Rudolph Valentino Book Giveaway

In a bit of shameless self-promotion, I'm giving away a softcover edition of my book Rudolph Valentino the Silent Idol via the Goodreads website.  If you are on Goodreads, you click the link to sign up for this giveaway.  The winner of the giveaway will be selected by Goodreads after December 5th.

Good Luck!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol His Life in Photographs

by Donna L. Hill

Giveaway ends December 05, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

This N That - August 2012

Summer is nearly over and there has been plenty going on.

Right now, if you are in LA over Labor Day Weekend you can head over to Hollywood Blvd. for Cinecon, one of the longest continuing film festivals.  They're got some terrific movies lined up.  Visit their website for details here.  All the movies are screened at the 1922 movie palace The Egyptian!

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 Esteemed author Frank Thompson can now add podcaster to his lenghty resume.  He's doing a fabulous podcast called The Commentary Track and he's interviewing plenty of great people about classic film.  You can subscribe via iTunes and visit Frank's website  for direct downloads.

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My book, Rudolph Valentino the Silent Idol - His Life in Photographs is now available in an eBook edition for iPad and iPhone.  On the iPhone it will be teeny but it looks great on the iPad.  Rudolph Valentino would be pleased to move into the digital age, he loved gadgets.  The iBook duplicates the print edition exactly except for a font change and can be had at a fraction of the cost of the print edition ($25.99).  You can find it and preview the first 72 pages here.  Yes, I am proud of it!

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Sad news for film geeks, Luke McKernan retired new postings for his fabulously informative Bioscope Blog.  Luke has left the blog up as an archive and it's a rich resource of information.  Bookmark it and keep it!  I can't thank Luke enough for the 5 years of hard work and am grateful he's left everything up for us to continue to use this excellent reseource.  Best wishes Luke for your future endeavors.

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Are you a fan of Greta Garbo?  Here's your chance to a personal item belonging to the reclusive star.  Julien's Auctions is handling this auction and the catalogue is fascinating with vintage clothing and lots of vintage memoraibilia.  How about Garbo's gold pocket knife?  It can be yours!

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America's Sweetheart Mary Pickford has made it on to blu-ray at last.  Milestone Films and the Mary Pickford Foundation have worked together and released three great films in standard and blu-ray DVDs.  The Poor Little Rich Girl, The Hoodlum and Sparrows (with the added bonus of the 1910  version of Ramona).  Pickford is a favorite of mine and I was positively THRILLED to get these on DVD.  You can buy it here, blu-ray or standard dvd, you won't be dissapointed.  Now I am waiting for Stella Maris, please!!!

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I'm not going to shamelessly flog only my book on this blog, oh no!  Always room for new books! On my radar a few of which are already out or soon to be published.  Kathleen Riley has published a book long overdue The Astaires chronicling the famous dancing pair of siblings, Adele and Fred Astaire.  Before Fred became a movie star.  It's on my Xmas wish list and I'm dying to read it!

Speaking of Mary Pickford, publishing on November 15, 2012 will be Mary Pickford Queen of the Movies edited by Christel Schmidt.  Produced in conjunction with the Library of Congress and published by the University Press of Kentucky it's a book I am very much looking forward to.

Eve Golden, a biographer and witty writer who has more talent in her pinky finger than I ever will.  I wish I could write half as well as she does.  Eve has penned several excellent books on Jean Harlow, Theda Bara, Vernon and Irene Castle and has silent hearthrob John Gilbert coming up next in 2013.  So looking forward to it.  If you want to keep up with Eve and her weekly doings, she blogs wonderful obits and other things over at the Daily Mirror. 

Fellow author and good friend Mary Mallory also blogs there and her posts are also not to be missed.

Another book I am anxiously awaiting will be the long anticipated chronicle of the silent film portrait photographers by David S. Shields.  You can see some of his research and stunning photos on his Broadway page.  During my Valentino research David shared some chapters with me.  His prose combined with the incredible photos that I anticipate are going to make this a book to treasure for years to come.  It's coming out in 2013, watch this space as I plan to flog it and swoon over it endlessly!

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That's all that is on my mind this Friday of Labor Day weekend.  Have a safe weekend and all my cinegoon peeps know I'm missing them not being at the Egyptian this weekend.  Do not miss The Goose Woman if you are in LA.

Rudolph Valentino and Nita Naldi - A Perfect Partnership

Rudolph Valentino and Nita Naldi were not only co-stars, they were good friends. Valentino and Naldi shared a wonderful partnership onscreen in three films. We celebrate their partnership in 2012 with a calendar featuring some wonderful stills from Cobra, Blood and Sand and A Sainted Devil. The calendar also features a couple of candid shots of Rudy and Nita off screen.

Click below for a full preview.  The calendar is 13x19, spiral bound and handsome in glorious black and white!  $25.00 the perfect gift for any silent film fan.

Lulu has a 25% off coupon code through Nov. 30th: enter this code at checkout: NOVPHOTOS25

Let me also take a moment to shamelessly self-promote my book Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol, once more.  Blurb is currently running a promotion (good through November 28th) for 20% off the cover price.  Simply enter LYNDA22 at checkout (remember to use ALL CAPS) and the discount is yours.

Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol by Donna L. Hill | Make Your Own Book

Fifty Years Fifty Films - The Eagle (1925)

Rudolph Valentino’s final two films under his Paramount contract in 1924 Monsieur Beaucaire and A Sainted Devil, were less than successful.  The fans were apathetic and Valentino had lost his box office mojo. 

Valentino’s contractual obligations to Paramount were now completed and he was soon set up to produce his first independent film under the banner of Ritz-Carlton Productions.  Number one on the docket was The Hooded Falcon; the story was penned by his wife, Natacha Rambova. 

In the summer of 1924 the Valentinos left for a European vacation/shopping trip for props and brocades for the costumes for The Hooded Falcon.  Before departure they left the scenario in the hands of June Mathis for a rewrite. 

Upon their return from Europe in the fall, the pair found Mathis’ treatment wanting and they ended their professional, and, for a time, personal relationship.  The head and pocketbook of Ritz-Carlton, J.D. Williams, insisted that it would be more cost efficient to film Cobra prior to The Hooded Falcon.  The company needed some cash coming in with a new release.  Neither was happy with the idea of Cobra, but had little choice since The Hooded Falcon was not ready to go into production.  Natacha began work on her own project entitled What Price Beauty and left Valentino to work on Cobra.

The excessive cost for The Hooded Falcon was due, for the most part, to the lavish spending in Europe.  The Valentinos had spent close to one third of the slated budget for the completed film before a single frame was shot.  Hooded Falcon appeared to be cursed.  After Cobra was in the can, the Valentinos and J.D. Williams parted company on not so friendly terms.  In short, Williams fired them and dissolved the company.  Nothing came of The Hooded Falcon except for some smoldering costume shots of Valentino sporting a mustache and goatee.

The Hooded Falcon

Valentino signed on with United Artists and John Considine (father of Disney Legend Tim Considine) was to act as producer for his films.  UA had, in fact, earlier hinted about inviting Valentino when he broke with Paramount in 1922.  Three years later he was welcomed into the fold.  A lavish dinner was held at the Ambassador to celebrate Valentino’s addition to the roster of stars.  Production of The Eagle was started in the early spring of 1925.  A lot was riding on The Eagle, Valentino knew it, too.  Rudolph Valentino was very badly in need of a box office hit. 

UA welcomes Valentino

The Eagle is based loosely on a Pushkin story Dubrovsky.  Considine employed Hans Kraly to fashion the tale into a scenario suitable for Rudolph Valentino.  Kraly is better remembered for his work with Ernst Lubitsch and his later work including The Patriot in 1930 (for which he won an Academy Award). Later, Kraly was also nominated for the adapted screenplay of The Last of Mrs. Cheyney and for Original Screenplay for the Deanna Durbin film One Hundred Men and a Girl in 1937.  Kraly’s scenario blended the Pushkin story with touches hinting at The Mark of Zorro and came up with a winning scenario.  There is just enough action, just enough romance and a nice dose of tongue in cheek humor that makes the film breeze along.

The sets were designed by William Cameron Menzies.  Certainly they were no more historically accurate than the sets for the later gothic and uber-bizarre The Scarlet Empress (Hans Dreier).  Menzies hinted at Russia with a California Romantica twist.  Historical accuracy to the period was not exactly uppermost or really appropriate for this romantic fantasy.  This was not what Valentino’s female fans went to the pictures for.

Louise Dresser in the 1934 Scarlet Empress

Valentino and Banky were opulently costumed by a then relatively unknown Gilbert Adrian.  Adrian got his start with Natacha Rambova and Valentino designing for Cobra and the costumes for the aborted The Hooded Falcon.  He would go on to do the costumes for Rambova’s previously mentioned film What Price Beauty (not released until 1928) as well as Valentino’s final film The Son of the Sheik.  Adrian is best remembered for his stunning work at MGM in the 1930’s.

Vilma Banky - costume by Adrian

Valentino is given ample opportunity to show not only his romantic skills, but also his wry comedic side in this film.  He plays three roles: Dubrovksy, the Cossack, the bandit/Robin Hood by the moniker the Black Eagle and impersonates French tutor Marcel LeBlanc.  Fans were less familiar with the lighter side of Valentino.  This film really contains one of his most engaging performances.  Light on his feet and quick-witted, this hero finds it more and more difficult to maintain or follow through on his vow of vengeance as his ardor for the daughter of his enemy grows.  Valentino took pride in doing his own stunts and he suffered a slight injury during filming which was reported upon in various newspapers.

Vilma Banky on loan from Samuel Goldwyn shines and shows a real rapport with Valentino on screen.  The barrier of language did not hamper the on-screen chemistry.  Publicity for the film played up the language differences in a series of charming stills showing Valentino and Banky poring over dictionaries in attempts to communicate.  Banky proved herself to be not only a beauty, but a charming and witty character.  Banky’s on screen chemistry would be very much in evidence in Valentino’s final film, The Son of the Sheik.

