Posted: August 12th, 2007, 10:33 pm
Some thoughts on one of the three original films included in this Flicker Alley set. This being the last one of the three for me to watch ...
"Stolen Moments" 1920: a truncated three-reel re-issue released by the Selznicks in 1922 to capitalize on the popularity of Valentino. Originally filmed in 1920 by American Cinema Pictures, it served primarily to showcase concert pianist Marguerite Namara as an actress but is of curious interest because it's the last film Valentino appeared in before "Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse" ...
His role is that of a caddish blackmailer Jose, who acquires some personal documents from the actress and plots to profit from them. His character this time is rather dowdy and awkward in attempting to appear villainous and the moustache thingy was like so un-sheiky. His rough kisses were certainly less than passionate, and since hot kisses are what Valentino is all about, that part was disappointing ... His eyes are always great though ...
Since so much of Miss Namara's scenes were cut out, it seems the leading lady duties are shared by both Namara and Aileen Pringle, neither of which I found very compelling or even attractive. The fights are kinda fakey and Rudy gets killed (twice) before it's all over. It didn't offer much entertainment and the storyline is difficult to follow though some of it was nicely photographed on location in Savannah. I'm sorry to go four out of ten and say not a film I would normally recommend ...
But fret not lonely housewives, pining away at the ironing board of life, dreaming of exotic moonlit nights on distant romantic shores in the arms of the italian love-god ... Uh ... I know you're out there. And don't let this discourage those interested in the DVD, because I can vouch the two other films "Moran Of The Lady Letty" 1922 co-starring the strikingly beautiful and very photogenic Dorothy Dalton and "The Conquering Power" 1921 re-teaming Valentino with Alice Terry, are both much, much better films ...
"Stolen Moments" 1920: a truncated three-reel re-issue released by the Selznicks in 1922 to capitalize on the popularity of Valentino. Originally filmed in 1920 by American Cinema Pictures, it served primarily to showcase concert pianist Marguerite Namara as an actress but is of curious interest because it's the last film Valentino appeared in before "Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse" ...
His role is that of a caddish blackmailer Jose, who acquires some personal documents from the actress and plots to profit from them. His character this time is rather dowdy and awkward in attempting to appear villainous and the moustache thingy was like so un-sheiky. His rough kisses were certainly less than passionate, and since hot kisses are what Valentino is all about, that part was disappointing ... His eyes are always great though ...
Since so much of Miss Namara's scenes were cut out, it seems the leading lady duties are shared by both Namara and Aileen Pringle, neither of which I found very compelling or even attractive. The fights are kinda fakey and Rudy gets killed (twice) before it's all over. It didn't offer much entertainment and the storyline is difficult to follow though some of it was nicely photographed on location in Savannah. I'm sorry to go four out of ten and say not a film I would normally recommend ...
But fret not lonely housewives, pining away at the ironing board of life, dreaming of exotic moonlit nights on distant romantic shores in the arms of the italian love-god ... Uh ... I know you're out there. And don't let this discourage those interested in the DVD, because I can vouch the two other films "Moran Of The Lady Letty" 1922 co-starring the strikingly beautiful and very photogenic Dorothy Dalton and "The Conquering Power" 1921 re-teaming Valentino with Alice Terry, are both much, much better films ...