Cobra (1925) User Reviews

Valentino compels in an otherwise disappointing film

[pocca · 6/10 · 1 October 2005]

In "Cobra," Rudolph Valentino once again plays a lady killer, but one who is miles away from the nostril flaring bodice ripper of "The Sheik." Rodrigo Torriani, a suave Italian nobleman dressed in the latest fashions, is a far cooler sort of Casanova, one who seems more amused than stimulated by his seductions. Valentino, although often accused of overacting, modulates his delivery to suit this more detached character and for the most part plays Rodrigo is a subtle, understated manner. The film openly very strongly, with Rodrigo deftly outmaneuvering the enraged father of his latest conquest and an entertaining flashback to Rodrigo's womanizing Renaissance fore-bearer, also played by Valentino (even though the film is set in modern times, it looks like the screenwriters couldn't resist putting Valentino in a costume). The title refers to the femme fatale lead, but Rodrigo is the true cobra of this film.

Unfortunately, the film falters once Rodrigo is convinced by a rich American tourist, Jack Dorning, to come work for him as an antique dealer. Aside from an amusing bit in which a screeching floozy tries to blackmail Rodrigo, most of the middle part of the film is taken up with a meant to be torrid, but unconvincing affair between Rodrigo and Elise Van Zile, played by Nita Naldi. Valentino's scenes with Naldi in "Blood and Sand" had real heat, but Naldi seems a tad matronly here, and even more seriously there is not enough interaction between Rodrigo and Elise to convince us that they find each other irresistible. When Rodrigo meets Elise for the first time (who seems more shy than seductive), he almost immediately passes her off to Jack even though he is supposedly smitten with her (as suggested by an unintentionally funny bit in an which an Art Nouveau knickknack portraying a snake suddenly morphs into Elise). The next thing we know, Jack and Elise are a married couple. However, we are meant to believe that all along there has been a smoldering attraction between Rodrigo and Elise, until finally Elise cannot stand it any longer and pleads with him to make love to her. Because we really haven't been prepared for this moment Elise simply comes across as a stalker for much of this scene.

Another problem (perhaps more so for modern audiences) is Rodrigo's noble sacrifice of yet another woman to his good pal Jack, in this case his pretty but bland secretary, out of guilt for his supposed role in the death of Elise. This well meaning gesture, typical of silent films, doesn't bear much scrutiny. It doesn't take the woman's feelings into consideration at all (she loves Rodrigo, not Jack) and is at heart condescending--is Jack so incapable of finding his own women? Plus, one might cynically ask, hasn't Rodrigo learned from recent experience that such forced, one-sided relationships tend to end badly? Valentino does do a good job emoting the pain his sacrifice is causing him, though.

A good role for Valentino, but otherwise a disappointing movie.

Naldi rescues the movie!

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 26 January 2018]

For big stars, of course, you can't go any higher than Rudolph Valentino. I've already detailed The Eagle (1925) earlier in this resource. Alpha have now issued an excellent value DVD of this title - a very good print with a fine music score by Don Kinnier.

Also scored by Kinnier and also recommended for print quality is Alpha's edition of Valentino's Cobra (1925).

This one co-stars the ravishing Nita Naldi (exquisitely costumed by Adrian) and the rather dull Gertrude Olmstead and even less personable Casson Ferguson. And to add to a viewer's woes, it's listlessly directed by Joseph Henabery, an exponent of the steady-as-she-goes, don't-do-anything-exciting school of film-making. Naturally, with Henabery at the wheel, the big action scene occurs off-camera. And speaking of the camera, I don't think it moves once during the entire movie. Whereas Clarence Brown sets out to dazzle the audience in "The Eagle", Henabery's evident aim is to send us to sleep. If it were not for Nita Naldi, he would have succeeded.

True, Rudy's charisma manages to surmount the director's super-slow pacing until Naldi rescues the movie. But once she exits, our interest dies.

I am the sex-obsessed man, and you're the cure. (oops wrong movie!)

[Spuzzlightyear · 7/10 · 18 September 2004]

I had some doubts when I first watching "Cobra" as I seem to recall long ago, a negative reaction to watching one of Valentino's movies. But hey, guess what, despite some odd things, I actually liked it!

Valentino plays Rodrigo, a sex obsessed man who's actually had it up to HERE with women coming on to him all the time (and vice versa!) he meets up with a antiques dealer from the US who persuades to come work for him. Believe me, I could actually predict what was going to happen a mile away.

