A campaign that began in late 1925 and goes on for months, until the death of Valentino ... and further, because the claim of some print film is about him, after death, let him not only peace but the oblivion "...
The minutes of this "adventure" is very long. Reprint it here just the beginning and part of the campaign by the Film Courier, a weekly supplement of the most prestigious film magazine Turin: Life Film Festival.
Sections Filming News and the Courier Post, by an anonymous contributor who signed girondolino.
News December 12, 1925. Rudolph Valentino is tired of being Italian?!
This title published days ago, the Tiber, in Rome, a protest of some readers who wrote this letter.
"While even the most poor and miserable among our workers today to subtract 25 pounds bread for their children for support in the face of powerful American pride in being Italian, there is another Italian, rich and famous around the world who are ashamed of their own origin and sought American citizenship. If the U.S. naturalization
find some mitigating some of the poorest immigrants, who will be forced by the prospect of earning more easily what is required for the lives of their families, it can not have any excuse for a man who, as Rodolfo Valentino, now has to have won the millions to tens.
It would not hurt that the representatives of the house that presents the work of Valentino, gave light on what the Italian newspapers published in America. "
Here are some of these publications:
Rudolph Valentino, Italian actor who has gained much popularity in the silent American theater, he went the other day at the Federal Building and made the request of the first card of naturalization. (Corriere d'America)
Rudolph Valentino, the famous film artist, get the first card of citizenship yesterday. He said his name was and who was born Rodolfo Guglielmi in Castellaneta May 6, 1895, and exhibited the military leave by the Italian authorities to deny a rumor that he was a deserter during the war. (Bulletin Today)
We do not make comments saying only he who does not feel the pride of being Italian, it means that it is not worthy, and then we might as well give it to whoever wants it!
On February 15, 1926, Valentino sent a letter to the Corriere d'America, trying to calm the hostilities. The letter was picked up by the newspaper The Roman Empire, March 12, 1926, but the gesture is not taken into account minimum and the campaign goes on the same.
Let's see how things were, two months before the death of the August 23, 1926.
the Courier Post, June 26, 1926.
Claretta - Mantua. Rodolfo Valentino continues to work, but I can not tell you which film is now interpreted. In Italy, for the moment, difficult are projected work in which he participates: the reason you will not be known.
the Courier Post, July 10, 1926.
Myrta - Torino. Those of Valentino, over time will eventually be projected: the past, this moment of indignation, the public will forget and leave running the "vassal" on his part.
Girandolina - Genova. Rudolph Valentino, for the moment must be spoken: her film will go later, on our screens, not now. The reason you should know: all the press has talked a lot.
daughter Bella Alpe Trentino. The Valentino films are tolerated in small towns, big cities are still boycotted.
the Courier Post, July 17, 1926.
Mimi - Milan. The film of Valentino, in large cities are still opposed, but will not be long that they will return to appear on the screens. Beautiful things.
the Courier Post, July 24, 1926.
Irma Pittana - Padova. As for Rudolph Valentino, I will not go back on this topic. I think as to think of any good Italian and say he did very wrong to give up the citizenship of his country to take over the American. Being a man who has put aside a few Euro, things that I would rather return to Italy would have been eligible for his action if it had been of a poor man in need of work and earnings. But you not argue that women with the whim and certain things you can not get into his head: For you there is that sympathy, love ... and the world ends there. Is not it?
Zomba - S. Martino. You're right: Richard Cortez has a strange resemblance to Rudolph Valentino, but he is fitter and struts like a little woman.
the Courier Post, July 31, 1926.
Andalusian Small - Genoa. In French with Murray works Doll Rod La Roque, not Rudolph Valentino. I saw this film I did not like. I can not tell when you project the black eagle, with Rudolph Valentino. Between him and Cortez, I prefer ... either: there are two layers.
Friars Durvalle - Campo Bisenzio. Rudolph Valentino, for the moment let it sleep, you will see later whether his films will be projected on screens Italians.
the Courier Post, August 7, 1926.
Pepinella B. - Trent. If your letter's been received, you will receive a reply from Rudolph Valentino: he wants to please her admirers and not to forget, after the good impression he made and that alienated the sympathies of all Italians. You have quite a number of postcards and for the moment there are others around, maybe then it will be the new and then I could settle.
Evans - Genova. Are sorry to disagree with you in the evaluation of the artistic personality of Rudolph Valentino: He is, for me, "Look how beautiful!" nothing else. I do not deny that some films may have had some happy moments, but I am not enthusiastic about him as an artist, nor are many other mannequins that prance on the screen, under the illusion that it is enough to have the eye murderess and prowess that makes shot to be considered actors. The art is quite another thing and it requires, first of all, a modest field of study and sacrifice. But as I said before, the young and beautiful girls like when the face is looking, the rest does not matter. I'm not saying that all the people think so, and begin to make an exception for you, but the generality is not sophisticated and does not distinguish art from sympathy.
