Matt Tyrnauer:
Valentino's Day
By Richard Knight, Jr.
As a special correspondent for Vanity Fair, Matt Tyrnauer has profiled a lot of big names, with Martha Stewart; Siegfried and Roy; and Greg Kinnear among them. But he struck gold when he profiled the Italian fashion design legend Valentino. Not only did the elusive designer open up his private life to Tyrnauer; after the article was published, he took the unprecedented step of allowing Tyrnauer and his cameras to follow him and his business and life partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, around for the last two years before his retirement.
The resulting film from the openly gay Tyrnauer, Valentino: The Last Emperor ( opening this Friday at the Landmark Century ) , is an enthralling glimpse into a private world of sumptuous luxury, a behind-the-scenes look at couture fashion, and most endearingly, a warm portrait of the decades-long relationship of Valentino and Giancarlo—a true gay power couple. As Windy City Times spoke with Tyrnauer, he has just returned to his home base in New York after taping an episode of Oprah with the designer and his partner.
Windy City Times: You must be on cloud nine after the huge boost that Oprah gave to the movie—I mean she did three detailed segments on it—wow.
Matt Tyrnauer: I think we were all blown away; Valentino, Giancarlo and I were very surprised and we were honored. It was almost an out-of-body experience. [ Laughs ] The power of Oprah—we were flooded with so many e-mails the next day that our system did, of course, crash a few times. [ Laughs ]
WCT: Why did Valentino trust you and give you such intimate access? Did Giancarlo help pave the way? Did the magazine piece just make it a natural segue into the movie?
MT: I'm not sure why they opened up to me. I'm not a fashion writer and I think that had something to do with it. I think having someone who shared their sexuality and someone who was gay and an American was probably helpful. I don't know; I think that they felt they could be open with me because I would identify with them on a certain level and we went deeply personal very quickly.
They were telling me things they'd never told anyone else—how they met, who their boyfriends were before and how long they were together, and what it was like to have trouble along the way in the relationship. I mean that they were talking about the relationship at all was mind blowing. I became very interested in the relationship. It's a 50-year marriage but it's really more than a marriage. It's as if two people became a part of a whole, which I think is a really interesting thing. Especially when you're talking about gay relationships and longevity in gay relationships is frequently hard to come by and this one was in world record territory for me.
WCT: Ironically, with all this Prop 8 stuff, their relationship almost seems an argument against gay marriage. Like who needs it when you can build something like what they have? Did they ever discuss the topic with you?
MT: It's coming up in all the press we're doing and I'm glad it is and I'm glad that you just asked that question because I agree with you. Let me first say that Proposition 8 is toxic and it must be repealed. People should be able to do whatever they want and everyone should be protected equally under the law. However, this movie does show—because it examines what could be called a proto gay marriage that two people—in this case, two men—can really go—especially in the city of the Vatican [ Laughs ] in a country that is 99 percent Catholic—for 50+ years without being married. They are not really interested in the concept of gay marriage. It's not that they reject it; it's just that it's not in their worldview. I mean, look at the generation—they came of age in the 50s, they're Italian [ and ] Giancarlo and Valentino lived with their mothers until the mothers died.
WCT: Oh, good heavens …
MT: … They never told the mothers about their relationship even though the mothers were living in the house. [ Laughs ] So this is very Italian, where the forbidden is permitted in plain sight.
WCT: Talk about the down low.
MT: Exactly. That's a great point and this gives new meaning to the "down low"—we've got to figure out the Italian for "down low." I think I heard Valentino say last week that he has no interest in the idea of gay marriage but this is not to be looked at negatively. I think this is actually affirmational because this movie is out there talking about their relationship. It's a love story.
Charlie Rose asked them, "Was it Capri in 1960 where [ you ] fell in love?" and they were forced to answer that question, which I assure you no one has ever asked them publicly or privately before and they're out there with this story. One of the reasons I wanted to make the movie was to put that relationship out there so people can learn from its example. I think that this story was a story that wouldn't have been told if not for this lucky chance meeting with them. It's really nice to put this example forward for people to look at and either accept or reject or be indifferent to. They're admitting it's a love story and this is a new thing for them.
Filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer will be in Chicago March 27-28 for a Q&A after the 7 p.m. show at Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark.
