The Eagle (United Artists) (1925)

A Valentino Biography—Highlights on the Picture Valentino's Life a Series of Heart Breaking Failures and Hardships Before He Became Famous in a Day The life story of Rudolph Valentino is as romantic as any of the stories that he has enacted for the motion picture screen. It is Horatio Algerian with compound interest. This celebrated cin¬ ema star has known the direst hard¬ ship and the most tragic, heart-breaking failure. He has been at the very bot¬ tom of the ladder, unable despite the most desperate efforts, to get his foot on the first and lowest rung; he has experienced the hardest kind of work climbing to the place he now occupies ■—the Top. Valentino’s is a story that should give hope, however, to every young Ameri¬ can. A few years ago, a penniless young Italian, without even a place to lay his head, he is now the screen’s most popular idol; known wherever motion pictures are known and shown —which means the entire civilized world. It has been stated repeatedly that Valentino, like Byron, awoke one morn¬ ing to find himself famous. That is true, but it should not be forgotten that for seven long and laborious years— years of struggle and disappointment —he had fought to prepare himself; to be ready to grasp the opportunity when it finally presented itself. Rudolph Valentino now is a United Artist Corporation star, and has made for that organization his first produc¬ tion, “The Eagle,” a colorful Russian story in which he impersonates a young Cossack officer who turns bandit because of a great injustice toward himself, and who robs the rich to aid the oppres¬ sed. “The Eagle” is announced as the feature attraction for next... at the.theatre. Rodolpho Alfonzo Raffaelo Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina d’An- tonguella—for such is the full name of this star—was born in the little village of Castellaneta, Italy, May 6, 1895. His mother was the daughter of a learned Parisian physician, Pierre Fili¬ bert Barbin. His father, Giovanni Guglielmi, was in his youth a captain of Italian cavalry and later a veterin¬ ary, renowned in his section for his studious accomplishments. When Valentino was eleven years old his father died and he was sent off to Dante Alighieri College, which corres¬ ponds to a high school in this country. He finished the course there, with hon¬ ors, when he was thirteen and then was sent to a military college. He admits that he was more interested in romantic novels than in his studies. He was sent home after breaking out of his room, where he was confined for discipline, in order to see the King, who was on a visit to the school. He next enrolled in the Royal Acad¬ emy of Agriculture to learn to be a scientific farmer. He was graduated with the highest honors in his class, much to the gratification of his mother. Several months of escapades in Paris and Monte Carlo followed—and then came the return of the Prodigal. His family decided that he should be ship¬ ped to the United States, for if he was going to disgrace them, they felt it were better that he was far distant. His mother scraped together $4,000 to finance her son on the same voyage of discovery that Christopher Colum¬ bus had undertaken some six hundred years earlier. He arrived in New York just two days before Christmas, 1913, This was the period that was to try young Rud¬ olph’s soul. He spent most of his money in cafes, but there he did learn one thing that was to be of great value to him later. He learned to dance, and dance well. His money nearly all gone, he set himself to the task of finding a job. The first opening he found was as superintendent of the Long Island es¬ tate of Cornelius N. Bliss, Jr. This lasted only a short time, as the future cinema star—then only but eighteen years old—showed an irresponsible at¬ titude, and soon was courteously but em¬ phatically dismissed. The star of today, then was broke and homeless. He was forced out of one lodging place after another. He finally slept beneath the low-hanging shrubbery in Central Park. He went hungry. He pawned everything he owned; even pledging all clothing he did not have to wear. One hot summer day he walked five miles to the New York City Hall looking for a job. He did not get it, and walked the five miles back. He took any little odd job he could get—shining brass on cars, sweep¬ ing out—anything that anybody would give him to do, and by which he might earn a few cents. Finally he went to the head waiter at Maxim’s—then a popular New York cafe, but since a victim to Prohibition —and there he got a job as a dancer. This really was the first step in his professional career, for he soon ob¬ tained an engagement as a dancing partner with Bonnie Glass, and later with Joan Sawyer, both of whom had popular vogues on Boardway. But he disliked dancing as a profes¬ sion, and he still cherished dreams of becoming a farmer. So he fastened his eyes on California, which was to prove rich soil for him, but not in an agricultural sense. He joined a musical comedy company headed for the Coast. The troupe stranded and he found him¬ self in San Francisco without money and without a job. He tried selling bonds; but he wasn’t cut out for a salesman. At this point Norman Kerry, whom he had known in New York, suggested that Rudolph try motion pictures. Val¬ entino found his way to Los Angeles, and Kerry financed him till he could have a chance to look for work at the various picture studios. No one hailed the Rudolph Valen¬ tino of that day as any matinee idol. In fact, it was a long time before he could get any kind of work—even the meanest kind. Emmet Flynn, the first director