Valentino (1951) User Reviews

Not the Real Rudy!!!

[kidboots · 7/10 · 19 December 2012]

I can remember my mother talking about this movie - how much Anthony Dexter looked like the real Valentino. She said it was a big selling point with the movie, how he had been plucked from obscurity etc, and mum had been old enough to be a fan when the real Rudy was dazzling movie goers in "Son of the Sheik". Made to co-incide with the 25th anniversary of Valentino's death but, like the same vintage "The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing" (which took a sanitized look at the Nesbit/White/Thaw murder scandal), I think also it was a combination of too many chief players being alive and well in the early 50s (hence all the name changes) plus fans not wanting the memory of their idols besmirched, that had producers opting for a safe "by the numbers" retelling of the Valentino legend. I was surprised to see Lewis Allen as the director, he is more noted for ghostly noirs such as "The Uninvited" and "The Unseen".

It starts fictitiously enough, Rudy is part of a dance group coming to America "at the dawn of the roaring 20s" (in reality it was 1913 and he had been a poor immigrant drifting from job to job but his love of dance saw him after many years replacing Clifton Webb on tour). Rudy also picks up pocket money moonlighting as a gigolo on the boat (yet another myth) but when he is hauled over the coals for it by his fiery dance partner (Dona Drake in a thankless part) he quits to go it alone in New York. After losing a dishwashing job, he and his buddy (you've just got to see Joseph Calliea as his good buddy) get a job in a very high class restaurant and Rudy is soon back to his "romancing" ways - teaching older women to tango!!! When he is reacquainted with Joan Carlisle (Eleanor Parker), a New York based film actress, her director Powers (Richard Carlson) sees a lot of star potential in his smouldering looks and manner (I suspect Carlisle and Powers were based on Alice Terry and Rex Ingram).

He gets his start but decides to plunge in at the deep end by going to Hollywood where he fights tooth and nail to secure the part of Julio in "The Four Horsemen of the Apocaylpse", including an impromptu tango to the delight of the producer - whatever happened to his break through part in Clara Kimball Young's "Eyes of Youth"? Everything is completely out of sequence - script after script is shown in a montage, "The Young Rajah", "Monsieur Beaucaire", "The Eagle" and then he is given the role of "The Sheik"!!! "The Sheik" was made in 1921 where as "The Eagle" was one of the last films released before his death!!! No mention was made of "Son of the Sheik" probably his greatest success and the film responsible for the hysteria and adulation caused by his death!!

The producer (Otto Kruger) has the brilliant idea to star Rudy with Joan - two big stars in one picture (Agnes Ayres was the original female star). But by now Joan has married Powers and Rudy is determined not to make another movie with her - "I make it a point not to star with an actress more than once" (that would have been news to both Vilma Banky and Alice Terry).

Eleanor Parker looked her usual beautiful self but the blonde wig made her look older than she was. This movie made Valentino's life look pretty boring but the real Rudy had a lot going on in his life at that time - he married Jean Acker who soon flew back to her lesbian lover, he then married the domineering Natasha Rambova and got caught up in her determination to present him as a classy and artistic actor. After bombing at the box office he spent years in a professional wilderness and it was "Son of the Sheik" that put him back at the top, unfortunately too late. Which shows that the real Rudy was a genuinely nice guy but easily manipulated not the shallow, selfish person portrayed in this rather soulless movie.

Beautiful Patricia Medina played Lila Reyes (could it have been a play on the name Lila Lee, his co-star from "Blood and Sand"), a good friend who always has a shoulder for Rudy to cry on. Could she have been the mysterious "Lady in Black"??? The end of the movie poses this question. Valentino has a stronger than ever fan base today and a film could be made telling the real truth about his life and still be a box office success.

Anthony Dexter is fictionalized Valentino in typical Hollywood bio...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 9 October 2007]

ANTHONY DEXTER, thanks to make-up artists and costuming, makes a believable stand-in as Rudolf Valentino, the silent screen's biggest male heartthrob, but creative license had to be taken with the screenplay because many of the participants in Valentino's life threatened to sue. The result is a rather lifeless bio smacking of Hollywood artifice.

