Valentino (1977) User Reviews

Humorous and sexy

[Jazzelyne · 7/10 · 31 March 2009]

Even if you know very little about Rudolph Valentino (like myself), it's obvious after just a couple of minutes that this "autobiography" doesn't have to be taken all too seriously. The dark humor and colorful, operatic way in which director Ken Russell tells his story, make this film interesting to watch, although some parts were just a little over the top to my taste (like Leslie Caron's excessive entrance at the funeral home, the cult of fans gathering outside Valentino's mansion and the scene in which Valentino and his co-star "practise" their love scene).

Although the choice of Rudolf Nureyev to play Valentino was a gamble, I think he is surprisingly well-cast in the title role. In my opinion, the whole essence of the movie was to make it look like a silent movie, whether in grotesqueness of the scenes or in the overly dramatic dialogs. In that light, Nureyev's performance should not be judged as "bad acting". His exaggerated accent and equally strong body language are part of his performance, which is supported by the fact that Nureyev in real life didn't had that much of an Russian accent (anymore) by 1977. Whether his acting style - or for that matter the style of the entire movie - appeals to you, is therefore merely an issue of personal taste than of professional capability of the filmmakers.

As a homosexual (or more accurately bisexual), Nureyev certainly would have related to the hate directed at Valentino and as a world-famous ballet dancer, he would also have been able to relate to Valentino's fame, outrageous lifestyle, the parasitic way in which some people surrounded him and the pressure of being an idol. He created an impression that I found believable and endearing.

Someone in another IMDb user review stated that Nureyev is "not handsome", "short" and "not muscular at all". Of course personal opinions about beauty may differ, but REALLY... if Nureyev is not considered the embodiment of physical perfection, than who is? This man has been a sex icon from the moment he became famous and was adored worldwide not only for his wonderful dancing, but also for his beautiful sculpted body and astonishing charisma. He definitely shows these trademarks in this movie. All his love scenes (even with Michelle Phillips, who he apparently disliked) ooze an erotic feeling. But above all, he shows that his dancing skills exceed the classical ballet. The most captivating moments for anyone with a warm place in his heart for dance, are certainly the spectacular ballroom scenes: from the passionate tango with Vaslav Nijinsky (one of several comical references to ballet) to the stunning duets with his two on-screen wives.

There are chances that you have mixed feelings after having watched this film, but in my case this is mainly due to the script. The main characters stay a little flat in the narrative and the big leaps in between the events leading to Valentino's death sometimes make it hard for people not familiar with the historical background of Valentino to truly understand the implications of the story. The "why" behind the larger-than-life popularity of this iconic cinematic person thus stays a little obscure. However, the sadness over a talented life cut off too early, is a similarity between Valentino and Nureyev (who died in 1993 as a result of AIDS) which gives the entire film a melancholic shine.

Grotesque yet fun...

[JasparLamarCrabb · 5/10 · 22 October 2005]

Who knows if any of this is true, but director Ken Russell's take on the life of Rudolph Valentino is a lot of fun. Opening at Valentino's infamously raucous funeral, the film is told in flashbacks by various people who knew him. That's where any similarity to CITIZEN KANE ends. Russell is a master of opulence and it's clear that no money was spared. The sets and costumes are spectacular, but they're nearly overshadowed by Russell's casting choices. Michelle Phillips plays Valentino's wife Natasha, Leslie Caron is the great Nazimova and one time Dead End kid Huntz Hall is Paramount chief Jesse Lasky. Bizarre casting to be sure, but all three are surprisingly good. Caron in particular seems to be having a really good time. In hindsight, the casting of Rudolf Nureyev as the world's "greatest lover" seems ironic, but he isn't bad. It is too bad he has to speak. There are times he's incomprehensible. The direction is fairly straightforward, although Caron's funeral scene entrance and Valentino's jail house encounter are vintage Russell --- they're nearly operatic. Carol Kane and Seymour Cassel are in it too.

eek! it's the Sheik!

