Why has Valentino gone down in history as the greatest screen lover? The question has been debated for years by psychologists, sociologists, expert cineasts and modest film-buffs, but no one convincing answer has ever been given. Undoubtedly, his kind of sex appeal revolutionized the canons as regards the cinematographical actor. Another factor is that the intensity and convincingness of his portrayals of characters, who were real for him, increased significantly his power to seduce the masses. Also, although Hollywood big shots took some time to wake up to the phenomenon, his incarnating the 'Latin lover' contributed enormously to his rise to fame. In the Twenties, when escape from reality was what filmgoers sought above all else, the "lover overseas" exercised a far greater attraction than the somewhat stilted domestic product.



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