This standard treatment of the Valentino story is interesting mainly because it gives a pretty accurate look at a period during the 1920s when silent films were the rage. It also provides some nice eye candy in the form of ELEANOR PARKER and PATRICIA MEDINA, both easy on the eyes and capable enough actresses to bring some life to a rather dull screenplay.

All of it has been photographed in luscious Technicolor under Lewis Allen's direction. He gets the most out of the dance sequences and it's here that Dexter's Valentino really comes to life. Otherwise, it's a pretty one-note performance throughout. Director Allen lets DONA DRAKE do her usual job of strenuously over-acting the role of a hot blooded Spanish dancer who is too aware of Valentino's roving eye. There are times when Dexter's Valentino resembles George Raft rather than the silent superstar.

RICHARD CARLSON and OTTO KRUGER do nicely as director and producer, and other parts are well played. I have no idea how much of the script is strictly fiction but it seems to capture the essence of the Valentino story, showing his early reputation as a gigolo and his eventual climb to stardom through a series of well mounted adventure romances.

Eleanor Parker gives the story class with her performance as Joan Carlisle, a co-star Valentino is continually getting a brush-off from, and eventually marrying Richard Carlson's character. The on again/off again romantic relationship between Parker and Dexter is at the heart of the story. How much of it is strictly fiction, I don't know.

His illness and subsequent death comprise the last scenes, but the dramatics involving disclosure of his affair with Carlisle seems like a creation of the scriptwriter. The mysterious lady in black who brings a rose to his gravesite every year is mentioned and gives a touch of mystery to those final scenes.

Nice attempt at a bio, but it's an uneven, surface profile of the star and never gets one deeply involved in his story.

Biography, loosely based on the life of Rudolph Valentino.

[AliciaM1104 · 6/10 · 1 May 2002]

First, let me say that I had a very hard time finding a copy of this movie. I found the cast very good and Anthony Dexter as Valentino gives a sensitive and respectful performance portraying the much loved silent screen star. Eleanor Parker is lovely as Valentino's true love, and Patricia Medina is beautiful in a supporting role. Richard Carlson is also very effective in his role as the director in love with the star, (Eleanor Parker). For me, the highlight of the movie is the dancing, which is beautifully interpreted. Although loosely based on the life of Rudolph Valentino, I still found the movie entertaining and would recommend it to any Valentino fan or anyone who loves a good romantic movie.

Mostly fictional, but well worth one's time

[vironpride · 28 July 2003]

I have only seen this film on the late show, and that many years ago, when there was still a late show! In common with some of the other posters, I should so much like to see "Valentino" again, and wonder why it has not been put on tape. I'd buy it in a heartbeat! Having been a fervent fan of Valentino since I was 13 years old, I have no illusions about this film. It is largely fictitious, but that really doesn't matter. It has the feeling of its time, and Anthony Dexter looks so much like Valentino it is almost scary. It is amazing how much of this film I remember, even though it has been so long since I last saw it. The tango sequence is unforgettable, and worth watching the whole film for that alone. My next favorite scene is that between RV and "Lila." She is just finishing her lunch, and she offers Rudi her dessert. "You take the cake," she says. "I'm pounds overweight!" (She exaggerates.) Amused, he gives her a long, lingering gaze and says, "Where?" Somewhat uncomfortable, she replies, "Oh--places!" He says, "It doesn't show!" She replies, thoroughly under the influence of Valentino's famous "bedroom gaze," "Keep looking at me like that and it'll MELT off!" A must-see for Valentino fans, fictitious or not!

Valentino Authentic, the rest drivel

[daquinofamily · 6/10 · 10 October 2007]

I loved Anthony Dexter's portrayal of Valentino, he especially looked like him and that's why he was chosen over 400 other auditioners for the part. But, the story wasn't told even close to what his real life was about. Also, in real life, he spoke with a Franco/Italian accent as he was fluent in both French and Italian languages, this was not portrayed in the film. He died in a delirium speaking French, which also was not dramatized in the film. I guess they thought since no one had ever heard Valentino speak in a film since he was never in a "talkie", they felt they could get away with it. Also, the costumes for the ladies, they should have taken a page out of "Singing In the Rain" although that didn't come out until 1952. They didn't use any 1920's fashions! Maybe a couple of hats. What a waste! Eleanor Parker's wardrobe was decidedly 40's/50's which for me ruined the aura of the film. Don't forget Valentino was the King of the 1920's film age which was decadent to say the least. Other than that, the film was entertaining.