Anyways, Valentino plunges into his work, ignoring every woman that comes his way. When his antiques partner marries a woman that was trying to woo Valentino, (which is surpising in itself, as it looked for a while that he was appearing to be an "unwritten gay character" the woman keeps trying, even trying to woo Valentino up to a hotel room. From this point, things take a laughably unpredictable turn (you don't see it coming) which leads us to the sad ending. Awww.

The acting here is good for the period, but tends to rely on, as it always does with silent dramas, with too many people looking glum, and looking off to the side. (you know what I mean). Valentino is quite good in this actually. Worth a look.

Unremarkable melodrama

[MissSimonetta · 7/10 · 19 July 2014]

While Valentino is good and the parts where he satirizes his public image as a great lover are priceless, it isn't hard to see why Cobra (1925) flopped at the box office when it was first released. The story is creaky (even by 1925 standards) and the one-dimensional characters are not interesting. As a result, you find yourself uninvolved in all of their troubles and heartache. The production is stage-bound. The direction is unimaginative. Sometimes the film feels like a product of the mid-1910s rather than one made at the height of the Roaring Twenties.

Only Valentino or Nita Naldi completion-ists will be interested in this mediocre film.

A Sainted Devil

[lugonian · 11 September 2011]

COBRA (Paramount, 1925), a Ritz-Carlton presentation directed by Joseph Henabery, offers an odd or misleading title to a love triangle starring the legendary Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926) in one of his final screen performances. With its opening credits super imposed over that of a cobra, one would expect this product to be set somewhere in Burma where hunters fall victim to a dangerous and largest of all venomous snakes. The cobra in this case is a symbol, categorized later in the story to be one of the female characters depicted through a close up of a bronze sculptured cobra mesmerizing a tiger. Nita Naldi assumes the role of the temptress symbolizing the cobra while Valentino, the tiger, becoming its prey, and reciting these words, "You are infamous - you are poisonous, like a cobra!"

"There are times when friendship becomes the most important thing in a man's life, stronger than love, equal to any sacrifice -- even that of love itself," marks the first inter-title as the plot begins amusingly on the terrace of Cafe Del Mare as Victor Manardi (Hector V. Sarno) arrives looking for Rodrigo Torriani (Rudolph Valentino), a young Italian count who's been romancing his daughter, Rosa (Claire De Lorenz). Wanting to settle an account with him, he mistakes the visiting American, John "Jack" Dorning (Casson Ferguson), for the count. The disruption has Rodrigo entering the scene posing as an Italian interpreter, proving Dorning to be whom he is and not Torriani. Torriani then takes Jack with him to his debt-ridden palace where he tells of his life story and family history. Because his playboy lifestyle finds him with female complications, Jack helps him to forget women by inviting him to sail with him to New York where he's to become his partner at his antique shop, Dorning & Sonm which he readily accepts. Believing New York a great place to avoid female troubles, Rodrigo soon encounters Mrs. Huntington Palmer (Lillian Leighton), a dowager, who introduces him to her niece, Elise Van Zile (Nita Naldi), a fortune hunter. Learning Rodrigo to be penniless, Elise soon turns her affections towards Jack. Though Jack is loved by Mary Drake (Gertrude Olmstead), his loyal secretary, he marries the flirtatious vamp who, in turn, uses Rodrigo as her lover on the side. Arranging a secret rendezvous at the Van Cleve Hotel, Room 1002, Rodrigo, due to his loyalty towards Jack, rejects Elise's advances and leaves. The next day Rodrigo reads in the newspaper the startling news of the hotel burning down, claiming Elise and an unidentified man as victims. Guilt-stricken, Rodrigo is torn between telling Jack the truth about his unfaithful wife or keeping her illicit affairs a secret.

Seldom revived Valentino melodrama, COBRA has turned up on cable television's Nostalgia Channel as part of its Saturday night line-up of "When Silents Were Golden." In its March 19, 1994, broadcast, COBRA consisted of a print with piano sound score composed by Bob Mizzell (Copyright 1979 by Big Eopper Music/Mizzell Films). While it was commendable for Nostalgia Television's dedication to rare and hard to find feature films from the silent screen era, the series was regrettably handicapped by frequent and long-winded commercial breaks. Other video or DVD distributors as Kino Video and/Or Grapevine Video featured different scoring and time frames (70 to 75 minutes) while Image Home Entertainment contains average orchestral score by David Shepard (1998).