to give him anything to do— to see anything at all in him—gave him “extra” work at $5 a day. Flynn later gave him a real part, but the picture was tied up after its completion because of litigation, and not released until several years later. Valentino next played two leads with Mae Murray and in two pictures for Paul Powell, director. Then came a severe attack of influenza. When he recovered he was unable to get any parts except “heavies”—the studio term for villain—and these, too, were few and far between. The turning point in his career came when June Mathis selected him for Highlights on TYPE OF PICTURE “The Eagle” is a romantic comedy drama produced on an elaborate scale for entertainment purposes only. The action takes place in Russia before the revolution. Rudolph Valentino appears in three distinct guises. First, as a Cossack officer wearing the most striking uni¬ forms of his career. Then as the Eagle, the mysterious bandit, whose exploits thrill all Russia. Then he masquerades as a French tutor and enters the home of his mortal enemy. The picture has more comedy than any other Valentino picture. The back¬ ground is rich and decorative. No ex¬ pense has been spared in making it a fitting vehicle for the screen’s most romantic star. ABOUT VALENTINO The star is in great physical condi¬ tion and never looked better than he does in this picture. He threw kimself into the production with a real zest. He rides, fights, makes love and en¬ counters dangers with a debonair smile. The role differs from his previous parts in that he plays a Slav instead of a Latin, and it has more comedy than any of his others. This is his first picture since Joseph M. Schenck, Chairman of the Board of Directors of United Artists Cor¬ poration, signed him. Under the guid¬ ance of this experienced and capable showman, Valentino is expected to reach new heights of popularity. ABOUT CLARENCE BROWN This picture was directed by Clarence Brown, who has made greater strides in the last year than any other director in Hollywood. He made “Smouldering- Fires,” “The Signal Tower,” “The Ac¬ quittal” and the much discussed “Goose Woman.” Monroe Lathrop, the well- known Los Angeles critic, after seeing the picture in the projection room, said that Brown had^ given the star the best direction he had ever had. Valentino makes the unqualified assertion that Brown is the best director he has ever had. ABOUT THE CAST Yilma Banky, the leading woman, is the beautiful and talented blonde whom Samuel Goldwyn discovered in Buda- the role of Julio in “The Four Horse¬ men.” He scored an immediate and immense triumph in this sensationally successful picture. This was followed by another Rex Ingram film, “The Con¬ quering Power,” and by Nazimova’s ‘/Camille.” Famous Players-Lasky en¬ gaged him and he played in “The Sheik,” “Moran of the Lady Letty,” “Beyond the Rocks,” “The Young Ra¬ jah” and “Blood and Sanfl.” Following a dispute with the Famous Players-Lasky organization he remained off the motion picture screen for nearly two years. After these difficulties had been adjusted he returned and appeared “The Eagle” pest and brought to America. He loaned her to the Schenck organization for this picture. Critics are hailing her as the most important “find” of the year. She has both beauty and ability. Loise Dresser, who plays the Czarina, is one of the best known stars of the American stage and has recently scored a great Success in pictures, particularly with her performance in “The Goose Woman,” also directed by Clarence Brown. James Marcus and George Nichols, two of the screen’s best known charac¬ ter actors, have important roles. Albert Conti, a newcomer, registers a decided hit with a polished, sophisti¬ cated role. Even the “bits” are played by talented and well-known actors, including Gus¬ tav Von Seyffertitz, Spottiswoode Ait- ken, Mario Carillo, Otto Hoffman, Eric Wayne and Jean de Briac. WHO IS PUSHKIN? Alexander Pushkin, the author of “Dubrovsky,” the novel from which “The Eagle” was adapted, is acknowl¬ edged as Russia’s greatest poet and one of her greatest novelists. The book is a classic of Russian literature. The author is usually referred to as “the Shakespeare of Russia.” The Em¬ peror Nicholas called him “the wittiest man in Russia.” He was born in Mos¬ cow, June 7, 1799, and was killed in a duel with his brother-in-law in 1837. ABOUT HANS KRALY Kraly is the scenarist who has adapted all of Ernst Lubitsch’s greatest succes¬ ses. He is probably the ablest of all screen authors. At least, that is the opinion of many critics. He writes in terms of pictures and has a real genius for comedy business. ABOUT WILLIAM CAMERON MENZIES The settings for the production were designed by Menzies, who was art di¬ rector on “The Thief of Bagdad” and many other big pictures. The Russian atmosphere has given him a fine oppor¬ tunity for the display of his flair for decoration. The famous Kremlin at Moscow was duplicated for “The Eagle.” There is a banquet scene in the picture that is absolutely gorgeous. The bandit camp is a picturesque bit of natural beauty. in two pictures—“Monsieur Beaucaire” and "The Sainted Devil.” Then he made “Cobra” for J. D. Williams’ Ritz Carlton organization. His next—and most important affilia¬ tion came when Joseph M. Schenck, chairman of the Board of Directors of United Artists Corporation, signed him to produce pictures for that corpora¬ tion. This step aligned him with Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, D. W. Griffith and William S. Hart. His first production for United Artists , Corporation, “The Eagle,” was on a lavish scale and is pronounced his greatest.