Nick M
I have mixed feelings about this film adaptation of Alexandre Dumas the Younger's Camille. Alla Nazimova and Rudolph Valentino star, and while they are both memorable, I'm not convinced it's entirely for the right reasons. Nazimova is clearly an intelligent actress--her reactions appear as instinctual when they are clearly calculated, she commands our attention when she is on the screen, and I am compelled by her characterizations--but her performance is so over the top that I find it difficult (though not impossible) to take her seriously. One notable modern reviewer defends her by saying that this is typical of Russian film actresses of the day, and while I have seen enough pictures by Yevgeni Bauer, Yakov Protazanov, and Władysław Starewicz to know this to be true, that doesn't mean that it is effective or representative of the direction of film acting by early 1920s standards. Valentino, on the other hand, is so devilishly handsome that I cannot help but watch him and want to see more of him. He isn't *bad* by any means, but he is so green that his performance just comes off as lackluster when compared to Nazimova. There is a light in his eyes that wants to come out, but he doesn't really know what to do with it yet. One aspect of the film that I absolutely loved was the set and costume design by Natacha Rambova (Valentino's future wife, as it turns out). The decorative choices made for Marguerite's apartment are particularly memorable - all sinuous lines, circles, and soft edges. I want both that fireplace facade as well as her large, round window that opens with the push of a button. This isn't one of the best films of its day, but it does have its own point of view, and includes some innovative touches for romantic cinema. Our leads are allowed the luxury to explore their feelings during momentous story beats, and we in turn are given the freedom to explore our own feelings about these characters and their circumstances before we are whisked away to the next scene.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/06/25
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Audience Member
Alla Nazimova is probably an acquired taste, as her appearance in 'Camille' (that poofy hair!) and her overly dramatic emoting create quite a combination. (Perhaps she's like blue cheese, strong, will make you sit up and take notice maybe not always in a good way, but somehow grows on you ... but I digress.) Together with heartthrob Rudolph Valentino, the film tells the story of the doomed love affair between a young law student and a society woman who is kept by rich suitors. There are some scenes that are touching and others that are too drawn out, but the Art Deco set designs from Natacha Rambova (who would later marry Valentino) are fantastic throughout, and the biggest reason to see the film. The story itself and the acting aren't going to blow you away, but it's watchable despite its unevenness.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/13/23
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Audience Member
Great sets but everything else is why silents are often derided. Nazimova could not possibly be more affected or more of a screen hog relegating everyone else to the sidelines. Her hair is a rat's nest of staggering proportions. Valentino's part is small and while he's not great he's better than almost everyone else. An artifact.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
02/27/23
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Audience Member
A heartwrenching tale with a sad ending. It has a fine cast and storyline. I like the Greta Garbo version but this version is intriguing since Nazimova plays her character so believably well that you get drawn to her character. Rudolph Valentino was adorable as her lover!
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/22/23
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Audience Member
Rudolph Valentino stars along side Alla Nazimova in this great movie, you go through some-what of a mood swing watching the movie, you go from sad, to happy to excited. you really feel how Armand feels. Great powerful ending, all around a good adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's La Dame Aux Cameilias.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Rudolph Valentino is outstanding in this unique silent telling of the Alexandre Dumas classic. Alla Nazimova is definitely moving in her interpretation of the ill-fated femme, though not in Garbo's class--nor is Smallwood George Cukor's equal in the director's chair. Very pleased it was included as a bonus with the more famous 1936 version, nevertheless.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/24/23
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