DVD Review: Valentino classics on blu ray
It is difficult to completely embrace the level of stardom that Rudolph Valentino achieved in his too-short life of only 31 years. His icon status is so great, even his sad passing in 1926 has not kept him from still being recognized over time and generations. Unfortunately, Valentino has come to represent the misguided idea that silent cinema is filled with affected performance with sweeping movements and florid gestures that should be relegated to the dustbin of history. In fact, Valentino, at his best, offers much of the foundation for dramatic acting on screen
Kino Lorber’s classics division has issued, on separate discs, two beautiful restorations of what may be Rudolph Valentino’s most noted films – “The Sheik” and “Son of the Sheik.” These films not only clearly identify Valentino’s impact and popularity, but the two together offer a nice contrast to the actor’s career at the crest of stardom and at the end of his career.
“The Sheik,” from 1921, was an attempt to capitalize on the Latin Lover image that began to identify the actor in his previous roles. Having scored big in the feature “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” Valentino’s stardom shot to an enormous level with response to “The Sheik,” extending internationally. The film’s budget was an impressive (for the time) $200,000, and earned one million in its first year.
“Son of the Sheik,” from 1926, was Valentino’s final film. Revisiting his greatest screen triumph, he this time portrays both the title role and that character’s father. While he was ill during the filming, he handled the dual role challenge effectively, many believing this to be the actor’s finest performance. Filmed in early 1926, “Son of the Sheik” was released in September of that year, two weeks after Valentino’s August death.
Rudolph Valentino was the counterpart to an actor like Douglas Fairbanks, also popular during the same period. Fairbanks was a heroic action figure. Valentino was a romantic figure. As a result, many of his fans were women, while some men were dismissive of the character and questioned the actor’s sexuality. This chagrined Valentino, but now, over 90 years later, it is an unsettling look at the sociocultural history of silent cinema and its stars.
The importance of these films can not be overstated. Along with the aforementioned historical and sociocultural significance of each movie, they are also quintessential films of the silent era, featuring one of its most iconic stars. Valentino’s piercing eyes and powerful presence throughout each film still has a profound affect on the narrative, while support from Agnes Ayers (in both films) and direction by George Melford (“The Sheik”) and George Fitzmaurice (“Son of the Sheik”) effectively frames the action and spotlights the star.