Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926)
Valentino is still one of the best known names from the silent era even among people who have never seen any of his films. The image of the oppressive, dated latin lover is the dominant one though as if Rudy had only made the two Sheik films and nothing else. I believe he laid the groundwork for actors like Ronald Colman, Errol Flynn, Tyrone Power, Charles Boyer etc.
 
Seen today a few of Valentino's films may seem a bit melodramatic and even comic. When he wasn't playing a cliched lover Valentino could be a fine actor, his face and gestures were perfect for the silent screen, he conveyed so much with tiny lifts of the eyebrows. In all of his films there are moments of greatness, he was a fine light comedian but could also be menacing.

He was at his best when he made fun of his image as in The Eagle (1925) or when his presence wasn't the whole show as in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921). I've always viewed Valentino's first major film as more of an ensemble piece than the others I've seen : despite his hypnotic tango director Rex Ingram had as much to do with that film's success and style as anyone.

To be brutally frank Valentino didn't make many films which rose above the hokey romantic melodramas of the time and he knew it himself. He was a trailblazer in fighting Paramount for better scripts quitting the studio and going on a personal appearance tour with his wife Natasha Rambova. Rudy was a great dancer and they re-enacted the tango scene from The Four Horsemen. Valentino was offscreen for about a year and made his last films at United Artists : The Eagle (1925) and Son of the Sheik (1926). His influence was huge as the first of the great continental lovers of the screen : I don't think any of his successors in the latin lover mould were as good actors or made the same impact onscreen even Ramon Novarro.

Listen to Valentino sing in a recording from 1923 :





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Filmography

1914    MY OFFICIAL WIFE    performer
1917    ALIMONY    performer
1918    ALL NIGHT    performer
1918    A SOCIETY SENSATION    performer
1919    THE BIG LITTLE PERSON    performer
1919    THE DELICIOUS LITTLE DEVIL    performer
1919    THE EYES OF YOUTH    performer
1919    THE HOME BREAKER    performer
1919    OUT OF LUCK    performer
1919    A ROGUE'S ROMANCE    performer
1919    VIRTUOUS SINNERS    performerPhoto Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
1920    AN ADVENTURESS    performer
1920    THE CHEATER    performer
1920    THE MARRIED VIRGIN    performer
1920    ONCE TO EVERY WOMAN    performer
1920    PASSION'S PLAYGROUND    performer
1920    STOLEN MOMENTS    performer
1920    THE WONDERFUL CHANCE    performer
1921    CAMILLE    performer
1921    THE CONQUERING POWER    performer
1921    THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE    performer
1921    THE SHEIK    performer
1921    UNCHARTED SEAS    performer
1922    BEYOND THE ROCKS    performer
1922    BLOOD AND SAND    performer
1922    MORAN OF THE LADY LETTY    performer
1922    THE YOUNG RAJAH    performer
1924    MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE    performer
1924    A SAINTED DEVIL    performer
1925    COBRA    performer
1925    THE EAGLE    performer
1926    SON OF THE SHEIK    performer 
 


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Written content of the Golden Age of Hollywood Website (except where indicated) copyright Derek McLellan, 2007.