“Rudolph Valentino has transfused all of his passionate Italian soul into the character; and he has conducted the action with all the aristocratic behaviour of our race. There are moments in his interpretation in which he reaches such a lively and obvious spontaneity, such a complete penetration of the character to which he gives life, that we are forced to ask how the incommensurable idiocy or bad faith of those who have denied and deny to the end any type of artistic gift is possible. We reaffirm once again, and certainly not for the last time, that the bel mimo, an artist in the depths of his soul, an artist recognised as such more than by the multitude of sympathies, by the multitude of envy with which he was and will be surrounded, must be for our race a reason for pride and glory. And we expect from the denigrators and accusers of his memory the declaration of what they have done for Italy and for Art which makes them feel authorised to judge and condemn one who art and the Italian race has represented with infinite fervour throughout the world. […]”.

Alessandro Blasetti, Lo Schermo, Rome, n. 6, 25 September 1926