Not quite an important film in a sense of greatness, COBRA still owes some of its modest degree to the short-lived leading man status of Rudolph Valentino. Nita Naldi might be another reason for her title-influenced characterization. Naldi, who vamped Valentino most famously in BLOOD AND SAND (Paramount, 1922), does the same here, but not so memorably this time around. Her career as a silent screen vamp would soon come to a close before the end the decade. Cemented into his image as a great lover, COBRA offers Valentino one of his few chances to enact a portrayal true to his Italian origin as well as appearing in a product in contemporary setting as opposed to others taken from another time or place. Often categorized as a disappointing Valentino melodrama, it somehow works on a level of choice, whether accepting COBRA for what it is or simply laugh at its outdated acting style and material. Casson Ferguson (1891-1929), a name nobody knows, who, like Valentino, succumbed too early in life, dying from pneumonia four years after the release of COBRA. Ferguson's role of an American business owner who hires the Italian count to be the expert on Italian antiques is acceptable but forgettable in its final result. Gertrude Olmstead (1987-1975) gives an commendable performance as the secretary who comes to a decision which man she truly wants. Also featured in the cast are Eileen Percy (Sophie Binner, the blackmailer, "Believe it or not, she's a lady"); Henry Barrows (Henry Madison, Manager of Dorning & Son); and Rosa Rosanova playing Marie.

While the COBRA title had been used a couple of times subsequently, the basis from this story were never remade, not even as the 1986 action thriller starring Sylvester Stallone. For this 1925 edition, no cobras here, just fine actors doing what they do best, rising above an average story scripted by Anthony Coldeway, adapted from the Martin Brown play, some venom by Nita Naldi, the presence of Rudolph Valentino and the films for which he appeared that have survived through the passage of time. (**)

Saddled with surplus, but reasonably entertaining

[I_Ailurophile · 6/10 · 24 August 2021]

As is true with silent films generally, there's a strong attention to visual presentation in 'Cobra.' Filming locations, set decoration, and costume design are fetching. For lack of sound and verbal dialogue, actors employ exaggerated facial expression and body language to convey emotion and communication, and to carry the film generally. I don't find the performances here especially remarkable, yet the cast ably realizes their parts with gratifying nuance. This particularly goes for stars Rudolph Valentino and Nita Naldi, both bearing just enough force of personality to liven the feature.

That small extra measure of vigor seems necessary. The narrative as it is written feels whole, yet in a feature of only 70 minutes, there's a fair deal of largely superfluous exposition in the first 20 minutes. Otherwise, too, 'Cobra' takes a while to go anywhere. Elements are introduced into the story to illustrate the character of the primary roles, yet these scenes almost distract from the plot more than add to it. What we get is a core dressed up with unneeded excess, and as a result the film as a whole feels underwhelming.

'Cobra' is hardly outright bad; I don't dislike it. But Anthony Coldeway's screenplay would have benefitted from more attention to the chief characters and the dynamics between them. This would also have bolstered the presence of Valentino and Naldi. Beyond that, it's worth pointing out the stereotypical disparity between how characters coded as male and female are treated when both demonstrate like patterns of behavior. Somehow the tale always ends more favorably for one than the other, and only one guess is needed as to which.

For all its imperfections, this is enjoyable. Still, in both Valentino's list of credits specifically, and throughout the era of silent films generally, other pictures were made that were definitely more solid and consistent. There's sufficient merit to 'Cobra' that it's a worthy view if you come across it, just keeping in mind that it's not the cream of the crop.

Italian lothario makes some life changes and gives up his love for his good friend

[cgvsluis · 7/10 · 15 March 2022]

"There are times when friendship is the most important thing in a man's life. Even more important than love."

This is the story of a poor but charismatic Italian count, Rodrigo Torriani.

"In scrapes or out of them there was something great about Count Torriani."

Rod was continually getting into scrapes with women and creditors.

"The sweetness of your first kisses...Rose, I adore you!"

"I try to behave, but it doesn't run in the family. It started with him-women and trouble, trouble and women."-Count Rodrigo "Rod" Torriani

He runs into a young American antique dealer who he befriends and who invites him home with him to New York. In New York things continue to go the same way only now he has a friend to help get him out of scrapes. His friend is a bit old fashioned and Rod helps set him up with a girl not knowing the girl would continue to see other men and be unfaithful to his friend until she tries to pick Rod up again.