"Cinematic cotton candy"

[MissSimonetta · 6/10 · 19 August 2013]

When this was aired on TCM a few months back, Robert Osbourne described this 1951 biopic as "cinematic cotton candy": it has almost nothing to do with the life of silent screen idol Rudolph Valentino, but on its own merits it's a pleasant melodrama. Anthony Dexter does strongly resemble the original Latin Lover, but he does not deliver on the actor's sex appeal or dominating presence. The great Eleanor Parker gives the best performance as his love interest, the fictional starlet Joan Carlisle. They have decent chemistry, and their relationship is very much a love-hate and will they-won't they affair, with Rudy constantly trying to seduce Joan. Fluff, but good fluff if the inaccuracies don't infuriate you too much.

A Star is Boring

[wes-connors · 4/10 · 14 October 2007]

At the dawn of the "Roaring Twenties", Anthony Dexter (as Rudolph "Rudy" Valentino) sails to American from Italy. Also making the trip is Eleanor Parker (as Joan Leslie), who is quite taken with the Italian dancer. Sparks fly, and they fall in love -- but, each has a secret: Mr. Dexter works for main squeeze Dona Drake (as Maria Torres); and, Ms. Parker, a silent film actress, is traveling incognito. When she discovers the Dexter-Parker romance, Ms. Torres fires Dexter; penniless, he gets a series of odd jobs in New York. Film director Richard Carlson (as William "Bill" King) discovers Dexter doing a "Valentino"-type tango in a dance club, naturally. Parker has re-entered the picture, but as director Carlson's main squeeze; still, sparks fly. Dexter becomes silent film idol "Rudolph Valentino".

Dexter makes an impression; but, in hindsight, this film might have limited his potential. He resembles Valentino in some camera angles. Parker is pretty; she had a very distinguished career as a 1950s actress. Carlson moved on to a distinguished TV career. This "Valentino" story is mainly the "love triangle" formed by Dexter, Parker, and Carlson. The "love triangles" formed in Valentino's real life would have made a much more interesting movie!

**** Valentino (1951) Lewis Allen ~ Anthony Dexter, Eleanor Parker, Richard Carlson

Glamorized and inaccurate Rudolph Valentino Bio and Dexter shines than never!!

[elo-equipamentos · 6/10 · 29 June 2023]

In my reappraisal process of my first movies like Valentino watched in my childhood whom never had another change to see it again afterwards, over the alleged bio of first Latin lover in cinema that after his sudden death becomes a legend, reading his official biography that didn't match with movie, thus totally inaccurate about main facts as the picture suggested.

Valentino (Anthony Dexter) travels heading to America from Naples as dancer of a troupe that intents to make a American tour, his explosive temper on the ship he breaks up his early agreement with his opposite girl dancer, on the long travel he meets the mysterious woman Joan Carlisle (Eleanor Parker) arriving at New York already unemployed, sleeping at Central Park as homeless, soon Valentino finds a work as dishwater and after as gigolo dancer, randomly he stumbles with Joan again escorted with a famous Hollywood director Bill King (Richard Carlson) who envisages him as a perfect look for a small role at his movie, aftermaths Valentine try hard, nonetheless didn't have great occasions to display his natural skills as true star, always knocking at wrong doors.

Then out the blue the producer Mark Towers are casting to his upcoming picture The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse looking for Julio's seamless character, turns out that Bill King already tried offered to Mark Towers Valentino, however the Boss tuns down due would rather a famous name to the role, in stroke of genius Valentino enters in his birthday party lurking as troupe players and astounds Mark with dazzling dancing performance, gaining the role by this bold maneuver and becomes an instant star after the picture released, meanwhile meets occasionally with Joan in the shadows and followed by a hard disagreements each other, therefore Joan announces her forthcoming marriage with Bill.

