One of the most well known of Rudolph Valentino’s films was “Camille,” where he plays a young law student who falls in love with a courtesan. As one can imagine, the relationship was rocky with lots of drama, making for good cinema. Director Ray C. Smallwood and screenwriter June Mathis made the most of it, creating a classic but not a big hit for Metro Pictures, as it was considered too “avant garde” to become a block buster. Today we might say “Camille” is too artsy.
June Mathis, as head of Metro Pictures’ Scenario Department, discovered Valentino and cast him in “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” the highest grossing movie of 1921, turning the Italian-born actor into a household name. “Camille” was his next picture, not as successful as “Horsemen” but Valentino had become a superstar nonetheless. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1926 at the age of 31.
His co-star was Alla Nazimova, the Russian-American actress who actually received top billing as she was cast in the title role and also the producer of the film. Other performers include Rex Cherryman, Arthur Hoyt, Zeffie Tilbury, Patsy Ruth Miller, and William Orlamond. This “Camille” starring Nazimova and Valentino was eventually eclipsed by Greta Garbo’s 1936 movie of the same name. It is often an extra feature on the DVD of Garbo’s talkie “Camille” (1936), as the 1921 silent version is only 70 minutes long.
Camille (1921)
cinema
My Review
One of the most well known of Rudolph Valentino’s films was “Camille,” where he plays a young law student who falls in love with a courtesan. As one can imagine, the relationship was rocky with lots of drama, making for good cinema. Director Ray C. Smallwood and screenwriter June Mathis made the most of it, creating a classic but not a big hit for Metro Pictures, as it was considered too “avant garde” to become a block buster. Today we might say “Camille” is too artsy.
June Mathis, as head of Metro Pictures’ Scenario Department, discovered Valentino and cast him in “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” the highest grossing movie of 1921, turning the Italian-born actor into a household name. “Camille” was his next picture, not as successful as “Horsemen” but Valentino had become a superstar nonetheless. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1926 at the age of 31.
His co-star was Alla Nazimova, the Russian-American actress who actually received top billing as she was cast in the title role and also the producer of the film. Other performers include Rex Cherryman, Arthur Hoyt, Zeffie Tilbury, Patsy Ruth Miller, and William Orlamond. This “Camille” starring Nazimova and Valentino was eventually eclipsed by Greta Garbo’s 1936 movie of the same name. It is often an extra feature on the DVD of Garbo’s talkie “Camille” (1936), as the 1921 silent version is only 70 minutes long.