"Elise has been flirting with that indoor sheik all evening and believe it or not, she's a lady!"

"Women fascinate me as the cobra does the victim."-Rod.

Rod turns a new leaf and starts dedicating himself to work when he notices the office secretary who he slowly falls in love with but then steps aside for his friend. Giving up his love for his friend's happiness.

This was a sad ending, but a great show case for Valentino. The costumes were spectacular! The Art Deco sets were great and this was a worthwhile film to watch. I recommend it!

Interesting But Excessively Slow Valentio Film

[gftbiloxi · 5/10 · 19 April 2008]

The 1925 COBRA was among Valentino's last films--and it tends to divide the star's fans, who either rejoice at his appearance in a realistic drama or yearn for something that rivals his earlier, often outrageous seductive melodramas.

The story concerns Count Rodrigo Torriani (Valentino), an impoverished Italian nobleman with a penchant for torrid affairs that lead to endless and often monetary difficulties. Largely in order to escape such difficulties, Rodrigo agrees to work for American antiques dealer Jack Dorning (Casson Ferguson)--only to find himself little better off in New York, where he wavers between office secretary Mary Drake (Gertrude Olmstead) and Jack's femme fatale wife Elise (Nita Naldi.) In a stylistic sense, COBRA shows what Valentino could do as an actor when he was not encumbered by the usual "great seducer" scripts pressed upon him--and he acquits himself very well. The supporting cast, most particularly Naldi, is also excellent. But there is no two ways about it: COBRA is so low-key that it feels excessively slow as it moves toward its none-too-surprising conclusion.

The film itself is beautiful to the eye. Valentino is very close to the height of his physical appeal and Naldi is stunningly beautiful in a series of Adrian-designed gowns; the art direction by William Cameron Menzies is excellent, and the cinematography by Fischbeck and Jennings has a velvety quality that is quite fine. Even so, and with a running time of just over an hour, COBRA feels excessively languid in tone. The DVD offers a handsome transfer and good music score, but little else. Recommended--but primarily for hardcore Valentino fans.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

More than just a playboy role for Valentino.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 16 March 2010]

In the early-mid 1920s, the name Valentino became synonymous with sex appeal and desire. Women adored him and in some of his films (especially "The Sheik") he became the sex symbol of all sex symbols. However, here in "Cobra", he plays a sexy man with a bit more depth...and the result is quite satisfying.

The film begins with the young Count (Valentino) creating a bit of a mess of his life due to his playboy ways. Eventually, he's womanized so often that he's ready to leave his native Italy to make a new start. This occurs when he meets an American businessman who wants to hire the Count for his high-class antiques business.

Once in America, he tries to mend his ways--but finds himself gravitating back to the old lifestyle. Now he once again swears off women--as he desperately wants more depth to his rather pathetic life. Eventually, through sublimating his sex drive in his job (Tiger...take notice), he's able to gain his and others' respect.

Unfortunately, there are complications. First, his best friend and partner's wife begins to make the moves on him! Second, he finds himself falling for his secretary---but he's not sure what to do. She's nice and he doesn't want to mess things up by changing their relationship. How all this works out is NOT predictable and this is why I liked the film. It has a lot more depth than his rather silly Sheik character and shows more depth in his characterization than you might expect--and it's certainly worth seeing for this reason as well as exceptional production values.

The Penultimate Valentino

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 20 May 2011]

In Italy, handsome nobleman Rudolph Valentino (as Rodrigo "Rod" Torriani) has difficulty managing creditors and lovesick female admirers. While avoiding a creditor and daughter, Mr. Valentino comes to the assistance of wrongly accused American antique dealer Casson Ferguson (as Jack Dorning), who has been mistaken for Valentino. The men become fast friends, and Mr. Ferguson brings Valentino to live and work with him in America. Valentino wants to curb his promiscuity, and Ferguson promises to help...

In New York, most women find Valentino irresistible. He is immediately attracted to Ferguson's secretary Gertrude Olmstead (as Mary Drake), though she is secretly in love with her boss. Valentino is startled to discover New York City is full of desirable and available women. He soon returns to his promiscuous ways. Out on the town, Valentino meets alluring gold-digger Nita Naldi (as Elise Van Zile). She pursues Ferguson for money and Valentino for sex. A hotel room is the meeting place for Naldi and several men. This threatens the friendship between Valentino and Ferguson. It may also mean tragedy...