[ptb-8 · 7/10 · 9 December 2007]

In Australia in 1977 we were in the boom years and love affair with colour TV. Most cinema releases movies at the box office dropped dead.. and most were very good... or at least interesting.... VALENTINO was one of them. A wildly ambitious and quite well imagined 1920s fiction on Valentino's career and loves, this Ken Russell pic has spectacular imagery and hilarious casting (Huntz Hall as the head of Paramount) but as usual in a Russell film was seriously derailed by grotesque sexual moments. The film has a great sense of time and place and with great female casting, spectacular dance scenes and breathtaking art direction VALENTNO gives the viewer 2 hours of lavish early 20s Hollywood life. Any film with both Carol Kane and Leslie Caron with Nureyev must be seen to be believed anyway. Some cinemas of the time (well, mine anyway) ran it as a double feature with NEW YORK NEW YORK and found the same audience enjoyed both... even if they needed a meal break and a walk around the block to get through this 5 hour musical fruit salad. In the same week we also ran THE WORLD'S GREATEST LOVER which, also with Carol Kane and equally gorgeous 20s visuals missed its mark because of the insufferable antics of Gene Wilder over-eating the whole production. Yes, over-eating. Nobody survived.

I am mesmerized by this film

[goomba8 · 19 November 2003]

First saw it on HBO (many times) about 1980. Just love the Ken Russell 'exaggerated' feel and look. Made me look into the life of Valentino, where I was disappointed to find that Ken Russell had really 'exaggerated' Rudy's life. I didn't see it again until 1998 on a trip to Canada, in a somewhat edited version. I just watched it on the True Stories channel, I fell in love with it again. Ken Russell's version of the cause of Rudy's death is much more interesting than the actual cause of Valentino's death. I taped it and expect to watch it a few more times.

A camp extravaganza

[christopher-underwood · 6/10 · 2 March 2017]

Filled with wonderful moments, Valentino, ultimately collapses under the weight of its overblown and raucous fairground antics. It must have been an amazing coup to get Rudolf Nureyev to play the infamous Rudolph Valentino but there is just too much going on and some scenes going on for too long. The costumes, by the director's then wife Shirley are amazing but really only help to feed in to the overall campiness of the proceedings. I can imagine Ken bouncing about encouraging everyone to give it their all and this certainly seems to have born fruit with Peter Vaughan's ecstatic performance towards the end but it also means that poor little Felicity Kendal, always the most measured of actresses, actually overacts here. A camp extravaganza that I'm sure many can enjoy but I would have preferred just a little more insight. The Fatty Arbuckle portrayal is unforgivable, never mind that of Valentino himself.

Russell meets Rudolf!

[tim-764-291856 · 7/10 · 27 March 2012]

Ken Russell could certainly do a period picture. Detail, feel, mood, elegance and style, you name it. In his depiction of 1920's Italian heart throb Hollywood star, Rudolph Valentino, all these key aspects are in place.

Lacking some of the more outrageous flourishes of sexual and violent depravities that marred/enabled (depending on your point of view) many other of Russell's flicks, this is still certificate 18 with some moderately explicit nudity.

The locations are inspired (the desert filming scene is superbly done), such as the Russell Coates Museum in Bournemouth and the dancing and set pieces dazzling and amazing. However, somehow the film doesn't gel as a whole and working out why is near impossible.

Some say that the casting of the Russian ballet icon, Rudolf Nureyev as Valentino to be a major fault, but I disagree. Sure, he's stilted and with the wrong accent, but he absolutely looks the part and with that immensely athletic body of his, well....and the dancing is as you'd expect. As the dashing sheik in the desert, just mentioned, he looks uncannily like the real thing.

Maybe that the film covers a lot of ground and at a full 2 hours, there's a lot of visual information. Sometimes it feels that there isn't the narrative clarity to support all that and we don't always know what is going on. Or, at least I didn't.

The late, great Ken has produced a fine film but one that ultimately doesn't quite work.

