make the film as the biggest mistake of his career.[He had been offered this project and 'The Rose' starring Bette Midler at the same time.] Regrettably on occasion events from the film that never really occurred (such as Valentino being a thief or being taunted in prison) are cited as fact by those who take the movie too literally.





This film is notorious for its inaccuracies, some of which have been repeated as fact since the it opened in 1977. Valentino was a taxi dancer, though whether he was a gigolo or not has never been proven. He left New York due to the DeSaulles case, not a robbery. He hated agriculture though he had studied it in Italy. When moving to Hollywood his interest was solely acting which he had taken up in New York City.



He never insulted Fatty Arbuckle; in fact the two had been good friends and when Arbuckle was blacklisted Valentino saw to it he received some work. He had known Acker for awhile before he married her, and was madly in love with her, not after a lavish lifestyle. Mathis was not a sexy, young woman. She was plainer and older than portrayed. She also did not exhibit anything other than a platonic love for her friend. She had discovered Valentino in a bit role, but he had come to her office for an audition with led to her recommendation for Four Horsemen.



Valentino was jailed on bigamy charges; though it is unlikely his stay was as extreme as portrayed, he was deeply upset with the event. The pink powder puff event was actually a remark by a reporter for the Chicago Tribune after Valentino had ended his relationship with Rambova. He did challenge the reporter to a boxing match; however the reporter never responded and the match did not take place.



The rest of the film is almost pure fantasy. Valentino was never in a boxing match and the perforated ulcer that killed him was likely caused by stress and a refusal to see a doctor. He may have actually recovered from the ulcer, but an infection which set in after an operation to fix the ulcer finally killed him.





The film was a commercial and critical failure. Most reviewers agreed there was 'too much sex' and sub par acting including the leads. Many felt that the historical inaccuracies did not help to portrayal of Valentino, and had not gotten past 'the legend to the man'.



Russell fans were not pleased with the film and the director himself later denounced it saying, "What idiot made this?" The film cost $5 million to make; an extraordinary amount at the time and his most expensive film at that date. The commercial failure almost ended his career.







Rudolf Nureyev ... Rudolph Valentino

Leslie Caron ... Alla Nazimova

Michelle Phillips ... Natasha Rambova

Carol Kane ... Fatty's Girlfriend

Felicity Kendal ... June Mathis

Seymour Cassel ... George Ullman

Huntz Hall ... Jesse Lasky

Peter Vaughan ... Rory O'Neil

David de Keyser ... Joseph Schenck

Alfred Marks ... Richard Rowland

Anton Diffring ... Baron Long

Jennie Linden ... Agnes Ayres

William Hootkins ... Mr. Fatty

Bill McKinney ... Jail Cop

Don Fellows ... George Melford

Anthony Dowell ... Vaslav Nijinsky