Okay I compared her to the evil Queen in Snow White in the last Sheik Week article, but tonight we give Natacha a fair shake. Or try to. In fairness "The Hooded Falcon" was probably the bitchiest time in her life and relationship with Valentino, and there was so much more before and after that. I should know...I just spent 6 hours working up a Silent Wiki article for her which you can check out by clicking here. Some fascinating stuff. I think I got a grasp on this girl now.
She was kinda cool
Rambova's mother could only be described as a social climber and/or gold digger. The woman was married 4 times...twice to millionaires and extremely successful men. She seemed to have a love/hate relationship with her mother. A lot of Rambova's aloofness stems from rejecting her mother's social world. She seen the social climbing exploits as pointless, and liked to immerse herself in what she seen as better pursuits: studying mythology, drawing, and ballet.
She didn't pick the best of men
Her first lover was a ballet dancer named Theodore Kosloff who was first her teacher then her lover. A...he was a married 32 year old with a handicapped daughter, and Rambova was 17. This seemed to only bother Rambova's mother who for once made some damned sense. Rambova stayed with Kosloff for a few years until Alla Nazimova rescued her from his art chick harem. The guy had a harem! Literally a bunch of girls who danced for him, did his work, and were umm...'servicing' him.
Sure they got themselves into it...but Kosloff was abusive and controlling, and would shoot your ass if you left him! Thats what happened to Rambova when she finally escaped! She never pressed charges, likely because she was embarrassed. Now judging by how submissive she was its weird she would later be so damn dominating.
That Art Thing...
Rambova actually did work (which Kosloff took credit for) on several Cecil B DeMille films including the lavish "Why change your wife?" (which I shall see next month, stay tuned for that article!) I was right...she had this arty problem. She knew it, and she recognized it. After "The Sainted Devil" (which was basically her picture) flopped hard she said quote, "...lost sight of the that if beauty is only used as shallow satisfaction for the eye and not combined with food for the soul as well...it is but an empty gilded shell." Or in normal people speak: "I hate scripts, and I kill good ones with my arty intentions". She had talent, but it did not belong in film. That is where my opinion stands.
Oh and the irony? Our logo is from The Sainted Devil. Go figure. You win this round Natacha...
She was quite 'Occult-y'
Rambova had been into the occult and new age-y stuff since her teens, long before Valentino or even Kosloff. She found ancient religions fascinating especially the Egyptian one. This obviously comes across in her designs. She was convinced she had lived a past life in Egypt, and believed in various psychic things such as automatic writing and spirit guides. Oh and she thought Valentino spoke to her from the dead.
No shit: Natacha is the reason Valentino has all the new age-y kooks around him now (that article coming up tomorrow I believe). She wrote two books in the year after his death, both reportedly containing messages from him. He was mad he was taken so soon; oh and him, Olive Thomas, and Wallace Reid went to the Opera to see Enrico Caruso sing and they were happy. Depending how new age-y your own personal beliefs this is either utterly insane or quite fascinating. If your a Valentino fan the odds are high its the latter (not saying myself personally, I err on the side of its kooky.)
Later in her life Rambova taught classes and wrote about various new age-y things. She also edited a series on Egyptian Religion and Mythology. I took a rough guess and believe she did volumes 1 through 4 (seems the series continued to at least 1976...and she was long dead at least this go by then) but its hard to find out for sure.
She didn't like riding on Valentino's name
See this one is weird. She wrote the two books about Valentino...so how did she NOT ride on his name? Since this is the 'be nice to Natacha' article I got a theory here: she wrote those books to defend herself since George Ullman had released a book earlier slamming her every which way. She wanted to be private, but wanted to defend herself. Thus the books.
However before and after this little slip she did sincerely not ride on his name. When her second film, "When Love Grows Cold" had its title changed as such (originally it was "Do Clothes Make the Woman?") and the promotional items billed in massive letters MRS. RUDOLPH VALENTINO she vowed to never be in films again. And she didn't. And this all took place in 25 before Valentino was even dead!
Later in life on the 25th anniversary of his death she refused to speak to reporters, and threatened to sue if a new movie about him portrayed her. It didn't. But that was the last said of her in relation to Valentino.
Now the obvious sore point: Valentino and Rambova
There is one reason and only one reason I'm writing this article as we speak: Valentino really truly loved Rambova, and probably would threaten to kick my ass if he heard a word I had to say about her. Even though she was extremely cold and bitter to him (and withdrew 3 Valentino babies from us) he did love her to the very end. His ulcers were not helped by the stress and the loss of her. Had she been around maybe he would have lived, because no one else was able to make him see a Doctor or care to live. Even June Mathis! And she tried!
I do think she was a controlling ball busting bitch. HOWEVER it does make one ask to what extent. Valentino let her, so did he want her to? I think overall I wouldn't have even cared if this didn't go back to her choking his films with art. CHOKING them. I stand by my theory in the last Sheik Week Article, Valentino wasn't arty until Rambova came along.
However she was devastated when he died, and she believed they had reconciled while he was on his death bed (no one realized at that point he was going to die). She thought they would be back together. So maybe her horrible unjustifiable actions are slightly less offensive when one thinks they were done out of hurt. She was hurt he 'betrayed' her by taking the UA contract, and she felt she deserved a hand in his career. But still...it was extremely childish.
However Valentino loved her to the end. And she didnt pull a Pola Negri. So...she gets SOME credit.
And the final irony
Apparently according to 'Dark Lover' Rambova's death certificate listed her as a 'housewife'. Im sorry it was funny. And if reincarnation is real I'm sure someday she'll raise hell over it. A weird note: where was she buried? I do not possess "Madam Valentino" (though I would like to) and no where online or Valentino-y seems to mention where she was buried. Findagrave says ashes scattered in Arizona...though that would be random. There must be an answer to this! Unless she pulled a Veronica Lake...
1 comments:
Well, i am not a big fan of Natacha. Rudy should understand too. I find that they would be better at being friends than lovers. I think at first, Rudy needed to be with someone who knew about the film industry. But, after awhile, Rudy wanted more control over his actions. He wanted Natacha to be more domesticated or more a "wife". There was a reason i believe Rudy signed that contract. At that point, Rudy felt he needed to take some control. That was his way of telling Natacha because before then, she just didn't get the hint! I think it's great that they worked together, but it seemed she was mostly interested in furthering her career and her interest in art. I feel being a wife, came second. I believe she had feelings for Rudy, maybe even love mixed with guilt. But, she liked him as long as he allowed her a lot of freedom. Maybe her need for freedom or control was due to some past experience with men. Of course, as Rudy layed dying, he asked for Natacha. It seems they reconciled which is not surprising in Rudy's grave state. But, this doesn't mean they could live together as husband and wife. Also, i think Rudy cared for Natacha. But, he didn't do without. He got Pola as a girlfriend. But, he didn't want to be tied or chained to Pola as he would take out other girls.
We just don't know whether Rudy would have married Pola or someone else. But, i don't think he wanted to marry too soon this time like he did the first two times. Marriage is something not to take lightly maybe Rudy finally found that out.
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