Not among Ken Russell's best, still interesting and handsome, worth the viewing

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 25 January 2014]

Once you realise and accept(if you can) that what is depicted in Valentino is far from what really happened then you will find a lot of enjoyment here. Ken Russell has done better with Women in Love, The Devils and The Music Lovers(also his even better composer documentaries, apart from the Richard Strauss one), it is though certainly more watchable than Lisztomania. The storytelling, told in flashback structure, is jumpy in places which makes it not always easy to follow and I agree that the characters are written flatly, they're very well played but you wish that you learnt more about them. Plus Rudolph Nureyev is a very mixed bag in the title role, he is an incredible dancer(in ballet one of the greats, his chemistry with Margot Fonteyn perhaps unparallelled) and it shows in the beautifully choreographed dance routines, the tango especially, he was also a very handsome man, his chemistry with his colleagues credible and does show some expressive acting in the dances. His dialogue delivery is another story, often very awkward-sounding and at times incomprehensible, and while charismatic and athletic his acting outside the dance routines was at times too subtle and not matching with the acting style of films from the first twenty years of the 20th century.

Leslie Caron however looks as though she was having a whale of a time and is gleefully enjoyable, while Michelle Phillips is more restrained and is touching and delightful. Felicity Kendall is also very involved and Carol Kane and Seymour Cassell delight. Ken Russell writes himself in and is thankfully nowhere near as embarrassingly bad as he was in Salome's Last Dance. The music is fitting, it captures the period beautifully and is used in a way that enhances the atmosphere yet accommodates the more dramatic elements. Visually Valentino is a gorgeous film to look at, one of Russell's most visually pleasing films. The sets and colours are lavish and the costumes, hair-styles and make-up are unmistakably 20s. The dance scenes show off Nureyev's talents really well and are intoxicating, while the sexual moments are mostly sexual but sometimes gratuitous. The script is appropriately dark-humoured and sharply biting, you cannot resist how Valentino's conflicts with different people(mainly moguls hungry for power and actresses) are depicted, even if it doesn't say a lot about the characters. Russell like his actors seems to be really enjoying himself, the film is full of his style which goes to go how much the direction shines. And thankfully his stylistic touches while not exactly restrained are not overly-excessive or distasteful, Caron's entrance at the funeral is eye-poppingly operatic, while Valentino's jail encounter, the fight sequence and the staging of the funeral are every bit as entertaining and grandly staged, managing to do so in a way that is not too overblown. In conclusion, not for people expecting a history lesson(and that is not meant to sound derogatory if it does come across that way, more as a forewarning as to what to expect) but for a well-made film that does spark at least an ounce of interest Valentino is worth a viewing. 7/10 Bethany Cox

A gauche and gaudy exaggeration, typical of its director...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 27 October 2009]

Ken Russell directed and co-authored this flagrantly useless biography of silent-screen legend Rudolph Valentino, adapted from the book "Valentino, an Intimate Exposé of The Sheik" by Brad Steiger and Chaw Mank; certainly the producers and actors associated with this film knew of Russell's penchant for the gross and bizarre, yet everyone seems to have jumped on-board blindfolded. It's a stiff and self-conscious circus, albeit one with an opulent 1920s production design. The essence of capturing a romantic hero of the movies on film has seldom come off (proof of that is the unsuccessful 1951 version of "Valentino" starring Anthony Dexter); here, Russian ballet star Rudolf Nureyev struggles with his Italian accent, struggles with his romantic partners, and really only looks comfortable with the dancing (an early scene featuring Valentino and Vaslav Nijinsky together on the dance floor is the picture's best moment). The impersonations of real-life players in Valentino's short life are grotesque caricatures, and the flashback conceit of female admirers recalling their associations with "The Sheik" after his premature demise is flabby and tiresome (and fails to pay off in any sort of narrative context). Ken Russell has never been very nimble with actors, but one expects more fireworks with this large cast (they are largely posed and wooden). Leslie Caron's nutty interpretation of famed actress Alla Nazimova gets some goosey laughs, and Seymour Cassel is always nice to have around as Valentino's manager, but the lead is too old for his role--and intensely uncharismatic on the screen. *1/2 from ****

Ken Russell's Brilliant and Irreverent Valentino Bio.

[st-shot · 9/10 · 26 July 2007]

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.

