23 Sahara Knights

Films about Rudolph Valentino

A handful of films have been made about Rudolph Valentino since his death.  Frankly many of them are not worth watching.  A few documentaries of better merit have also been made.  These are all listed below.

 

Films about Rudolph Valentino

 

 

*Valentino (1951)

Starring Anthony Dexter and Eleanor Parker

With the anniversary of Valentino's death came renewed interest.  Natacha was still alive at the time and horrified by it.  She refused to speak about her first husband and threatened to sue if the movie contained a portrayal of her; thus Valentino's love interests are all mashed together in one fictional character.

 

Natacha wasn't the only unhappy one.  Valentino's siblings successfully sued as did his once co-star Alice Terry.  The film was drowned in controversy and not a success.  Lawsuits aside it was one of a string of 1940s and 1950s white washed silent film portrayals.  At least it was better than Perils of Pauline...

 

 

*Valentino (1977)

Starring Rudolf Nureyev and Michelle Phillips

One look at the poster says it all: this was the trashiest of trashy films possible.  One must wonder if they waited until Natacha was good and dead before making it, surely she would have sued them into oblivion.

 

It starts out with his death, fictionalizing his relationship with several of his female friends from Alla Nazimova to June Mathis.  In this version he has to run from Fatty Arbuckle after insulting him (in reality Roscoe was a dear friend of Rudy's) and decides to join movies when his glamorous famous wife Jean Acker shows him how good they are (Jean was an even lesser known actress than he was when they met).

 

After being mildly insulting the film just goes into all out fantasy including an insane prison scene, and stating Rudy died in the boxing ring.  Frankly Ken Russell isn't much better than Kenneth Anger in my eyes.

 

 

*Daydreams of Rudolph Valentino (2006)

Starring Vlad Kozlov

This film is what Hollywood Babylon is to books.  Kozlov is a firm believer in glorifying Valentino's death (the focus of this 15 minute film) as well as the David Bret set of rumors and slander.  He says he wishes to make a feature length...personally I hope he never does.

 

In all sorts of creepy he wears what he claims is the actual Sheik costume and filmed good chunks of this short at Rudy's crypt with the cemetery's blessing.  He then decided to promote it in a glorified festival complete with costume and roses...me thinks he believes a little too strongly that he IS Valentino.  Copies can currently be found hocked on Ebay for upwards of $30...for a 15 min short.  Exactly.

 

Kozlov has been threatening to make a new film, feature length.  Originally titled "Death of a Sheik" Kozlov changed it to "Silent Life".  Either way let's hope it never sees the light of day.

 

 

*Goodnight Valentino (2003)

Starring Edoardo Ballerini

On the opposite end of the spectrum is this 15 min short, which has received critical praise everywhere its screened.  Edoardo is also said to be seeking a feature film about Rudy, and we wish him the best.

 

Documentaries

 

*Hollywood Episode #6: Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino (1980)

Produced by Kevin Brownlow

This episode of the epic Hollywood documentary series focuses on Rudy and his impact.  Unfortunately due to a copyright snafu DVDs are very hard to find, so this one is likely to be found on VHS.

 

*The Legend of Rudolph Valentino (1982)

Mostly very rare newsreel footage.  Quite hard to find.