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Title: Dark Lover: The Life and Death of Rudolph Valentino by Emily W. Leider ISBN: 0-374-28239-0 Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Pub. Date: 06 May, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.05 (19 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Biography the way biographies should be written.
Comment: This is one of those well written biographies of the present day that captures my attention like few others: a well researched, well investigated study of a life that was encompassed with scores of urban myths and mock-biographies. Emily Leider does an excellent job both desconstructing the myths surrounding Rudolph Valentino's life, and explaining just how calculated many of the legends and misrepresentations were.
It's shocking, even in this day and age of papparazzis and tabloids, to read about the publicity machines involved in the silent stars. We read not only about the energetic fans and jealous critics of Valentino's celebrity, but the obsession his own employers had with controlling his public behavior to the point of sending private detectives to spy in on his every move.
Ms. Leider did well in portraying Valentino as a real human being rather than a man defined by his alluring mystique. She clearly illustrates the labor, the strokes of luck, the blunders, and often the tedium involved in Rudolph Valentino's climb to stardom. While many have seen Valentino the Lover, we read about the years he spent barely making a living as a dancer; the numerous bit roles and stereotypical "exploitive foreigner" roles he had to play; his naivete, along with the insecurity and heartbreak he experienced with Jean Acker and Natacha Rambova, all the while being known as the ultimate Casanova.
Rudolph Valentino's real life was legitimately fascinating without having to exaggerate his ups and downs. While it can be said he had much enjoyment and adventures few got to experience, it is difficult to read how many of his tragedies come about by close friends (and even his first wife Jean Acker) who use his celebrity for their own gains. Particularly appalling is the account of a friend who, after Valentino's death, exploits the auctioning of his estate's items.
The rumors of Valentino's marriage to Natacha Rambova as being "a marriage of convenience" are cleared up too. There were several sources and write-ups throughout the years citing both parties as gay, and the marriage as being a cover up. While Ms. Leider does say it is likely both were bisexual, their love and passion for each other was very real. She also illustrates how their working too closely in the same business strained, and eventually destroyed, their marriage.
If there is one criticism I would zero in on, it is the frequent over-analysis of Rudolph Valentino's films. This is not to say that the stories and motivations behind the films are not interesting, and much of it is key to the story of Rudolph Valentino himself; there is just a bit too much space devoted to the many intricate details of the films' plots and backstories.
If you want a biography that deifies its subject, this is not the book for you. This book shows us the complexeties of the Rudolph Valentino who at times was quite naive, but also aware of how superficial and misleading fame could be. Emily Leider did such an excellent job showing us the three-dimensional Rudolph Valentino, that I'm going to begin reading her biography of Mae West very soon.
Rating: 5
Summary: Special Book
Comment: This is a well researched and beautifully written biography. Emily Leider has lovingly painted a portrait of a man/star whose life has been clouded in mystery. Because of her, Rudolph Valentino's complex personality, warmth, generosity, talent, and sense of humor has become known for the first time. Beautiful photographs, including his last formal portrait before his untimely death, are included. I prefer this biography to others of Valentino I have read.
Rating: 3
Summary: Exhaustive Doesnt Begin to describe it!
Comment: Considering the fact that Valentino was with us for all of 31 years, and the passing of an entire century has obscured his activities for much of that time, I was a bit shocked when I saw the size of this book. I knew he had immeasurable impact on popular culture and all of that, but still!
Imagine my surprise when I read the book! The sources seem to be fairly reliable upon review, and Leider does an admirable job steering us through the obscure (his childhood and early years in the USA were surprisingly informative). However, the book takes a bizarre turn after "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", which made Rudy a star. After that, the details are so thorough it doesnt feel like I'm reading so much a biography as it does an almost daily chronicle of someones' life.
Previous reviews indicated the book was tabloid-like, but i did not find that to be the case at all. Quoting individuals who were present and knew the subject, or referencing publications like newspaper or magazine articles is not gossipy at all. If anything, the author tries to disprove some of the sensational speculation about Valentino over the years...one example was his sexuality- she comes off as biased in this regard and a few others, but fortunately, the book is so massive these instances are rare.
Overall, this book was an enjoyable read, and did help me to appreciate Valentino as a complex, charismatic individual. Just be prepared to do ALOT of reading!
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Title: Beyond Paradise: The Life of Ramon Novarro by Andre Soares ISBN: 0312282311 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 01 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title:The Sheik / The Son of the Sheik (Special Edition) ASIN: B000066741 Publisher: Image Entertainment Pub. Date: 25 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.99 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $22.49 |
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Title: Valentino: The First Superstar by Noel Botham ISBN: 1843580136 Publisher: Metro Books Pub. Date: May, 2002 List Price(USD): $29.99 |
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Title:Blood & Sand ASIN: B00005O5CC Publisher: Kino Video Pub. Date: 09 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $29.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $26.96 |
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Title:Cobra ASIN: 6305472459 Publisher: Image Entertainment Pub. Date: 03 August, 1999 List Price(USD): $24.99 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $22.49 |
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