I never thought of Rudolph Valentino as a dull actor, but that's just what he is in this dreary account of Camille. As if to make up for Valentino's stodgy performance and his amazing lack of charisma, Alla Nazimova has gone to the opposite extreme, indulgently over- acting and sporting the most bizarre hair style I've ever seen – either in a motion picture or even in real life. The movie is directed by the none-too-talented Ray C. Smallwood (who actually left movie directing behind him in 1922, but then returned to Hollywood 22 years later as a special effects man!). Smallwood was obviously under the complete control of producer/actor Nazimova who hogs the camera like mad from start to finish. She really revels in what seems like a continuous, never-ending series of really bizarre close-ups. I certainly hope that Nazimova's other movies are considerably less dreary. I have seen the Kodascope cutdown of Salomé in which she plays the title role quite ably. But Camille, I feel, is a movie she would rather forget. Even her own performance is remarkably inept. And as for that high-hat hair style!
Review of Camille
