Introduction to the Readings for Week Five

This week we will be examining the career of Rudolph Valentino, one of the
first major sex symbols to appear on screen. Though adored by millions,
Valentino was also regarded by some as a threat to traditional definitions of
manhood. Along with a number of major Hollywood scandals in the early
1920s, Valentinos career helped ignite new calls for the censorship of
movies.
1. The Perfect Lover? In this piece a modern film historian looks at
ways in which Valentinos version of masculinity was perceived as a
threat.
2. Song of Hate A popular writer in a fan magazine in 1922 launches
a humorous attack on Valentino.
3. Valentino describes his theory of women and love for a fan
magazine. (This was almost certainly written for Valentino by a
studio publicist, but it still reveals much about his public appeal.)
4. In a speech a United States senator expresses concern about the
moral effects of movies.
5. The editor of a major fan magazine responds to the creation of a
new censorship office in 1922.
6. Two writers debate the pros and cons of censorship in a fan
magazine in the early 1920s.