Rudolph Valentino: Lovers, Friends & Foes

When Rudolph Valentino's image flickered onto the screen, fans of both sexes swooned. When he died, thousands rioted at his funeral, and some committed suicide.15 years after the critically-acclaimed 'Valentino, A Dream Of Desire, David Bret tells the story of a man who was sexually attracted only towards other men, and whose relationships with women brought only heartbreak. A man whose naivety was preyed upon by two rapacious lesbian wives, studio moguls who treated him like dirt but welcomed the vast revenue he brought in, and a manipulating manager interested only in getting his hands on Valentino's money, in case the truth emerged about his private life and his career ended. Yet Rudy was far less ashamed of his sexuality than he was of being trapped within his public persona. In 1920s America, gay men were stereotyped as feeble degenerates, while Rudy was anything but--a powerfully-built man who excelled at sports. Yet it was his persistent need to 'prove' his manhood which contributed to his early death.