Director Clarence Brown was responsible for the casting of Louise Dresser as Catherine the Great.  Dresser was fresh off the success of her tour de force turn in The Goose Woman.  Brown related to historian Kevin Brownlow:

Louise Dresser was great as the Goose Woman. I paid her three hundred and fifty dollars as week. I used her again as Queen Catherine in The Eagle, for Schneck, and this time I paid her three thousand a week!

This truly was luxury casting.  The role of Catherine is not exactly large, but Dresser makes the most of her delightful seduction scene with Valentino.  She clearly enjoyed her turn as the royal vamp.

In a smaller role and in another bit of luxurious casting, favorite villain Gustav Von Seiffertitz is seen briefly in a cameo as Catherine’s butler.  Von Seiffertitz as well as Estelle Taylor (Mrs. Jack Dempsey) were cast for Valentino’s third UA film on the life of Christopher Columbus.  It was set to begin filming after Son of the Sheik.  Considine had also secured the talents of Charles Rosher to lens the film.  Sadly, Valentino died before production would begin.

Brown lines up a shot as Valentino watches

Valentino, himself, indulged in a little friendly nepotism casting his good friend Mario Carillo as the “real” Marcel LeBlanc.

One can admire the performances of each of the stars, but one also has to credit their rapport with and the direction of journeyman Clarence Brown.  Brown got his training under Maurice Tourneur and blossomed on his own with films such as Smoldering Fires and The Goose Woman.  Brown and Valentino got along famously given their love of all things mechanical.  Valentino also shared a special rapport with Brown’s young daughter Adrienne.  Many candid shots taken during filming illustrate that they both were quite taken with one another.  Brown’s light directorial touch is evident throughout the film.  A little bravura must also be noted in Brown’s, now famous, tracking shot along the grand dining table.  It was so good Brown used it again in Greta Garbo’s Anna Karenina (1935).

Adrienne Brown poses for a portrait with Valentino and his dog Mirza

The camera was manned by veteran George Barnes and assisted by Dev Jennings.  There is great depth of focus in many shots; shadows are used effectively and romantically.  Exteriors of the film were shot in the Griffith Park area.

Valentino was not in a happy place in his personal life during the filming of The Eagle.  His marriage to Natacha Rambova was breaking apart.  It seems clear he took some refuge from his personal troubles during the shoot.  He enjoyed the company of many visitors, old friends and new.  UA co-founder Douglas Fairbanks took the opportunity to visit the set for some publicity shots; Marion Davies a good friend of Valentino, stopped by; Bebe Daniels friend and former co-star paid a visit, as well.  Erich von Stroheim visited and posed very obligingly sporting dueling pistols with a bemused Valentino.  Valentino’s close friend, the Spanish painter Federico Beltran-Masses was staying at Falcon Lair painting two portraits of Valentino.  He later painted portraits of Marion Davies, Joan Crawford and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.  He spent many happy days visiting the set looking like he was having the time of his life. 

The filming completed in early summer, United Artists worked quickly and got the film ready for release on November 8, 1925.  Valentino traveled to New York for the premiere at the Mark Strand Theater and then made his way to London for the premiere at the Marble Arch Pavilion.  Valentino was joined by his brother Alberto and family in London.  Both brothers look natty in their tuxes at the premiere.

Alberto and Rudy at the London premiere

A report in Variety stated that in Philadelphia, many of the local dailies panned the film.  This did not deter the crowds from flocking to see the film; Variety also reported that the film did $27,000 in a single week in Philly.  In 1925 this was not exactly chump change with admission prices on average between .10, .27 and .40.

Other reviews from across the country indicated the film was for the most part a winner.  A short sampling reveals the film garnered some wildly varying reviews:

In Cleveland, the Times reviewed:

Rudolph Valentino in a type of picture which gives him an opportunity to prove the reason of his former popularity as the sheik of the screen. To say that he redeems himself in the eyes of the movie fan, would be putting it in mild terms.  Valentino not only proves he can act, but that he is a trained athlete as well.

Valentino still had a harder time in Detroit, shades of the Mineralava Tour!  Three papers had three different opinions:


The Detroit Free Press:

Ruddy (sic) doesn't have a great deal to do in the way of thrilling stunts, and at times the action drags.

The News:

Directed with some of the cunning of Lubitsch and acted in better grace and manner than Valentino has exhibited since his first big coming out party.

And finally, the Times:

In this production, Valentino works as he never has before, thrills as a daring bandit hero and grows more passionate than ever in his love making.

PHOTOPLAY reviewed the film and grudgingly gave it a pass:.

Rudolph Valentino changes his personality three times in his new picture and each one is dashing and fascinating and very Valentino. First, he is a young lieutenant of the Czarina's regiment, brave and handsome and desired of Catherine. When he deserts because he objects to "boudoir service," young Dubrovsky becomes a bandit, the Black Eagle, seeking to avenge a wrong done his father.

