Conversations with Rodolfo

by Hala Pickford

In 1926 Silent Film Idol Rudolph Valentino, known as The Great Lover, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 31. In the years that have since passed, his death has come to overshadow his life and his work. But what would have been had he not died so young? This is the inspiration behind the whimsical novel, "Conversations with Rodolfo" written by Hala Pickford, The Founding Sheba of The Rudolph Valentino Society. A lover of silent film, Pickford uses her knowledge of film history to paint a picture of what might have occurred had Valentino not died in 1926, but in 2005. Would he have made it in the new medium of 'talkies' (sound film)? Would he be remembered like Charlie Chaplin? Or forgotten like Mae Murray? Would he have reconciled with the love of his life, Natacha Rambova? Or would he have been able to find a new love? "Conversations with Rodolfo" opens in 2004, following down on his luck wannabe music journalist, Michael Johnston. Johnston is madly in love with a new girl he has met named Gloria. Trying to impress her he agrees to a Saturday spent with her beloved grandparents. There he finds her grandfather is a man who calls himself Rodolfo, though many others have known him by the name 'Rudolph Valentino'. Despite his age, Rodolfo is as lively as a 20 year old, and on Michael's request he agrees to a series of interviews about his long life, with the stipulation that they not be published until his death. Through these interviews we get to hear the story of Rudolph Valentino, from his boyhood in Italy to the birth of his granddaughter. From his role in The Sheik, to his work with Charlie Chaplin in the 1950s.

358 pages, Paperback

First published November 9, 2009

About the author

Hala Pickford is a film historian, researcher and author from Hollywood, California. Through her work on silent film she has helped Save Pickfair Studios (along with Allison Anders and Sal Gomez), campaign to get a star for Baby Peggy, release the lost and previously unpublished play All That Glitters and created the first classic film social network Forget The Talkies. In 2009 she created The Rudolph Valentino Society which would be the first publisher of Affairs Valentino in 2011. That same year she founded 1921 PVG Publishing, which later became Theodosia Tramp Publishing.

Reviews

[Rossalexander]

To say this is a bad book may be an understatement. Everyone knows that Valentino died in 1926, aged 31. This author is so obsessed with her subject that she has him living to age 110, sleeping with dozens of women, fathering lots of children. Every time Rudy meets a new woman, the author reminds us that he was not gay. I think we already know that! And of course, in bed he is superman! I wouldn't mind this if the story was well written: it isn't. The book is poorly written, lamentably edited, it gives one the impression that it was written by a high-school student, and not a very bright one at that. If anyone can finish this book and end up actually liking Valentino, who by all accounts was a nice guy, I will eat my hat. Very definitely one for the trashcan once you've waded through it.

[Elise]

Ummm . . . this is not a bad book if you are fan enough of Valentino to at least take a peak at it. Its simple diction and syntax provides a certain kind of authenticty and genuity to the novel but the writing in all is bad. I have to admit that this novel does sound like it was written by a junior higher, on a saturday, updating her Valentino fanficton. The plot is interesting, the story intriguing, I must commend Pickford for that. But, hard Valentino fans, that respect his films and life; his true one that ended prematurely as of 1926 should take caution > this book will annoy you and kind of offend you.

[Mark Pollus]

Does anyone know if this was self-published? This thing is full of syntax and grammatical errors. Whoever wrote this is not qualified to be an author. The book is just a rambling piece of fan fiction. But it must have been a sincere effort I guess. I got the book from a friend and we both love Rudy and old movies. The more Valentino the better.

[Terry Weatherby]

Not very well written. Kind of boring. Tried to like it.

[Diana Lefler]

This is not a book, it’s a big waste of effort, time, and paper. Errors abound in syntax and grammar and punctuation. In this book Rudy just breeds like a rabbit with no soul or heart. Some parts are decent.