Valentino (1977 film)

Valentino
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ken Russell
Screenplay by	Ken Russell Mardik Martin
Based on	Valentino, an Intimate Exposé of the Sheik by Chaw Mank and Brad Steiger
Produced by	Irwin Winkler Robert Chartoff Harry Benn
Starring	Rudolf Nureyev Leslie Caron Michelle Phillips Carol Kane
Cinematography	Peter Suschitzky
Edited by	Stuart Baird
Music by	Stanley Black Ferde Grofé
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	October 5, 1977 (1977-10-05)
Running time	127 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$5 million[2]

Valentino is a 1977 American biographical film co-written and directed by Ken Russell and starring Rudolf Nureyev, Leslie Caron, Michelle Phillips, and Carol Kane. It is loosely based on the life of silent film actor Rudolph Valentino, as recounted in the book Valentino, an Intimate Exposé of the Sheik, written by Chaw Mank and Brad Steiger.

The genesis of Valentino began with producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, who began developing the project in 1975. Russell was selected to direct, and he co-wrote the film with Mardik Martin. Told through flashback following Valentino's 1926 death, the screenplay focuses heavily on Valentino's relationships with several women, chiefly his second wife Natacha Rambova, as well as addressing the published rumors of his alleged homosexuality.

Filming of Valentino was originally planned to occur in Los Angeles, but Russell chose to film in Spain and England's Elstree Studios instead due to budgetary issues. Principal photography lasted 21 weeks from August 1976 to January 1977, and the shoot was marked by tensions between stars Nureyev and Phillips, who clashed over their approaches to the material, as well as between Nureyev and Russell.

Released in October 1977, the film received mixed reviews from critics, some of whom lambasted it for its critical, and sometimes satirical depiction of Hollywood and the pressures of the film studio system; other critics praised the film for its lush visuals and performances. Despite the mixed critical response, the film received three BAFTA Award nominations, for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design. Russell later described his decision to make the film instead of The Rose with Bette Midler as the biggest mistake of his career.^[3]

In his memoirs, Winkler called Valentino his "least favorite or worst film... by a large margin".^[4]