Then came up an ungrateful fate where both are casting to high stakes on The Sheik as romantic pair at desert adventure, the fatal kiss on the set rises rumors about a feasible affair between the leading roles behind the scenes, worst Valentino is becoming ill for unknown disease needs further exams to find out what's gonna do, until there his doctor requires him an upmost resting, whom he didn't due the press is about to catch Valentino and Joan in dire straits from their hidden affair, his death now is displayed as a sort of overdone self-sacrifice outcome, purely fictitious, in other hand Anthony Dexter has a stunning resemblance with Valentino given a upper acting over this early Latin lover.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 1977 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.5.

A Valentino Day Masacre

[redryan64 · 5/10 · 6 July 2014]

THE EVERLOVIN' BIOPIC is at once a staple of the Hollywood output and at the same time kit's the bane of the true film buff. There seems to be little middle ground for these celluloid depictions of the real life "Rich & Famous."

FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE biographical movies about two of the greatest Comedians of the Silent Screen. We have THE BUSTER KEATON STORY (Forum Prod.,Paramount, 1957) with Donald O'Connor and CHAPLIN (Carolco Pictures/Tri-Star, 1992)with Robert Downey, Jr. The former is awful, the latter is excellent. It's either the Devil or the Deep Blue Sea, with no middle ground.

THIS MOVIE THAT we have ion our cross-hairs today definitely falls into that category of the awful; at least in our humble opinion.

TO BE PERFECTLY fair, we should and will make a sort of critical balance sheet; measuring and comparing any positive attributes that this 1951 movie has and contrasting it with any and all negatives that there might be.

AS FOR NEGATIVES, we see: certain biographical facts totally glossed over, characters omitted or consolidated with others, totally fictitious names, inaccurate recreation of films, fabricated love affairs, bogus Studio Moguls, anachronistic treatment of events, highly fictionalized personality and falsified cause of early death.

NOW, WE PRESENT the positive side of this ledger: Anthony Dexter looks very much like Valentino.

SO, THAT'S THE way things stack up. Sorry if you don't like it thatta way; but, we do have a similar example of what we mean. Just read on and maybe you'll come to see things our way.

JUST CONTRAST THE two biopics about Baseball's Jackie Robinson. Take THE JACKIE ROBINSON STORY (1950) and compare it to the recent 42 (2013).

NOW, DO YOU see what we mean?

Has all the ingredients except the most important one: magic.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 1 July 2023]

Dull color in this supposed biography of the greatest lover of the silent era cheapens the look of what should have been jumping off the screen along with adventure, romance, intrigue and scandal. Anthony Dexter is perfectly fine as Rudolph Valentino, but fine isn't enough in this case. This was made as a lower A/high B, and from Columbia, it looks like what would have been barely passable as a middle brow B at the majors. The top billed Eleanor Parker is playing a fictional star, and you'd have to research his life to figure out who she's supposed to be because she doesn't resemble any of the big female stars connected with him.

Patricia Medina and Dona Drake have a lot more fire in their supporting performances than Parker has in her lead, and in smaller roles, Joseph Calleia and Otto Kruger are very good. The highlight of the film is the recreation of Valentino's tango which Dexter does a superb job with. They do get the look of the silent era right, but the film is more paint by numbers than really fleshed out. Perhaps the code was to Blake, or perhaps there's a Valentino curse considering that an uncensored Valentino 25 years later failed as well, while a TV version is loud this one, just good but nothing exciting.

trash

[mukava991 · 1/10 · 27 March 2008]

If someone had set out to make the worst movie they could about the great silent screen star Rudolph Valentino, this would have been it. There is nothing true here except that the lead actor, Anthony Dexter, does bear a strong facial and bodily resemblance to the title character and at least this scenario does illustrate for us that he did come from Italy and he did become a star and he did die young. But all of the details within this simple framework are blatantly, ridiculously false, transforming this fascinating figure into a vinyl cutout. He doesn't even speak English with an accent! As other have pointed out, the clothes and hairstyles are totally wrong, especially Eleanor Parker's 50's do. What were these filmmakers thinking? They were probably thinking that they could make a quick buck off public ignorance of the details of the man's life on the 25th anniversary of his untimely death. When this film was released the general public had largely forgotten silent films, even though they were only a quarter of a century in the past. SUNSET BLVD, released the year before VALENTINO, makes the point that Gloria Swanson's character was considered ancient history by the youths of the early fifties. So perhaps the majority of 1951 moviegoers were truly ignorant of the facts and swallowed this drivel.