A fairly interesting "biopic"

[smatysia · 6/10 · 16 December 2004]

A reasonably interesting film. I knew very little about Rudolph Valentino, so I haven't much to say about the film's veracity. However, after a few Oliver Stone movies, I know better than to assume that what I see in a historical film is accurate. Michelle Phillips was quite attractive, although I think she may be a better singer than actress. And as for Rudolf Nureyev, surprise, surprise, he can dance. I guess all those years in the Bolshoi finally paid off. His acting skills seemed to be a bit wanting, though. I expect that Ken Russel went for the excessive melodramatic style to evoke the period, so maybe he wasn't as bad as people thought, maybe it was partly due to Russel. Leslie Caron was good, even though she seemed to slumming a bit here. Overall, worth a look, for Miss Phillips brief nude scenes, if nothing else.

Another Russell mess

[dot-20 · 2/10 · 30 October 2009]

I don't see how I could possibly spoil this movie, as I'm pretty sure most people know Valentino is dead. The manner of his death spoiled the movie for me, fact-based viewer that I am. This movie is a five-car pileup -- you can't look away. Nureyev is no actor, but it hardly matters. This must be the noisiest movie ever made about the silent era. Even Seymour Cassel, known for his work with John Cassavetes, soon joins in the general shouting and gesticulating. The two-whatevers rating is for the costume one of the women wears to the funeral, which makes her look like a Klimt painting. It made me laugh.

Please, Ken, leave Garbo alone.

Rudolph Nureyev going immortal with Rudolph Valentino.

[clanciai · 9/10 · 18 March 2015]

This was to me a most impressing surprise, a fantastic film of multiple aspects and observations of the very bizarre world of Hollywood when it was still all experiments, with Rudolph Nureyev accomplishing an astonishing stardom in convincingly impersonating Rudolph Valentino, while all the dancing scenes naturally remain the chief asset of this phantasmagorical fireworks of a film, with both plenty of humor, mainly hilariously ironic, virtuoso caricature scenes, a great deal of romance and passion going to extremes, with Leslie Caron excelling and actually outshining the leading lady Michelle Phillips, with also some very revolting scenes, especially the nightmare at the prison and the grotesque abominability of Peter Vaughan, with splendid music all the way; but in spite of the wild caricaturizing throughout the film, it gives a rather convincing and even realistic picture of Hollywood in the 20s, and the portrait of Rudolph Valentino in all his complexities, building up towards an apotheosis of a finale, when he actually succeeds in crowning his life with happiness and success after all and dying the more triumphant for his shortcomings, could hardly have been made more colorful, dramatic and interesting. Perhaps the best scene of all, and the most baroque, is the grotesque recreation of the case of Fatty Arbuckle.

Yep, it's a Ken Russell film

[thomandybish-15114 · 6/10 · 9 July 2023]

While I'm not a Ken Russell expert or afficionado, I have come to expect certain things when viewing one of his films. One is the almost obsessive attention to period detail, which is refreshing in this day and age. I mean, when Carol Kane comes out with a soup tureen full of french fries and a bottle of ketchup, you can bet your Aunt Myrtle's girdle that that bottle is period correct for the 1920s. Another thing is that Russell usually drops some sort of fever dream-styled scene into the proceedings that usually results in a form of tonal whiplash from the rest of the movie. This happens with the jail scene of Valentino and his wife. Sweet Mary, I almost had flashbacks to the torture scenes in THE DEVILS with that one. Russel definitely marches to his own beat; if the mythology behind Valentino doesn't suit his purposes, Russell simply barges ahead and creates his own. Valentino historians and fans (are there any still living?) may take issue with accuracy and sequence, but Rudolf Valentino is no sacred icon to me, so the film is a nice palate cleanser from all the corporate, comic book sausage product we've been fed of late. It's nice to see this ragtag bunch of players, from Nureyev and Mama Michelle to Leslie Caron and Carol Kane to players like John Ratzenberger in an early role. Part fever dream, part movie mag ballyhoo, the film drags during its middle/third act, but ultimately goes down easy . . . Well, as easy as a Ken Russell movie can.

