Review of The Legend of Valentino

Not necessarily worse than the Ken Russel version.In fact it is hard to tell which one of them is the better and/or the worse,both of them having flaws as well as qualities. It is often hard to tell which is the best out of two films,simply because every film has its distinctive style and therefore it is hard to say what is better or worse,it's just style. Franco Nero is a more credible Valentino than Nurejew,in compare to the Russian ballet-dancer,he even has a genuine Italian accent,besides he looks more...Italian,he is passionate and handsome(maybe less expressive,yet more conventionally good looking than Nurejew) enough to pass as the(once)world's greatest lover. On the other hand this version is not so much a quizzical art film like the Ken Russel version,though it doesn't lack symbolical,metaphorical scenes-not in the inimitable Russel style,just to add a slight touch of class and mystery. The overall impression of this film is,as expected,of an immense,lavish parade of twenties'lifestyle,depicted in a both accurate and entertaining way. The focus of the story is about the relationship between Valentino and his friend,companion and adviser June Mathis,who(as it often happens in Tinseltown)did get few rewards for the fact that she facilitated most of his career-and while he became rich and famous overnight,she ended up increasingly poor,lonely and forgotten;and still she doesn't hold the grudge,still being devoted(and probably hopelessly in love)towards him.A probably overreacted love story,but it fits good into the film. In fact,almost everything about Valentino both as an actor and a private person seems to be a legend,a marketing gag,a one man-show,a cult of personality.Franco Nero,rather than deconstructing the myth,does a good job fitting into the Valentino legend. All in all the film is pleasant,entertaining,even fascinating at first view. I was inclined to think that movies like this are only for the fans of the period film,but now I'm convinced that films like this or like Russel's Valentino,Day of the Locust,The Bad and the Beautiful,The Last Tycoon and others like this should be watched by anyone once in a while,just to see the other face of that loved,hated,worshiped,but never quite totally understood Hollywood(and its either forgettable or immortal mass-produced idols).