“Movie stars then were Gods and Goddesses, not mere mortals that walked amongst us, and Rudolph Valentino was, perhaps, the greatest of them all.”

‘Blood and Sand’, directed by Fred Niblo and starring Rudolph Valentino, is an American silent movie drama. Valentino plays Juan Gallardo, a Spaniard who grows up in poverty but becomes a national hero as a bullfighter. He falls in love with a local widow called Doña Sol, played by Nita Naldi, but is already married to Carmen, played by Lila Lee. The subsequent affair and the stresses that the relationship brings leads Gallardo to become reckless in his profession and to be fatally injured in a fight. It’s a movie of primal images and stories. The tangled love affairs of Gallardo are told in the context of the brutality of his bullfighting, whilst a subplot involving a local criminal and his downfall picks out details of the tragedy of the matador’s story. It’s the first time I’ve watched Valentino perform. He was at the time the most famous actor in the world, but his short life meant that he only made a handful of movies and, as such, is now little seen. His name is still synonymous with star performances and personas however, and it is fascinating to see the charismatic star in action. He is the centre of the film and, with very little, is able to sweep you into the story and to feel genuine regret at his narrative trajectory. The sets and location filming are lush and extravagant looking, and the fight scenes are filled with kinetic action and dramatic tension. It is uncomfortable to see the brutality of bullfighting celebrated as a heroic act, but looking beyond this is it clear how exciting and absorbing the film would have been at the time.

Would I recommend it? Yes – it’s pacey, thrilling and has a central performance that is captivating. Watch in a double bill with ‘The Thief of Bagdad’, another silent movie that stands out because of a charismatic star.