BEYOND THE ROCKS
Starring Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson
PHOTOPLAY
July, 1922
Written, supervised and dominated by the personality of Elinor Glyn. A little unreal and hectic as though the continuous presence of the stars was the desired object. But those who like Valentino and Swanson will not be disappointed. A glynish tale of true love, baronial halls and the treacherous Alps, with Gloria's makeup whiter than the snows.
BEYOND THE ROCKS
Starring Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson
VARIETY
May 12, 1922
"Lasky production, starring Gloria Swanson, with Rodolph Valentino featured, based upon the novel by Elinor Glyn, placed in screen form by Jack Cunningham. Sam Wood did the directing, with the production a regular Paramount program feature.
"Beyond the Rocks" has the customary Glyn features. It has been mentioned as a sequel to "Three Weeks" and successfully develops the necessary action for a melodramatic love story. With the Glyn name behind the story and Valentino as the ardent lover, the production should have little difficulty in securing the necessary returns from the regular picture fans.
The story presents the eternal triangle idea with several punches. Theodora Fitzgerald (Miss Swanson) who has married for money, shortly after discovers her love for a heroic young nobleman. Her husband is considerably older, and her love affair with the younger man develops rapidly. It becomes so ardent they decide to break it off entirely to avoid trouble. The wife writes her love to this effect and to her husband at the same time. The letters are switched by a jealous woman; the husband learns his wife loves another. He immediately leaves with an expedition to Africa. She follows accompanied by her mother and the young lord. The husband's party is attacked by bandits in this desert and he is shot just as his wife's party arrives. On his deathbed he places her hand in that of the man she loves.
"Beyond the Rocks" has been built purely as a program feature. Its story should attract business with Miss Swanson and Valentino nicely suited. The picture may prove a matinee business getter. It has all of the requisites for the female picture fan.
BEYOND THE ROCKS
Starring Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson
PICTURE PLAY
August, 1922
The full title of this film should read "Beyond the Rocks,
or Around the World with Rodolph and Gloria." For, if there
is a single corner of Europe which is not touched by these two
happy adventurers it is because Burton Holmes has never heard
of it. Each change of background means a corresponding change
of costume for Rodolph Valentino; he makes at least twelve lightning
changes, including hair cuts. Needless to say, Gloria Swanson
matches each with one of her own and sometimes goes him one better.
So what with the shifting wardrobes and the shifting geography,
this film cannot be said to lack excitement which is fortunate
when you consider the plot. For the story although by the
unconventional Elinor Glyn is one of those custom-made affairs
which are becoming as typical of Paramount as the "Follies"
are of Ziegfeld. The ingredients are one misunderstood wife, one
fervent but noble lover, a boob husband, and unlimited
sunsets, lakes and villas at moonlight. "Beyond the Rocks"
has a slight glimmer of originality at the end when the fat, vulgar
and rich husband is obliging enough to go to Africa and get himself
shot so that his wife and the handsome young stranger may be happy.
This prosaic husband is the real hero of the piece, but because
he is fat and still a grocer for all his millions, the roseate
spotlight falls on the slim young lover. Life is like that! That
this routine action is not dull, is due entirely to the personalities
of the two stars. You may know exactly what is going to happen,
but you don't know how Rodolph and Gloria will meet it, and this,
in addition to the natural charm of the actors, keeps you interested.
But what a grand and glorious feeling it would give if Paramount
broke loose into a series of pictures that weren't stamped with
an inevitable cut-and-dried action. I shudder to think of what
"Beyond the Rocks' would be if it weren't for its two scintillating
stars.
BEYOND THE ROCKS
Starring Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson
MOTION PICTURE CLASSIC
August, 1922
"Beyond the Rocks" is garish stuff. But with Gloria Swanson and Rodolph Valentino dividing the electric lights, you can count upon its being a box-office clean-up. This coupled with the fact that the pen of Elinor Glyn constructed the thing.
But Mrs. Glyn did not strain her cerebral apparatus in building the tale. It is just another variation of the young woman who marries an elderly man only to find real love in a youth who comes along a year or so after the doddering bridegroom has disregarded his wedding clothes for a dressing-robe by the fireside. Not much of a story, you say? But remember that Gloria is the bored young bride and Rodolph is the youthful third party. Imagine the conflagration. Nero started nothing so effective in old Rome.
Sam Wood has seemingly done his best with the story, which moves pretty jerkily. But, after all, you can't take it very seriously. You'll either like it or you won't. It all depends upon how you grade Mrs. Glyn among our intellectual literary gentry.
Gloria falls over the Swiss Alps in the nicest gowns and things and changes them all the time. And Rodolph is very, very intense. Their performances are of the elusive stuff of which film popularity is made. Actually, Alec Francis gives the smoothest characterization. You may observe the once starred June Elvidge in a small role.
For more information, see "Beyond the Rocks" as our "Feature of the Month"