Character assassination 101

[Falconeer · 4/10 · 8 June 2014]

Anybody who watches this biopic about the legendary matinée idol, Rudolph Valentino, would think director Ken Russell had a personal vendetta against the guy. Russell is known for his grotesque, often controversial films, and this movie is no exception. The clown-like portrayal of Valentino is as offensive as the image of the white serpent ripping the arm off Jesus on the cross, in "Lair of the White Worm." This film plays like the cheapest gossip rag on the newsstand. It would have the viewer believe that R. Valentino was a flaming, super-feminine homosexual. And there is no way that the real Valentino acted or behaved like this ridiculous portrayal at all. In fact it would have been impossible in the 1920's. We basically witness endless people calling Rudy a raging homosexual, right to his face. We have people mocking him and throwing powder puffs at him! Ken Russell takes an old, unfounded rumor about Rudolph's sexuality, and builds the entire film around that one thing. It's a true character assassination of a screen legend, that should offend every fan that sees it. Of course it was usually Ken Russell's ultimate goal to offend his audience.

Nothing against Nureyev, but i truly hated his interpretation of Valentino. I don't know if the man was just too feminine in real life to hide it, or if he was simply directed to mock Rudy, a man who really hated the doubts cast upon his manhood. It angered him to no end, being of the macho Italian culture. If he could see this movie he would roll over in his grave; he would despise it that much. Attacking the image of someone who has been dead 85 years, is just cowardly and disgraceful. Watching one of Valentino's films it is clear that he was a somewhat sensitive, even shy man. Not the freakshow that you see in this 1977 film. Anyway, Nureyev, although a very handsome guy, bears no resemblance at all to Rudolph, so it is unclear why he was cast at all.

If it wasn't for the movie's great production values, it would be a total waste of time; the sets and 1920's costumes are really amazing, and the film looks beautiful. In fact, technically speaking, this is a well-made film. It's just a shame that the director decided to make it an hysterical farce, and had everyone act like clowns. If not for those poor choices, this could have been great. I wondered why this has never been commercially released on DVD; now i understand.. There is, happily, another film on the life of Valentino, from 1951, that doesn't mock the actor, but takes the subject matter seriously. The actor also bears a haunting resemblance to Rudy as well. But this movie just made me angry and disgusted.

One of the most erotic, genuinely honest portrayals I've seen!

[lujack1 · 13 April 2004]

I was fortunate enough to have caught the last 2 hours! This film was engrossing from the time I tuned in, until it ended.

His (Nureyev's) portrayal is timeless. The dance scenes are spellbinding. I've wanted to dance - only to pursue other career choices. His subtleties leave you wanting more.

I was very moved by his performance. Michelle Phillips' performance ranks with some of the 'BEST' work seen from her! She deftly embodies a woman who will do whatever it takes to be with and support the man she loves! A rarity these days, she makes it look simple and exudes the on-screen confidence to do just that! Kudos, Michelle!

I was deeply disturbed to learn that he (Nureyev) had died of AIDS. This disease is an equal opportunity destroyer. Just think of what he might have accomplished had he lived...

Nureyev brings passion, delight, and a wide range of emotions to his performance - and should be delighted to know that his work in this piece is truly appreciated!

I am now searching for an unedited copy of the film for my archives.

Better Than Average Biopic - Valentino

[arthur_tafero · 6/10 · 18 August 2021]

This gaudy film by Ken Russell (is there any other kind of film from him?) is wildly uneven, admittedly soft-porn, and highly over-dramatized. But, in the end, the finished product produces a tragic figure of a man who was greatly understood in his time and in history. At least give Russell the benefit of the doubt for having the courage to bring Valentino's story to the big screen, even if there are the inevitable excesses attached with Russell's style. He chose not only one, but two completely inexperienced actors with Nureyev and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and Papas. That took a lot of moxie. And yer, somehow, Russell pulled it off. This is a film made for the 21st century; when the elements of the sexual situations that got this film rated X or at the very least R, would be considered relatively tame by today's standards. Nureyev does a commendable job, as do all of the actors. There will never be another pairing of Huntz Hall and Rudolph Nureyev. Worth viewing.

Clumsy look at screen legend Valentino

[rosscinema · 4/10 · 29 December 2003]

Ken Russell has always been a director that took his films into excesses with both style and subject matter but I found this so-called biography lacking any real substance. The story is of course about the rise and death of Rudolph Valentino (Rudolf Nureyev) and after his sudden and tragic death we see the woman in his life reflect in flashbacks about his life. Valentino was a tango dancer and a gigolo but he still had dreams of buying his own orange grove in California. A casting director spots him in a dance hall and convinces him to come for a screen test which he agrees to. He starts working in small roles until he catches the eye of famed actress Alla Nazimova (Leslie Caron) and her companion Natasha Rambova (Michelle Phillips). Soon Valentino becomes a screen sensation and he becomes involved romantically with Rambova but technically he is still married to his first wife. The two of them become a team and they want artistic control over his parts which is to the chagrin of the studio head Jesse Lasky (Huntz Hall).