There have been at least three motion picture treatments of Valentino's life and all of them have been dreadful. At least Ken Russell's 1977 attempt with Rudolf Nureyev and the TV movie included characters who actually existed in Valentino's life.

If you are curious about Valentino, watch the handful of his silent films that have been preserved and you will see a smoldering and magnetic screen presence who understood instinctively how to perform for the camera, leaving most other actors of his era in the dust. One can only shake one's head wondering what heights he would have reached if he had not died so tragically young. This piece of brain-dead trash (which doesn't even succeed as camp) is an insult to his legacy and his memory, reducing a tumultuous creative life to a dishonest and hackneyed "love story."

Great Performance!

[apr-3 · 8/10 · 11 June 2006]

This motion picture was an unsuccessful film, lost in a quagmire of fiction and caricature. Dexter who portrayed the Great Lover made a great performance including a dance of a fine Argentine tango. The naked truth is the story had everything of a good movie but strange facts happened before the shooting. The real past Madam Valentino, Natacha Rambova threatened legal action against Columbia Pictures if they attempted to portray her in the picture. Valentino's siblings Alberto and Maria did successfully sue for this unauthorized biography. So did Rex Ingram's wife, the actress Alice Terry, for the movie's portrayal of her having had an affair with Rudy both before and after her marriage to her director-husband. Final Conclusion: Columbia has changed the script and lost a masterpiece. In truth the film has been done too early when the principals personages were still alive. Nevertheless the movie released has charm due to Valentino myth and to unforgettable Dexter performance. Applauses from an old Valentino and Dexter fan. Adalberto P. Rodrigues

That rare movie ...

[Handlinghandel · 4/10 · 4 December 2007]

... that is so bad it's entertaining.

This is a much higher class production than anything Ed Wood was ever able to do. But it has -- for me -- an effect like that created by "Plan 9 from Outer Space." I have noted that many comments are favorable; so please: This is just my opinion.

To start with, it seems to be almost totally devoid of truth. There was a precedent for biopics that glossed over unfortunate traits such as their subjects' sexuality or nasty temperament. But I can't imagine what the point in making something so bizarrely unrealistic was.

The cast is good on paper. Eleanor Parker is a favorite of mine. Richard Carlson was a good actor at the time. And Lewis Allen had directed some excellent movies.

But little if any attempt has been made to make this look realistic. Ms. Parker sports a hairstyle like Liz Taylor's and Marilyn Monroe's: She doesn't look remotely like a silent movie star.

Patricia Medina does, most of anyone. She's good too.

The gentleman who was chosen to play the title role looks to me more like George Raft than Rudolf Valentino.

Apart from verisimilitude, the writing is truly awful. It is one cliché on top of another. It's predictable. It's like a soap opera.

The fact that a major studio made it, using good talent at all levels, makes for an entertaining disaster. The biographies of Jean Harlow that came out several years later were much trashier. They were also less fun.

"Valentino"

[sonny_1963 · 22 May 2005]

Filmed in 1951 to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the actor's death, "Valentino" is part fact and part fiction. Photographed in glorious Technicolor, the true charm of the film is the uncanny resemblance of actor Anthony Dexter to the silent screen legend.

Although some characters are fictionalized and some were real with name changes, the film moves along nicely, especially when the title character does some tango dancing under the direction of Lewis Allen. Young people will not enjoy this film, unless they are into older movies.

But for older viewers, watch this film if you can. I don't believe it's on VHS or DVD, but hopefully, it will be one day.

Definitely not boring

[jeffhaller · 5/10 · 21 August 2022]

Okay, it's crap. But entertaining crap. What is hard to understand is why there is no roaring 20s feel. This is a movie, regardless the possibilities for opulence, that should have been made in black and white.

Dexter is really good. He makes the character romantic, sexy, touching, kind, all of those things we have heard about him. Calleia. Was as classy as ever. Parker, always lovely, always good, has a role that doesn't use her talent.

The story is just that, a story, it doesn't feel like a biography.

Any Resemblance

[bkoganbing · 3/10 · 28 March 2008]

In retrospect it would have been impossible to do a real life story of Rudolph Valentino only 25 years after his demise. Too many interested parties were still alive at that point, including a couple of former spouses. It would have been well to wait however than to have inflicted this film on the public.