News, August 7, 1926. Sensational incidents in Catania for the screening of a film by Rudolph Valentino. Arena in Catania Italy, evenings ago, while projecting the film Perle Thief, which took part in the Rodolfo Valentino, a group of young people, in protest at the anti-patriotic act done by a few months ago 'actor, appeared in the room with the intention to suspend the show, without achieving the goal. So are the successes of the confusion, until I stepped in some official PS agents to bring back calm. It was launched a stone at the cinema, which caused the panic, because at first he doubted that it was a gunshot, so that the public at a time when the room emptied, were also made arrests, but were not maintained .
Since the Italian public does not know how to forgive Rudolph Valentino to have renounced our citizenship to take the American one, to avoid similar accidents disgusting, why do not withdraw from circulation a good time all the films in which the acts that actor? He expects that perhaps at one time or another most unfortunate events occur?
the Courier Post, August 14, 1926.
Peppinella B. - Trent. Pola Negri makes the criticism of our actresses? We should understand that she was good at something, and art could come close to our dive that if they eat a salad a thousand times. Already it is said that should marry ... Rodolfo Valentino beautiful, God makes them and then pairing them: they are two cocky and certainly will form a monument to arrogance.
From New York came the unexpected news of the death of the famous actor, which occurred after an operation undergone during the past days.
The adventurous life of this young man is known to all patrons of the cinema, because many times we have had occasion to speak him.
(...) Last year was a naturalized American, and this had attracted the general reprobation, so that his films could no longer be projected on our screens because they provoked the reaction and stirred unrest.
(...) The
death truncated this youth, and with it buried any discussion and any hard feelings.
We bow ourselves on the tomb which contains his mortal remains.
the Courier Post, August 28, 1926.
Brunette and blonde - Malta. Lido Manetti is in America and specifically in California, since last year. Nothing could be easier than he will as Rudolph Valentino there, who wants to stay, it must naturalized American, and as you go to raise money, you do not think more than that.
News, September 4, 1926.
The body of Rudolph Valentino, accompanied by his brother Alberto Guglielmi, arrived from Italy, and Pola Negri, was transported from New York to Hollywood (California) to be buried there: in the city of cinema that saw the first steps of 'actor, the lightning his fortune and worldwide fame.
Thus, this chapter of this drama is over, and the tomb of Valentino will come peace and oblivion.
In Cinema in Turin, September 4, 1926 . At
Ghersi there is a revival of Blood and Arena With Rudolph Valentino, Lila Lee and Nita Naldi, drama well known to the public because it accepted a few years ago, with unanimous consent. The recent death of Valentino has heightened public curiosity and interest in him disappeared, so that the aristocratic salon has hosted and continues to host a crowd of spectators.
The Courier Mail, September 4, 1926.
Gem of Ionian. As you will see elsewhere in the newspaper, Rudolph Valentino died in New York, specifically for a complication of appendicitis sopravvenutagli after the operation. So, the past remains buried with the actor and should no longer disturb his eternal rest.
Charlot - Torino. I do not know the address in-law of Rudolph Valentino, who, to avoid trouble and who knows how many interviews will take place hidden well.
... and after three or four responses, the same page and in the same tone, here is a belated mea-blame:
Gilpy - Rome. For the death of Rudolph Valentino we have tried all regret, but certainly not the pain that struck us when he is dead Amleto Novelli.
From now on, things become increasingly difficult for our "girondolino" that fails to stop for the smash ... transcribe only part of the answers because the stakes are pretty dedicated to Valentino: The
Courier Mail, September 11, 1926.
The Philosopher - Isola d'Istria. Contrary to what you say, the Courier gave the first news of the death of Rudolph Valentino, who wanted words to mean any regret for his unexpected death. Now that his tomb is closed, do not you think you have to leave him alone?
... and postcards of Rudolph Valentino, who only a few weeks before we came promptly denied, ensuring that they were not available, they reappear as if by magic, and also articles on everything else: business is business ...
Riderella - Trieste. I have postcards of Rudolph Valentino: I send you six or seven different and cost pennies eighty each (including postage) you can even send in stamps. In the next issue of Life Film Festival there will be a big cliché of Valentino and an article each issue costs five pounds, sixty pounds annual subscription. I do not know an actor who calls himself the blond Valentino.
Poor "girondolino ... La Posta del Corriere receive more letters with Rudolph Valentino topic in the coming years, what a colleague called "valentinitis" did not start that, other than oblivion.
But a mystery remains. Beyond shameful of "reasons" for personal (at least I see it), cleverly hidden under a veil of patriotism, why a publication that "lives" of advertising by advertisers can afford such a smear campaign?
Images: over the top, Rudolph Valentino in London, 23 November 1925 (presentation of the film L'Aquila), and below it the news of Valentino's death published in the third page of the Corriere del Cinema August 28, 1926.
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