Russell's films are always visually interesting and this effort is no different. There are many scenes that have brown and gray tones but suddenly a bright shade will be entered into the shot. Also, this film is suppose to be in the United States but is actually shot in England. Russell did a pretty good job recreating the look of 1920's America with his sets that were built specifically for this film. But let's face it, this is a very clumsy attempt at retelling the life of Valentino and while Nureyev was excellent showing us the tango, he looked like a fish out of water when it came to dialogue. One of the more irritating things about this film was that Russell told this story like it was a silent movie. The scenes and dialogue are overly dramatic and Nureyev uses lots of body movement to show what he is feeling. This also wouldn't be a Russell film without the gratuitous nudity and they're are a couple of lulu's here. Nureyev himself has one or two full frontal shots. I didn't complain too much about the historical inaccuracies but with the uninspired casting (Huntz Hall?) and the annoying style of this film with Nureyev's awkward performance its clearly an effort that goes nowhere.

A very good Ken Russell film

[preppy-3 · 9/10 · 14 November 2003]

A film that purports to tell the true story of Valentino (played by Rudolph Nureyev). It doesn't. It does bring up his alleged homosexuality (heck, it opens with him dancing with a man!) and the fact that his two wives were both lesbians. But, according to this, Valentino was seriously wounded in a boxing match that led to his death. There never was a boxing match. That's one of many inaccuracies in the film. Still, Ken Russell's films always play quick and loose with the facts so it didn't really bother me. This is one of his better films--but not one of his best.

It starts off with Valentino's funeral and, one by one, we meet the women in his life and (by flashback) we see his life and career. The two main ones are Alla Nazimova (Leslie Caron) and Natasha Rambova (Michelle Phillips). Nazimova's entrance into Valentino's is a REAL eye-popper (even by Russell standards) and really has to be seen to be believed. Unfortunately Caron is not that good in the part. She overplays way too much. She does fake a Russian accent--but it renders most of her dialogue unintelligible. Phillips is much better as Rambova. She doesn't try and fake an accent and gives a very easy-going, pleasing performance.

The sets are just beautiful--large, colorful (especially the funeral) and really opulent. Ditto the costumes--they're true to the period and just look great. The picture moves quickly and I was never bored. So why do I think it's only good and not great? One word--Nureyev.

He's terrible. He looks nothing like Valentino--Valentino was handsome, Nureyev isn't. Also Valentino was 31 when he died--Nureyev was 39 when he made this--and looks it. Valentino was a tall, muscular man. Nureyev is short and not muscular at all. However he IS nicely toned (from all that dancing) and he holds his own in a surprising nude scene (with a full frontal shot). Also he's Russian and he tries to imitate an Italian accent--it makes most of his dialogue incomprehensible (the dialogue scenes between him and Caron are bewildering--neither one can be understood!). Also Nureyev was known for his dancing, not acting. He really does try and occasionally pulls out a good moment or two but, ultimately, he's all wrong for the role. And there are way too many sequences of Nureyev dancing. His dancing is great...but Valentino was not really known for that.

I do recommend it but I really wonder what Russell was thinking when he cast Nureyev. A must for Russell fans.

A Waste of Film

[atlasmb · 2/10 · 23 June 2015]

With the possible exception of costuming, this film is horrible. Another example of director Russell laughing at the audiences who pay to watch his over-blown crap.

The acting is mostly overacting, no doubt encouraged by Russell, who presents a film of caricatures. Swarzenegger playing Hamlet would be nearly as good as Nureyev playing Valentino. He has a physical presence, but he cannot act. Michelle Phillips and the others fall prey to Russell's misguided exhortations to act as if they are on stage, aiming for the back balcony. Huntz Hall is mere stunt casting.