Other than the names of his films, I can't think of too much that was at all true here. Any resemblance between this film and the real story of Valentino is purely coincidental.

The film was to have launched the career of Anthony Dexter, but Mr. Dexter went slowly down into obscurity after this film failed to launch him as a new Hollywood hunk.

The story we get here is how Italian immigrant Valentino rose from tango dancer, to dishwasher, to gigolo, to movie star. Along the way he used his considerable charms on several women such as Eleanor Parker, Patricia Medina, and Dona Drake. Richard Carlson and Otto Kruger play director and producer sponsors of Valentino respectively. Joseph Calleia is always good and may have the best performance in the film as Valentino's friend and confidante.

Valentino's story would have to wait another fifty years in a film that starred Russian ballet dancer Rudolph Nuryev. See that one, as opposed to this film.

VALENTINO (Lewis Allen, 1951) **

[Bunuel1976 · 5/10 · 10 December 2011]

I had owned a copy of this one, given by a friend (since it features beloved Maltese character actor Joseph Calleia as a dish-washer who, being a paisan, is eventually appointed as Rudolph Valentino's personal secretary!), but it was messed-up, playing the movie out of order and, when it finally got started, stopping around the half-hour mark!; knowing I would have to watch it as a companion piece to its 1977 namesake movie by the late Ken Russell, I managed to obtain a workable copy in time!

Wartime Hollywood seems to have been stricken with nostalgia for its past entertainment industry (if anything, it made for a sure-fire morale booster), so that we had a rush of biopics (mostly but not all of popular songwriters) and this one about the legendary but short-lived Latin lover continued in this vein. Unsurprisingly, it also upheld the tradition of white-washing its subject so thoroughly that little of the real facts in his life end up on the screen! One beggars the question, "Why bother then?" but, let us not forget that censorship was still in full force at the time and, consequently, the unsavory aspects of these luminaries' lives were largely kept under wraps especially since, like I said, Hollywood was eager to celebrate its history not expose it!

Columbia returned often to this format – making two of the more durable examples, the Chopin biopic A SONG TO REMEMBER (1945; which I will be checking out presently, since its director Charles Vidor would make another about Liszt, and Russell would too!) and THE JOLSON STORY (1946) though they also turned out the occasional dud, notably THE EDDIE CANTOR STORY (1953) and, coincidentally, the film under review. In comparison to the other two Valentino biopics I watched (the other being the 1975 made-for-TV one starring Franco Nero), this one plays the greatest havoc with the star's life and career – mind you, it needs to be excused because Valentino's ex-wife Natacha Rambova was still alive at the time (but not in the 1970s) and, since she had always been accused of being domineering and an altogether negative influence on Valentino, she probably objected to being demonized in the film (after all, Al Jolson's wife Ruby Keeler had done likewise for his biopic but, in its case, even the man himself was still around!) but, then, there is no Rex Ingram either, or Alla Nazimova, or Jesse L. Lasky – hell, even MGM has been renamed "Metropolitan", presumably in order to avoid a lawsuit!

For this reason, scriptwriter George Bruce (who usually adapted or concocted swashbucklers for independent producer Edward Small, also engaged here – but, then, Valentino had done his fair share of actioners, so it was all in good faith!) stuck to the rumor that a black-clad woman was seen putting flowers on Valentino's grave for years afterwards on the anniversary of his death (by the way, this was made a quarter of a century after the star's passing). However, the way things play out in this version, one would think that Valentino had only one producer (played by Otto Kruger), one director (Richard Carlson), one leading lady (Eleanor Parker, who married her taskmaster even if she really loved her co-star) and one substitute for the latter (Patricia Medina, whom he even eloped with, in order to save face, when the consummation of his great romance would have jeopardized everybody's career)!

