The Cobra

A film which understandably disappeared after being laughed off the screen on its release. As an impoverished Italian count who comes to America to pursue his career as an 'indoor sheik', Valentino initially parodies his image with a nice sense of comic timing. But the script then saddles him with pure love, a best friend to hold camp hands with, and noble self-sacrifice. Thereafter the main amusement in a turgid melodrama is watching Valentino and Naldi (Queen of the Vampires) slipping into embarrassingly regulation poses as she plays cobra to his mesmerised lion.