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Bookmark this pageThe Isle of Love (1922)
Director: Fred J Balshofer
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
A drag artist, Valentino in his days before stardom, and the actress who was to die in the Arbuckle scandal: a list perhaps dreamed up in desperation for a story about the wilder shores of early Hollywood? In fact, these three came together for a 1920 film, An Adventuress (written by Charles Taylor, Tom J Geraghty). In 1922, after Virginia Rappe had died and Valentino had become a star, director Fred Balshofer recut his footage and boosted Valentino's part with outtakes. The outcome is pretty loopy: Eltinge in drag, a palace revolution, saucy bathing belles, and huge plugs for US intervention in foreign affairs. Most of the film's interest comes from its blatant efforts to cash in: a silent conversation between Rappe and Valentino takes on dimensions that Balshofer could never have dreamed of in 1920.Author: CPe
Cast & crew
Director: Fred J Balshofer
Cast: Rudolph Valentino, Julian Eltinge, Virginia Rappe, Alma Francis, Lydia Knott full cast
Duration: 5 mins
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