12 Aug 1924 – The Screen: Monsieur Valentino

Clad in embroidered satin and costly laces, his glossy dark hair covered by a white wig. Rodolph Valentino, after an absence of two years has returned to the screen and is to be seen this week at the Mark Strand in the title rôle of the picturization of Booth Tarkington’s exquisite story, “Monsieur Beaucaire.” Gorgeous is a word we invariably dodge, but this pictorial effort is thoroughly deserving of such an adjective, as never such wondrous settings or beautiful costumes been seen in a photoplay.The cast of this production is an imposing one, as in it, besides Valentino, are Lowell Sherman, Bebe Daniels, Lois Wilson, Doris Kenyon, H. Cooper Cliffe and others. Every detail of their costumes is compelling, and the different scenes are always most interesting, from the sight of Louis XV. using the needle for embroidery to the time when the dénouement comes and Lady Mary Carlisle learns that the man she thought to be a barber is none other than the Due de Chartres. One scene shows the Versailles gardens, with water flooding a grand flight of steps. The King and Queen of France are, as usual, entertaining. It reminds one of a Carpaccio painting with its entrancing staging and the magnificence of every mortal. Sidney Olcott, who directed “Little Old New York,” “The Green Goddess” and other productions, is to be congratulated on this effort. There is a duel scene in which one sees only one character, the combatants being out of the picture, their blades being shown flashing back and forth. Those who do not know the story well will appreciate this picture more than persons who are quite familiar with it. Forrest Halsey, who wrote the screen version, appears to have lost himself in showmanship, and has therefore excluded some of the charm. There is a question whether it would not have been more advisable to begin the film with the same introduction Mr. Tarkington has in the narrative, as the novelist keeps the reader in the dark, while the picture producer permits the audience to know all about the identity of the hero. Mr. Tarkington played with the title, the Due de Chateaurien, but the editors of this picture have uncovered the wit in the title by explaining simultaneously that it might mean “Duke of Castle Nowhere. There are the usual movie scenes, most effective, it is true, but without the same plausibility the author put into his story. Mr. Tarkington has the Duke of Winterset’s minions attack Beaucaire when he is riding beside Lady Mary Carlisle’s carriage, whereas the scenario writer causes the attack to take place in a garden while Beaucaire is telling the Beauty of Bath of his admiration. The captions would lead one to suppose that in Bath people nonchalantly alluded to Lady Mary as the Beauty of Bath without ever thinking of mentioning her name. On the other hand, the excuse for the appearance of Beaucaire with the French Ambassador, Mirepoix, is brought out with excellent dramatic effect. He refuses to have Princess Henriette forced to wed him, and therefore at a banquet he leaves the King abruptly, lightly springing over the terrace wall. In the following sequence, calm and amused, he is depicted with the much distraught Mirepoix, insisting that as he had come to England in the Ambassador’s entourage as a barber, he must be seen shaving his master. The gambling scenes are a little too obvious. They are not as well pictured as one would expect from the first chapter of the book. The Duke of Winterset is seen hiding cards in his capacious sleeve while Beaucaire is out of the room, and afterward comes the discovery by the Frenchman that Winterest is cheating.  Why, after Beaucaire has insisted on meeting the lovely Lady Mary, he should be conducted to her bed chamber, is a strange idea, as one would hardly expect that the Beauty of Bath would permit half a dozen men to come up to her and introduce the Frenchman. This portion is where the movie blazes forth, as it does in a number of other sequences. Mr. Valentino is sympathetic most of the time as Beaucaire. One of his weaknesses seems to be in speaking out of one side of his mouth. However, he is good-looking and an athletic Beaucaire, and has more of the character than that reflected in the spoken titles. He is agile in the fighting scenes, and exceptionally affectionate in the love sequences. He is a creature of impulse when he first meets Lady Mary, as he is not nearly as gradual in leading up to the affaire du coeur as Beaucaire was in the book. He really outdoes Booth Tarkingston’s character, who was content just to touch Lady Mary’s gloved hand. In the movie this is translated into a lengthy osculation. Lowell Sherman officiates as the King, and his characterization is superb. He is important, almost effeminate, always eager to have the adulation of his court. In the first chapter the Queen is late, which is a terrible offense when the King is waiting for the curtain to go up on his private theatricals.Lois Wilson is charming as the Queen. The heroine in the film version of the story is the French Princess, Henriette, played by Bebe Daniels, who is sweetly sympathetic. H. Cooper Cliffe figures as Beau Nash, and to us he is somewhat out of place in this rôle. Doris Kenyon is entrusted with the part of Lady Mary, which she fills capably. This is the finest production of its type we have seen, and it is a picture which should not be missed by anybody, as even those who are not in the habit of going to screen entertainments will enjoy almost every scene in this beautiful photoplay. A most interesting prologue, in which the figurantes wear some of the costumes worn in the picture, enhances the presentation of this film.