Next we see Rudy impersonating a French tutor in the house of his enemy, teaching the enemy's beautiful daughter. Dubrovsky falls in love. Shall he break his oath of vengeance?

The story really begins when Dubrovsky becomes the Black Eagle. The finish is weak and the characters not well drawn. Vilma Banky is Sam Goldwyn's gift to the screen. You will like Rudy and Vilma and the picture, in spite of its faults.

PICTURE PLAY also seemed ultra nit-picky in their review:

Rudolph Valentino after a short absence returns to the screen in "The Eagle." He has evidently determined to treat himself to the best this time, for he is directed by Clarence Brown, who superintended the making of "The Goose Woman," and he is supported by Vilma Banky and Louise Dresser.

With these advantages, it is only natural to expect "The Eagle" to be an intelligent, pleasant and finished picture, and it is just that and nothing more. Only the very greedy could ask for more, and I am sure that almost everyone will be pretty well satisfied with what Mr. Valentino has chosen to serve, but for some strange reason, the spark that brightened his first picture, "The Four Horsemen," has never flared up in anything that he has done since then.

Just what has died in his acting is hard to say. He seems to try conscientiously to revive it, whatever it is, but he lacks vitality. Of course, I'm not one that believes that actors burst into being overnight, and it may be that his sudden and victorious debut in "The Four Horsemen" was a pure bit of luck. However, "The Eagle" is by all means the best of his pictures since.

The story is of the love affair of a lieutenant of the Russian royal guard who refused the Czarina's more-than-tentative offer and is sentenced to death for scorning her. The plot that follows is a pretty complicated affair, and combined with the Russian names, would, if put end to end, reach from Picture-Play to The Literary Digest.

Vilma Banky is beautiful and natural as Mischa (sic), but Clarence Brown has not brought out the talent which she showed in "The Dark Angel," nor did Miss Dresser have much opportunity as the Czarina. Playing opposite a male star is really no job for a woman. After all, woman's place is in the home.

In the New York theater where I saw this picture, the aisles, lobby, and house were packed with people during its entire run, which only goes to prove that I am too fussy, and that Mr. Valentino's hold on the public can still be accepted without question.

Anyway, the picture is well worth seeing, and I don't think you’d regret devoting an evening to it.

So, history records that the film was well received, but not the smash hit everyone had hoped for.  That smash hit they were looking for would come later, and sadly, Valentino would not live to see it.

J.D. Williams negotiated distribution of Cobra through Paramount/Lasky and released Cobra on November 30, 1925.  For the record, Cobra was not well received and sank like a stone. 

Valentino charms Vilma Banky

Happily, in the modern age one can view The Eagle dispassionately and enjoy the film for what it was, a delightful bit of entertainment.  As I stated above, Valentino fans (even if you’re not) are treated to a thoroughly enjoyable film.  Valentino shows much warmth and charm in his role(s), he clearly relished the action sequences as well as the scenes with the beautiful Vilma Banky. 

Banky was fresh from the success of her American film debut, The Dark Angel for Goldwyn co-starring Ronald Colman.  She was also very successful in the lighter and more dramatic moments of the film.  Her blond beauty complimented Valentino.  It is no wonder she was signed on for The Son of the Sheik.

Clarence Brown also benefited from the success of this film, he moved on to MGM and stayed for over 20 years from silent to sound. 

For a full rundown of the intertitles, you can visit one of my favorite websites, intertitle-o-rama (http://intertitleorama.webs.com/eagle.html).

The Eagle is available on DVD (the Paul Killiam/Blackhawk Films print) Amazon link Carl Bennett's wonderful and informative site, SilentEra, has a run down of the various available versions here: http://www.silentera.com/video/eagleHV.html  

Sadly, the most  perfect and complete version is not available to be seen on DVD and is rarely screened.  I keep hoping and pestering that the Photoplay Productions restoration will be shown at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.  I’m a glass half full kind of person and keep hoping!

There is also a nearly complete version to see on youtube here

Fifty Years/Fifty Films is my non-time-critical journey through the first fifty years of films. I'll be watching films that I've never seen or will be revisiting some very old friends. My original goal was to do this for the last six months of 2009 and you can see how well that went.

Remembering Rudolph Valentino

It seems he has always been with us....just out of reach, traveling the world, having just stepped away. His films remind us of a distinct personality and physical presence whenever they are shown. This man came before us, and will remain long after us. 'Immortal' is too haughty: 'Transcendent' is my word choice for Rudy's lasting appeal.  - M. Pierce

I could not have said it better myself, hence the quotation above.  Today is the 85th anniversary of Valentino's untimely passing.  Many will have gathered at Hollywood Forever to mark his passing and celebrate his life and legacy.  Others will celebrate and observe a quiet moment or watch one of his films.

85 years later, why do so many still care and commemorate Valentino?  What is his lasting appeal?
It may be that intangible "star quality" or the lasting regret of his early demise, just as his career was back on the upswing.  Everyone I've spoken with has a different answer, each is as unique as it is valid.