The script is abominable. The story bears no resemblance to the actual life of Valentino or reality, in general. The viewer should remember that Russell was a fan of Warhol and Fellini. It would be fair to call this one of his Campbell Soup Can films. This film is craftsmanship (adulterated by what must be a sick view of the world) masquerading as art.

No facts,just art

[AudemarsPiguet · 9/10 · 26 February 2005]

In the typical Ken Russell style,this film is definitely not an accurate,impartial,factual, Valentino biography,rather a very subjective and very artistic interpretation of how the director sees,feels,asserts Valentino's personality. Acting left me with mixed emotions-Rudolph(another famous,infamous,worshiped,controversial,fascinating,extravagant and much to soon dead Rudolph)Nurejew acts in a very uneven way,his part of Valentino being a strange combination of embarrassing flaws and very brilliant,highly artistic bits. At worst,Nurejew does not resemble Valentino's physical appearance(that's why the Franco Nero version,in spite of being artistically less accomplished,delivers a more credible Valentino,Franco Nero being a real Italian with real Italian accent),his accent is obviously Russian,some scenes are badly acted. On the other hand,Nurejew is credible as Valentino the dancer(the tango scene is superb,he dances even better than Pacino in the timeless scene from Scent of a Woman)and,being a homosexual,Valentino's supposed homosexuality(or homo-erotic tendencies),a much talked about but very uncertain supposition,is hinted without a clear yes or no through his acting. The story is told in a disrupted,Citizen Kane style:after Kane's death everyone who knew him tells his own story about how they knew the late;in this film,people gathered at Valentino's funeral recall several episodes from his life,each story representing a stage,a period in the meteoric rise from the penniless immigrant to the world's most famous and highest paid actor.But,like in Dorian Gray,the myth will eventually destroy its creator(in Velvet Goldmine,the luxurious rise and fall of a rock-star,will also remind of Oscar Wilde's timeless story). Everything in this movie is so roaring twenties:the elegant Rolls-Royces and other vintage cars,the lavish mansions(n.b. Falcon Lair wasn't even so opulent as depicted in the film,while the Garden of Allah,Nazimova's residence,is clearly a replica,because the real building was torn down in 1959),Valentino seems alive(and almost ready to burst into laughter)in his open coffin-even the way his body is displayed before the funeral looks chilling,theatrical and tastelessly glamorous:his very formal suit,his makeup,the flowers,the jewels,the fancy decorations,the marble hall,his opulently dressed and far too histrionic mourners(in a sharp contrast to that,the film closes showing the same dead body in an austere,bleak,utterly simple morgue,covered only by a blanket. The opening scene is impressive:the hysteric crowds bursting into the room where Valentino's body lies reminds-without going that far-of the unleashed masses in Day of the Locust-everyone seems to bitterly struggle to grab a piece of a holy relic. It is also interesting how the director puts into the film Valentino's poems or his famous boxing match,always at the verge between reality and legend;I particularly like the(most likely fictional) scene where a crowd of female admirers is loudly reciting Valentino's poem You in the garden of his villa-You is my favorite both among Valentino's poems and one of my favorite poems in general-,another highly poetic scene is when Natacha,his second wife is parallel seducing him and initiating him in the poetry of Omar Khayyam(actually,in spite of the quite revealing nude scenes together that show quite a lot of flesh,not only Nurejew was homosexual,but also he couldn't stand on-screen partner Michelle Phillips,the feeling being mutual,on the other hand the chemistry between the two of them and the magic of the flawless scenes together indicate how well this film is done to create such perfect illusion). In fact,you are left guessing,if-to quote Fitzgerald(another '20 legend,with meteoric&controversial rise&fall)he for real or just a character from his novels-everything isn't just an endless charade around masculine and feminine(in the jazz age both sexuality and fashion were ambiguous,androgynous,excessive,libertine,eccentric),around art and dazzling imagery. Undoutebly highly artistic(more than an inventory of luxurious settings without deeper meanings),not completely flawless yet all in all above average,this film is highly recommendable to every roaring twenties' nostalgic.

Last tango in L.A.

[jotix100 · 5/10 · 25 February 2005]

Ken Russell, the distinguished English director, gives us his own take on the legend of Rudolph Valentino, the legendary silent star. This biopic that Mr. Russell has written with Mardick Martin, doesn't deliver the promise of showing the man behind the fame. In a way, this is probably the interpretation of the writers, based on well known facts, no doubt. However, the film that one sees has an amateurish look, that has a lot to do with the casting of the title character: Rudolf Nureyev.