"Cobra" (referring to the predatory characters played by both Valentino and Ms. Naldi) was another production which increased the control Valentino had over his films. At the time, many considered it a disappointment, thinking the star and companion Natacha Rambova had lost touch. The story centered around men's friendship instead of passionate romance, and Valentino kept his clothes on. But, it was nicely produced, Naldi added her usual spark, and Valentino got his desired chance to emote during the closing minutes.

This film was produced instead of "The Hooded Falcon", and completed before "The Eagle" (1925).

***** Cobra (11/30/25) Joseph Henabery ~ Rudolph Valentino, Casson Ferguson, Gertrude Olmstead, Nita Naldi

Compelling Valentino Performance

[sunlily · 9/10 · 16 July 2006]

It's amazing to me that this compelling Valentino drama didn't do better when it was released! Maybe the audiences of the time wouldn't accept him as anything but the sizzling sheik, but this is an entertaining melodrama. The good news is that since it wasn't shown much, it leaves us with a pristine print. It's a good story with fine acting all around, particularly from Rudolph and Nita Naldi, one of the silent screens most scintillating vamps.

Rudy plays Count Rodrigo Torriani, a charming Itallian ladies man who's always in hot water with the ladies. There are some fine comedic moments at the beginning of the movie when the Count is trying to get himself out of one of these unfortunate situations where his Latin gestures say more than words ever could! During the course of this incident, he meets Jack Dorning,an Ameican antiques dealer who persuades him to come to America and work with him. Upon arrival, the Count falls for Dorning's pretty assistant Mary Drake,played by Gertrude Olmstead, who embodies all the feminine virtues that the Count has secretly been looking for.

The plot thickens as the Count gets himself into more trouble in America by attracting the attention of spoiled society girl Elise, played with aplomb by Nita Naldi. Although she later marries his boss, Jack Dorning, she continues to pursue him with all the wiles at her disposal. There is a sizzling seduction scene where Miss Naldi is dressed in a sexy gown created especially for the movie. The music during this scene conveys the intensity of the moment, and adds to the imagery of woman as cobra, ready to squeeze the life out of an unsuspecting victim.

The movie is slow moving to start, and the ending may seem banal to current audiences, but see this one for an unusual Valentino performance, the lavish production values,and an absolutely beautiful print!

Titled sex addict

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 20 March 2017]

If this rather melodramatic piece were redone today you might get a psychological explanation for Rudolph Valentino's behavior. Quite simply put Rudy is a sex addict, title and all.

Cobra has Valentino cast as a man with a title going back many generations, but he's cash poor and he has a compulsion to bed every woman he meets. You can imagine that such behavior has left him with few friends. But he gets a lifeline from America in the form of vacationing millionaire Casson Ferguson offering him a job in New York City where he's got a certain expertise in antiques and that's Ferguson's business.

It doesn't take long for Rudy to start returning to his old ways. It means tragedy for one woman he's involved with. In the end he does an honorable thing.

The Cobra did not do all that well as the movie going public liked to see Valentino in costume dramas. There is a small flashback sequence where you see him as one of his ancestors. Maybe had the whole film been set in the 15th century it might have worked better.

As it is The Cobra is second tier Valentino.

More Enjoyable Than It Has Any Right to Be

[ducdebrabant · 8/10 · 22 May 2006]

Rudy is very good, especially in the comedic parts. The story isn't much, and it would have helped if either of his leading ladies had been Vilma Banky (the less said about the desiccated-looking Gertrude Olmstead the better). But Nita Naldi's appeal is at least more apparent here than in "Blood and Sand," and her clothes, by Adrian, do a lot for her. What's more, though she's a bad girl, she's a believable one. The film should be seen for Rudy's charm, for William Cameron Menzies' very, very effective production design, and for the fact that the DVD is made from an absolutely gorgeous, velvety, pristine, 35 mm print. It looks better than any other DVD I'm aware of with Valentino. A hotel fire, which we learn about from a newspaper, should have been portrayed. It's really an obligatory scene, and the movie is rather naked without it. It might have put the picture in the hit category, had it been done well.