Valentino the actor on screen represents a dream, a fantasy.  In this day in age, we all still need fantasy, even in what some feel is an antiquated format.  Unless you;ve seen a silent film as it should be presented, you cannot understand the incredible magnetism of stars of the era nor the engrossing way a silent film sucks you in and is all enveloping.  Valentino was a magnetic performer.  My favorite of his films is The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Valentino gives a performance that stands the test of time, not overplayed and the sly breaking through the fourth wall in the Tango Palace in Paris is one of many moments that make the film special to me.

Valentino the man is revealed in so many ways in simple photographs.   An animal lover, a car buff, a fitness buff, a friend, a simple man, a man in love.  In his 31 short years, Valentino lived his life to the fullest.  He was not always a wise man nor a nice man.  He was human, he made mistakes, some terrible, some poor choices in judgement.  But, in viewing him from the window of many photos, I see him as a man who endured terrible tragedy and still found joy in his life.  Again, he was a human as we all are.  People during his lifetime often forgot this.  His legend was so wrapped up in the fantasy of the characters he portrayed during his peak of popularity, Valentino the man was ignored.  Today this is very different, people are eager to learn who was this man named Rudolph Valentino. 

In a little pictorial tribute on this day of memory, here are a few favorite photos of  Rudolph Valentino.

 

Rudolph Valentino circa 1918 (Nelson Evans photographer)

 Valentino portrait circa 1920 (Maurice Goldberg photogtapher)

 Valentino circa 1923 (Russell Ball photographer)

 Louise Dresser and Valentino in the 1925 film The Eagle (Nealson Smith photographer)

 Valentino and Natacha Rambova pose for the Mineralava Tour in 1923 (James Abbe photographer)

Natacha Rambova and Rudolph Valentino at their Hollywood home "Whitley Heights" in 1922
(James Abbe photographer)

Valentino, it would seem, will never be forgotten.

Rudolph Valentino Son of the Sheik Screening in San Francisco

Save the Date: July 10, 2011 at 2:00pm
The Place: San Francisco Public Library, Koret Auditorium (100 Larkin Street, San Francisco)

In conjunction with the Reading the Stars exhibit in the library (4th and 6th floors), the SFPL will screen Valentino's 1926 film The Son of the Sheik.  The full line up of Shhhhhh Silents exhibits can be found here.

The Son of the Sheik was Rudolph Valentino's final film and a delightful film it is.  Valentino is cast in a dual role of Ahmed the son and Ahmed Ben Hassan the elder sheik (originally portrayed by Valentino in the 1921 film, The Sheik).  Young Ahmed falls in love with a dancing girl Yasmin (Vilma Banky) and believes he has been betrayed by her once he has been captured and torutured by a band of thieves.  Young Ahmed takes his revenge and it takes a few rousing fights and miscommunications to set things straight before there is a happy ending.  Agnes Ayres makes an appearence reprising her role from The Sheik as Lady Diana.  Montague Love co-stars as the baddie Ghabah the Moor and Karl Dane as Ahmed's loyal friend Ramadan.  Directed by George Fitzmaurice and E.M. Hull's novel The Sons of the Sheik was adapted by Hans Kraly and Francis Marion.  This Arabian fantasy has plenty of action, romance and humor packed into roughly 60 minutes.

I will introduce the film and also present a slideshow utilizing images that did not make the cut in my book Rudolph Valentino the Silent Idol.  With the abundance of riches at my fingertips, space prevented some, some were images I wished I'd been able to find and others came into my hands after publication.  It's an enjoyable glimpse into Valentino's world.  I will also have copies of the book on hand for purchase and autographing.

Thomas Gladysz of the Louise Brooks Society and editor of  the Louise Brooks edition of Margaret Boehme's 1905 novel Diary of a Lost Girl will also be on hand to sign copies of his book.  Thomas has also curated the Reading the Stars exhibition. 

The Son of the Sheik is one of Valentino's most engaging films and hope to see you there!

Rudolph Valentino Birthday Event - May 11th

May 11th is the revised date. Mark your calendars!

The Board of the Hollywood Heritage has invited me to participate in an Evening at the Barn Event to celebrate Rudolph Valentino's 116th birthday.

On the docket from me will be a presentation of rare shots of The Sheik Offscreen and I expect a Q&A session. On display will be some incredible Valentino memorabilia from the collection of my good friend Tracy Terhune (http://www.valentinoforever.com/). he's got the best collection of personal, autographed and just some amazing items all related to Valentino. If you are in LA, don't miss this opportunity to see some primo stuff on display.

An abdiged version of Blood and Sand will be screened with Rudolph Valentino and the 88 American Beauties.

I'll have copies of my book Rudolph Valentino the Silent Idol on hand for sale and to be autographed.

Hope to see some LA peeps there, it's going to be a fun evening!

Rudolph Valentino Visits Disneyland

Thanks to the blog Main Gate Admission, we've got evidence of Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky at the Main Street Cinema at Disneyland. I remember going to the Main Street Cinema when I was a kid, but all I can remember seeing are the cartoons (and that it was usually nice and cool in there). Rudy and Vilma did not play the Main Street Cinema for long, we'll save that story for another blog post one of these days.

Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol in Hollywood

Be there or be square!

It's a thrill to be able to announce that I will be signing copies of Rudolph Valentino the Silent Idol
at Larry Edmunds Bookshop on Hollywood Blvd.

If you can make it, I'd love to meet you. Always a pleasure to meet "rudyfans" old friends and new.

August 21, 2010 at 7:00pm
Larry Edmunds Bookshop
6644 Hollywood Blvd.

There will also be a short screening of some Valentino rarities in the shop and I understand some very wonderful memorabilia will also be on display.

Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol

The month of May birthday celebration for Mr. Rudolph Valentino sort of ended before it began and died without so much as a whimper from me. Insert sad cheese face here. No slight to the divine Mr. Valentino was intended.

My time and energy over the last several weeks has been sucked up in getting the last details of Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol - His Life in Photographs finished and the book uploaded for publication. It's amazing how the little niggly details and corrections/changes/additions are huge time suckers. At the end of the day, it was all for the greater good and the book has finally been put to bed.

I'm pleased, a little proud and very humble to be able to announce the publication of my tribute to Rudolph Valentino.

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1439029

The widget from blurb keeps crashing blogger, so the link above will take you to the preview.

I had originally planned, hoped and struggled to have the book live during the birthday month of May. A little late and I hope worth the wait in the end.

I will be back to regularly scheduled posts shortly. All I can say right now is I am ecstatic to have this project behind me and am anxiously awaiting my own copy to hit the mailbox so I can hold it in my hands.

Valentino's Scandalous Beard

Bewhiskered Valentino in New York, November 1924

I have a rather silly obsession having to do with Rudolph Valentino and this has everything to do with Rudolph Valentino sporting that beard for a project that was never filmed, The Hooded Falcon. People call me a heretic to cover up that gorgeous face with whiskers, so what? Personally, in my humble opinion, I don't think it detracts by covering up. It adds to an already very handsome countenance. Other "rudyfans" may disagree with me but I think he looked awfully dashing in that beard.

The fans of the time may have been dismayed since facial hair at that time was not common (Doug Fairbanks’ moustache being an exception to that rule). This was as true in real life as it was on the screen. Villains were traditionally those wearing the moustaches and beards. This was done often to distinguish them from the clean shaven, 100% all-American heroes who populated the screen. No upright young man would be seen in a moustache or beard, but to be a “baddie,” you just had to have a brush! The only other exception to that rule would be in the case of a period or historical film, case in point, the 1924 epic The Sea Hawk with Milton Sills bewhiskered as the hero.

Valentino in An Adventuress

The fuzzy Rudolph Valentino seen on this chilly November day was not the first time Rudolph Valentino wore a moustache or a beard. In private life, his face was no stranger to a little hair before he was famous. Several early photos of the young Valentino, still reasonably new to American shores, show him with a jaunty moustache. Once he began working in pictures on a regular basis, since he was often cast as a villain, moustaches and/or beards (of varying styles) could be seen such films as Stolen Moments, The Wonderful Chance and An Adventuress. In many cases, the facial hair was quite fake, applied by the make man or Valentino himself. The styles varied from a dapper handlebar to a small “Chaplin style” moustache. As shown above, he also sported a monocle to great effect!

Even though Valentino had been off the screen for some time, he was still a man of great influence in style and taste judging by the reaction to his appearance in New York. The public (and news hounds it seems) had short memories. Perhaps it was because Valentino was not the influential star in 1920 he was in 1924, his beard and moustache in the last portion of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse were forgotten. They also failed to put two and two together and remember he sported some stubble in The Conquering Power, and came back at the end of that particular film with a very distinguished Van Dyke beard.

A relaxed Valentino on the Leviathan

As was the usual custom, the press saw him on the S.S. Leviathan before disembarking. Valentino returning in 1924 was news. Valentino wearing a beard was BIG news; more than that, this beard was revolutionary! Posing on deck with Natacha and alone (with his beard and a winning smile) Valentino’s image made the pages of virtually every metropolitan newspaper across the country, from New York, to Chicago, to San Francisco, to Los Angeles. The headlines made note, Rudolph Valentino had returned to U.S. shores, triumphant with a new contract, en route to his Hollywood home with a little more than his wife and the beautiful Nita Naldi in tow. Along with his new cars (which he had ordered the previous summer), trunk loads of antiquities, gifts for friends, costumes for The Scarlet Power (later retitled The Hooded Falcon), Valentino came home with something the Barbers of America would not stand for, a fashion revolution, a mustached and bearded face! Why if even 1/3 of the young males in America followed suit, the business of barbering would be ruined!

* * * *

Valentino Back With Whiskers—Don’t Want Foliage—Too Much Trouble—but it Grows on Rudy Tells Girls at Pier

New York November 10 (by Universal Service)

The Sheik came back home today looking more sheikish than ever. “Come out from behind that foliage Rudolph. We know you,” said a bevy of girls when Valentino and his wife tripped down the gangplank of the Leviathan.