Again, movies are inexplicably (and irritatingly) switched around so that THE SHEIK, made the same year as the original 1921 version of THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE (which had turned him into a star to begin with), comes much later – it is true that Valentino's last film was a sequel to it but, then, so much is made of the famous rape scene (which, apart from the legendary tango in HORSEMEN, is virtually what the Valentino myth is all about) that the two films cannot possibly be confused (at least, though, this version does incorporate the filming of some of his lesser vehicles rather than concentrate solely on the more recognizable titles)! For the record all three film versions of Valentino's life depict these iconic moments – but the way Valentino is shown crashing a party here dressed in gaucho garb so as to secure for himself the starring role certainly takes the cake! Unfortunately, the events in Valentino's life were turned here into exactly the type of melodrama he would have been likely to star in, especially with the overbearing presence of Lloyd Gough as a scoop-seeking reporter!

Incidentally, the film also cheats with respect to how films were shot during the Silent era: it is a well-known fact that, if proficient lip-readers were to be asked to determine what was really being spoken on any given set, they would end up with a litany of foul language…but here we get real dialogue, and terminally banal at that (though it is just as bad to hear Valentino utter the occasional witticism when in the later biopics he would have been more prone to slip agitatedly into Italian)! If anything, Anthony Dexter (albeit wooden) bears the closest resemblance to the real star and, needless to say, his slick-haired gigolo antics are depicted as every other man's envy rather than suggesting effeminacy. Dexter's intended star career (this was his official debut) was run into the ground almost instantly with a clutch of lowbrow costumers (though I own and would love to watch Phil Karlson's THE BRIGAND {1952}, in which Dexter played dual roles) and he also appeared as Christopher Columbus in Irwin Allen's notoriously misguided all-star charade THE STORY OF MANKIND (1957)!

I saw this movie as a teenager and would like to have it in video, I was taken aback with the resemblance between Anthony Dexter to the real Valentino

[bre3johns · 9/10 · 25 June 2000]

The best representation of Valentino's life than has been presented to date. It's a shame that there hasn't been more biographys done on this great actor who was also a gentleman and a good friend to all who were fortunate enough to know him personally. At the time this film was produced it was considered an inferior film, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. After seeing the film, I continued to be fascinated with Valentino.

Well, it's not bad, but it ain't good either

[scsu1975 · 4/10 · 21 November 2022]

Instead of a decent biopic which could have delved into the background and mystique of Rudolph Valentino, we get over 100 minutes of Anthony Dexter pretty much trying to bag Eleanor Parker.

Now Dexter was certainly a good choice for Valentino, because of his facial and physical resemblance. And we all know his subsequent career reached the stratosphere, with classics like "Fire Maidens of Outer Space," "12 To the Moon," and "The Phantom Planet" (these last two films oddly enough featuring silent screen legend Francis X. Bushman).

Along with Parker, support (if you can call it that) is provided by Richard Carlson as a fictitious director, Otto Kruger as a fictitious producer, Patricia Medina as a fictitious actress/dancer, and Joseph Calleia as a fictitious paisano named Luigi Verducci.

If you like dancing, Dexter does the tango with Parker, Medina, and an old bag. If you don't like dancing, you'll probably still like the almost-four-minute tango sequence with Dexter and Medina, as Dexter stages an "audition" at Kruger's home. Highlights include Dexter cracking a whip and flipping his cigarette onto Kruger's floor, prompting Kruger to yell "Who has been putting out their coals on my floor?" No, wait, Eddie Murphy said that in some other film.

We get a little montage of Dexter doing Valentino from films like "The Eagle" and "The Sheik." Incredibly, the death scene from "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" is not even how it is played in the Valentino film. How is it possible to screw this up?

With about 30 minutes to go, Dexter finally gets a pain in his stomach. The audience probably had gas long before that.

A great movie Anthony Dexter at his very best.

[bittemery · 23 December 2000]

I was just 15 when I first viewed this magnificant film, I found out later it was Anthony Dexter's first. No one could have picked a better leading man, he looked the part. I know movie make up can do a lot ,but this was him as if Rudy were alive. I myself would like to see it once more before I pass on. I have wrote to AMC ,no luck, and it is not on a tape! A very first rate film if you can get to see it you will not be disappointed. A good evening film for all the family. Emery J.Bittmann

An unforgettable movie

[pipeorganut · 8/10 · 20 February 2005]