Mr. Nureyev was an accomplished dancer. As an actor, either his style is not what one expected, or Mr. Russell's direction to the star was completely wrong. The end result is a picture much too long, but with the usual Ken Russell palette of rich colors and lush scenery. The traditional excesses of the director are present in the film, and while we don't care for this man the way he is presented, one can see Mr. Russell's exuberance all over the film. One can't help to wonder what picture would have been made with another actor in the title role.

The film offers brilliant moments where Ken Russell shines, but the end result is uninteresting. At the end, Valentino, the man, remains an enigma.

I just recently bought this movie and can't stop watching it

[mercury4 · 7 September 2002]

From start I knew this would be a great movie. I was very pleased with how the beginning was done. You're able to see newspaper articles telling you how Valentino died. Then you see real footage of people causing a riot as they try to break into where Valentino's body is. The footage is in black and white and then it turns to color. That was very well done too. How they were able to reenact the real footage. The song they also play in the beginning was a great song.

I thought the acting in this movie would be terrible, especially by Rudolf Nureyev. He turned out to be a very good actor in the movie. He was also very good in the dance scenes. I never found anything in this movie to displease me. However, there was one scene with Valentino and an actress from one of his movies he is working on that I thought was unnecessary. The scene comes right after one of the light technicians drops a pink powder puff on him. He has to sleep with the actress to prove he isn't a pink powder puff. Then later in the movie came a boxing scene were Rudolph Valentino wanted to prove his manhood. That was a very good scene. I think the point were I really started to like the movie was when Valentino was riding home with his dog. Who better then to do a biopic on Rudolph Valentino? This is a great movie with great acting, writing and direction.

See this great movie about an icon.

Valentino 1977

[isdavid1014 · 1/10 · 4 January 2010]

The movie is utter trash! The actors and actresses seem to put more trash on poor Rudy. The movie was not really true to life. I've researched and read many a biography and Valentino was NOT the way the director portrayed him to be, other than a great dancer and an excellent actor. I loved Nureyev; nothing personal against any of the actors and actresses; it's just that the story is so over inflated with a bunch of false accusations.

Natasha Rambova never even appeared at his memorial. Rudy was not homosexual, and was not a gigolo. He was a dancer and danced with women prior to getting into movies, yes, that is true, but he wasn't the "clown" the way the movie puts him out to be in the movie.

It stinks.

Another No.1 Box Office Hit for Ken Russell

[paulellissutton · 8/10 · 28 December 2006]

This film topped the British box-office for two weeks and in doing so made Ken Russell the most successful filmmaker in Britain in the 1970s. It was his fifth No.1 hit in that decade. Guy Hamilton had four No.1s (Bond films), Sam Peckinpah had three No.1s; no one else had more than two. Ken Russell also spent longer at Number one than Spielberg, whose two No.1 hits, Jaws and Close Encounters, failed to match the record set by The Music Lovers (1 week at No. 1); Devils (Eight Weeks at No.1); Tommy (14 weeks); Lisztomania (2 weeks) and this. Valentino is not one of Russell's masterpieces, but there are mightily glorious things to see here.

Art Out of Control

[B24 · 5/10 · 2 January 2004]

Here is an example of production values so vastly above the content of the script or the acting that it simply boggles the mind. Even the lush score is full of howlers, like using Ferde Grofe's sunset movement from the "Grand Canyon Suite" as background for love scenes. And anyone who remembers Huntz Hall from his slapstick days can't possibly believe him as a serious movie mogul. The casting of Nureyev as Valentino is ludicrous. The only things they had in common other than being able to dance splendidly were the same first name and having died young after a life of excess.

But it is the truly awful script that really does this one in. One clinker after another, delivered in Russian-accented English often accompanied by exaggerated Italian-sounding intonations. Grotesque. Believability at zero.

Indeed, one viewer hit this one on the shining nose when he suggested it might best be viewed with the sound off. Sort of art imitating art. What a shame the truly beautiful visuals of this film were so mistreated by the words.