“I can’t, it’s grown on,” said the sheik. It was a reddish black hirsute growth on chin and lips that gave the Valentino countenance a decidedly Moorish cast. “Don’t want it—too much trouble. But, can’t help it. New picture you know. After that, back to the barber shop,” declared Rudy.

The Valentino’s have been summering on the Hudnut Estate in Nice and are now back for work. “When we were in Spain, I was taken for a Moor, with no end of trouble,” said the sheik. “I don’t want to be a sheik.”

A few old timers standing by looked at Rudy’s whiskers and signed. They seemed to remember a time when two whiskered lads were just starting out in the cough drop world. “Maybe they’ll come back in style now,” they said.

* * * *

The Movie Sheik’s New Moorish Beard

Rudolph Valentino, the movie sheik, returned from Europe to the United States this week wearing a Moorish beard of reddish hue. He also wore cerise suspenders to match the whiskers. He has been in Spain in search of “color” for a picture in which it is said he will play the part of a Moor.

* * * *

When the Valentinos and Miss Naldi left New York they were hounded by a curious public and press, when they reached Chicago, more of the same. They were obliging as they posed before leaving Chicago, Rudy always dapper, tipping his hat, Natacha looking slightly bored and Nita, enjoying herself, looking at Rudy! Days later they finally reached their destination, the West Coast, they were greeted rapturously at the Santa Fe train station by hundreds of friends and fans. Newsreel footage shows Valentino laughing and smiling, waving to well wishers and shouting greetings to friends he spies in the crowd surging about the train. The Valentinos and Miss Naldi posed for the cameras, for the newsreels and were loaded with flowers. Through the crowds came the official greeting in the form of acting Los Angeles Mayor, Boyle Workman. Accompanying Mayor Workman was a representative of the Barber’s of America, armed with a straight razor poised for Rudolph Valentino’s throat! It was a publicity stunt, and several photos exist of Valentino laughing as the razor gets close to his beard! Rudy was obviously enjoying himself this day. He was back in California, about to begin work under the banner of Ritz-Carlton Productions, shooting a story penned by his lady love and co-starring his favorite leading lady Nita Naldi.

Valentino about to get a close shave

The good times continued to roll and Hollywood also took a few jibes at the bearded Rudy and the effect his whiskers would have on the film industry. Natacha may not have enjoyed it, but I suspect Rudy, eager to rid himself of the beard, likely laughed long and hard with one look at the editorial cartoon in Photoplay Magazine.

Doug Fairbanks, Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, Pola Negri, Charlie Chaplin,
Jackie Coogan and William S. Hart as shown in Photoplay Magazine's
scathing (and hilarious) commentary on the publicity
surrounding Valentino's bearded state.

The Hooded Falcon was not meant to be. All that survive are tantalizing costume shots of Valentino posing as the Moor. No costume tests appear to have survived of Nita Naldi. Rudolph Valentino wore a beard in his next film, Cobra, in the flashback sequence. This beard, however, was applied by the makeup man as Rudy had finally shaved.

A Trip to Castellaneta - by Jean Walker

A few years ago it was my pleasure to publish a quarterly newsletter dedicated to Rudolph Valentino. It was gratifying to have several excellent contributions by some of the subscribers. One of which was from a lovely lady from the U.K. by the name of Jean Walker - she made a trip to Valentino's birthplace of Castellaneta. Her piece has remained with me since I first read it, having yet to have the pleasure of a visit to Castellaneta (or Italy) myself. I emailed Jean in the hope she'd allow me to republish her piece here. Happily for us all she did. What follows is a delightful piece describing her visit to Valentino's birthplace, Castellaneta, Italy. The photos illustrating the piece were taken by Jean's son Michael. I apologize for the not quite optimal quality of the images. I searched in vain on my external hard drive for the original scans and could not find them. These were extracted from the newsletter file.

A Trip to Castellaneta by Jean Walker

Following a recent statement that my ambition is to visit all the places I know of associated with Rudolph Valentino and since I am turned eighty, I decided that immediately is a good time to begin and what better place to start than Rudy's birthplace, Castellaneta in Italy? Before I go any further, I should like to say how very much I am indebted to W. H. whose article in the Spring 2005 Newsletter helped me so very much since it contains lots of valuable information and advice for my visit, which took place in March of this year.

The Blue Sheik, Catellaneta, Italy

My son, Michael accompanied me on this voyage of discovery. We flew from London to Rome and then to Bari where we had already engaged rooms at the Hotel Victor in the city centre. This was a modern and most comfortable hotel which I would recommend to anyone who might be contemplating the journey.

The very next morning we rose early and took a train for Castellaneta. A pleasant and comfortable journey of approximately one hours duration and just as Wayne had said, a small local bus was waiting to take us to the town centre for a modest fee.

We explored the town on foot taking a great many photographs as we went along starting with the life size ceramic sculpture of Rudy in the lower part of Via Roma. Regrettably, this is not very well executed in my opinion, nevertheless it is gratifying that such a fine man is honoured and remembered in the place of his birth.