I saw this movie when I was 13 years old and have never forgotten it or its theme music, "The Valentino Tango". Anthony Dexter is uncanny in his resemblance to Rudolph Valentino and is mesmerizing in this role. Although most of the movie is fictional, it is a fascinating look at the silent film era. The costumes and Eleanor Parker are beautiful and it is worth seeing just for the magnificent tango scenes. When Dexter dances as Julio with Patricia Medina, any ladies heart will beat a little faster! I have been able to obtain a VHS copy of it recently and I watch it at least once a week. I still love it. There are a lot of people who remember this movie and Anthony Dexter and it's very unfortunate that no one is interested in showing it on TV or preserving it. It really is a part of our movie history because it was the only picture in which Anthony Dexter starred and successfully portrayed a silent film legend. It is thoroughly enjoyable!

Valentino 1951

[donnalenore · 10/10 · 22 May 2005]

I saw this film when I was 17 years old and fell in love with Valentino AKA Anthoney Dexter. Eleanor Parker was beautiful with such sad eyes. The Tango Dances were very well done, and the re-made scenes from the old movies like The Sheik were fun to watch. Patricia Medina was a love and very funny. She was the master of low key subtle humor IE the comment about Valentino's Gaze melting the pounds off. Anthony Dexter had Rudy's gaze down pat. I've seen some of the original Valentino movies. If they can still be preserved; why oh why can't the 1951 film be put on video or DVD? I once had it on Beta, wish I'd kept it. Further,any movie with Otto Kruger has class. DL

This movie is excellent,a good strong story line,beautiful dancing, and fine actors.

[boo-25 · 10/10 · 17 May 1999]

This movie is excellent entertainment for the evening, and should be made available for the public to see. Was aired on late night TV ten years ago. The movie has a good strong story line, beautiful dancing, fine actors and beautiful costumes. The story of Valentino's life which part of it is fiction but still an excellent story. Beautiful people such as Anthony Dexter,a strong resemblance to Valentino who performs fine tango dancing wonderfully, and romances beautiful Eleanor Parker the love object of Valentino, which is very impressive. Also fine dancing by beautiful Patricia Medina, and fine acting by Richard Carlson, and Otto Kruger. A movie that holds your attention and enjoyment for the evening. I give this movie high marks and especially if you like fine dancing and good romance.

Not for the Rudy fan.

[cartmansbeatch · 2 April 2008]

It made me sad and long to watch a Rudy movie. Rudy is magical and wonderful – the guy who played him this movie didn't even touch on any of Rudy's wonderful qualities. This movie may do well if considered FAN FICTION but even calling that is being too kind.

Also, disappointing is that it didn't capture the era of the 20's at all. I love that time period and would have loved to watch this movie if it were able to capture such a memorizing time in history. But no luck.

I can see where this movie would appeal to the 1950s move goers though, who probably at that point did not have much interest in Rudy, really, and very little available to them to learn more about him (where I've been lucky). And I can see why some not knowing Rudy at all or being caught in his spell (unfortunate) would go for this. It was a movie of IT'S time. Not Rudy's though, or anything close to it.

I would like to see this released on DVD video a+++ movie

[duckland23 · 10/10 · 12 June 2011]

I first seen this movie when my father was watching it . Its a very good movie and good acting by Anthony Dexter .I was amazed that they never Released it on VHS or DVD Video . I see it On TCM from time to time . I think it a very good movie , why would they still show it if no one is interested in it ?. So Im wondering why wont they or will they release to DVD .Im sure that when they show it on television they have it masted for DVD video .So Im betting it all ready for DVD release .

If I was columbia Pictures aka sony pictures . I would release all the movies they can make money with in this economy . I don't know that there waiting for or why there taking there skow sweet time to release it to DVD . Come on man its not like your not going to make a dime off it , be real . I know it cost money to master it to DVD , Im betting that they all ready did that with all of there Films in there archives . If TCM can show it on television , then Im betting it on DVD for them to broadcast it over the air . Come on sony spend the money get this film on DVD . Master it for Blu-ray too if you want to . But I will settle for DVD for now . Its not also on laserdisc also or VHS . Just television viewing, thats it .

I don't care what the critics think of this film , I can care less . they do this all the time to depend on a marketing survey to release a film to DVD or VHS or Laserdisc . Its always that way . How about using your head and go by what people want to buy , not what you want to sell us .