116 Via Roma, birthplace of Rudolph Valentino

Continuing further along Via Roma, on the right hand side, we come to No. 116, the building in which Rudy was born and where he lived until the age of nine at which time the family moved to Taranto.

The rear view of 116 Via Roma

This edifice, which I believe is of 19th century construction, is quite imposing and very pleasing to the eye though it does have about it a slight air of neglect, in need of a minor facelift to restore it to its former splendour. Even so it was with a thrill of excitement that at last I was able to gaze at length on the house where it all began on 6 May, 1895. We were able to examine both the front and the back of the property at leisure. On the wall at the front of the building is an elaborate bronze plaque of pleasing design, bearing in Italian the words "Rodolfo Valentino nome che in terra lontano significo Arte e Belleza Italica".

Commemorative plaque at 116 Via Roma

After continuing a little further along the Via Roma, a right hand turn took us into Corso Umberto, a quiet road with on the left hand side a small park where we rested for a while enjoying the peace and serenity of the sunny afternoon before continuing our stroll. Reaching the top of the street one first comes upon the imposing Church of San Michele, this church is on the edge of the old town and almost immediately next to it is the frontage of an ancient building which was undergoing extensive renovation. We were told that this was part of an old palace with spacious grounds behind it.

Corso Umberto

Church of St. Michele

We did wonder if this could possibly be a part of the old palace where Rudy's mother was companion to the Marchesa Giovanazzi, however, we could elicit no further information on this score so continuing onwards and upwards we came to the very old and in my opinion most beautiful part of Castellaneta. Here one has the sensation of having gone back in time to an earlier and more leisurely period. Everything was a pleasure to behold, smaller streets and passages branch off this thoroughfare. Many of these offshoots are named Vico, which is I believe a colloquial version of what we in England call wynds or alleys that still exist in our older towns. If only there had been time to explore individually some of these tempting diversions instead of a mere cursory glance, however, our meanderings eventually brought us to the Museo Valentino which was the highlight of the visit. The museum was closed but this we had expected and planned to return later in the day when, we were given to understand that it might be open, so for the moment we contented ourselves by taking pictures of the art nouveau plaque outside and the huge head and shoulders picture of Rudy opposite the entrance.

St. Domenico Cathedral (undergoing restoration)

Continuing onwards we eventually arrived at the piazza where stands the Cathedral of San Domenico, a magnificent building begun in the 15th century, this building was also undergoing renovation work, and was closed to the public, so we contented ourselves with taking photographs of the exterior, eventually, strolling on past the cathedral to a vantage point from where we could see the rear of the cathedral, and what a surprise! We found we were standing almost at the edge of an appalling gorge, the deepest and most horrifying gorge that I have ever seen, but with the most wonderful panoramic views across the Puglian countryside. This was obviously the ravine, forbidden territory to the young Rudy, where despite his father's orders to stay away from there, he frequently carried out his boyish imaginary adventures and deeds of derring do.

At this point we decided to retrace our footsteps back to the starting point in the Via Roma taking in en route, the fine Municipal Square, which contains a poignant First World War memorial commemorating the many men of Castellaneta who had lost their lives in the 1914-18 conflict, after which we made for the old railway station, long closed but with the sign saying Castellaneta Citta still in position. This would have been the station used by Rudy and his family on journeys to Taranto, Bari and elsewhere.

By this time we were famished and decided that the next step must be 'Osteria Rodolfo Valentino' as recommended by W. H., and what a wise choice this was to prove. I can only echo W's description that the service and the food were impeccable, the food was amongst the, best that I have ever tasted and believe me, I have eaten great deal of Italian food over the years.

The place was immaculate, with pictures of Rudy in some of his roles adorning the walls and everything spotlessly clean and tastefully arranged. The owner, Vito, was most attentive and courteous, as also were the waiters. Vito talked to us at some length, eventually insisting on presenting me with a souvenir of the occasion in the shape of a ceramic pot made locally. It was indeed a happy occasion for all, soon however to be slightly spoiled for when we returned to the Museo Valentino at the time suggested and though we waited patiently for what seemed like hours, it did not open at all that day, and so we returned in time to catch the last train back to Bari in a mood of mixed elation and dejection. Well, perhaps another time, who knows!

The street leading to Museo Valentino

It is only fair to say at this point that everywhere we went in Puglia we were treated with the utmost kindness, courtesy and gentle interest We were sorry when this wonderful vacation came to an end. I shall always remember the people of Puglia, especially those of Bari and Castellaneta with great affection.

Jean Walker at Osteria Rodolfo Valentino

Again, I'd like to express my gratitude to Jean Walker for her permission to reproduce her original article.

For some further reading and sight seeing of Valentino's birthplace, you can start with the wikipedia entry. While this site is currently not functioning, it will be a place to check back to. Here is another link to Castellaneta (thanks Joan).

I'm not sure of the current status of the Museo Valentino, it was closed a few years back, but I believe it is still operational.

Museo Rodolfo Valentino
Via Municipio, 19 Castellaneta, Taranto 74011 - Italy
Phone: +39 (0)99 8497236