Fine Manners
| Fine Manners | |
|---|---|
 lobby card | |
| Directed by |
Richard Rosson Lewis Milestone |
| Produced by | William LeBaron |
| Screenplay by | J. Clarkson Miller |
| Story by |
James A. Creelman Frank Vreiland |
| Starring |
Gloria Swanson Eugene O'Brien |
| Cinematography | George Webber |
| Studio | Famous Players-Lasky |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release dates |
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| Running time |
70 minutes 7 reels, 35mm |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English intertitles |
Fine Manners is a 1926 American black-and-white silent comedy film directed initially by Lewis Milestone[1] and completed by Richard Rosson for Famous Players-Lasky/Paramount Pictures. After an argument with actress Gloria Swanson, director Milestone walked off the project, causing the film to be completed by Rosson,[2] who had picked up directorial tricks while working as an assistant director to Allan Dwan.[3] The success of the film, being Rosson's first directorial effort since he co-directed Her Father's Keeper in 1917 with his brother Arthur Rosson,[4] won him a long-term contract with Famous Players-Lasky.[4]
After Fine Manners, Gloria Swanson ended her association with Paramount despite pleadings from Allan Dwan to stay.[5] In 1926, she turned down a million-dollar-a-year contract with Paramount to join the (then) newly created United Artists so as to have more control over her projects.[6]
She did not return to Paramount until 24 years later, in 1950 for her role as Norma Desmond in the film Sunset Blvd.
Plot
Burlesque chorus girl Orchid Murphy (Gloria Swanson) attracts the attention of wealthy Brian Alden (Eugene O'Brien), who is posing as a writer while "slumming" in the city. Finding her manner quite refreshing compared to the women he usually meets in his circle, he falls in love with her and confesses his wealth. After she agrees to marriage, he leaves for a six-month tour of South America, and Orchid takes a course in "fine manners" to better prepare herself for Brian's world. She becomes too polished, however, and when asked by Brian to marry him upon his return, is happy to become herself again.
Cast
- Gloria Swanson as Orchid Murphy
- Eugene O'Brien as Brian Alden
- Helen Dunbar as Aunt Agatha
- Roland Drew as Buddy Murphy
- John Miltern as Courtney Adams
- Jack La Rue as New Year's Eve Celebrant
- Ivan Lebedeff as Prince
Critical reception
Berkeley Daily Gazette wrote that in her first time in the role of a burlesque chorus girl, Gloria Swanson is "better than ever" and has added "added another interesting screen portrayal to her long list of successes."[7] Miami News called the film "a most laughable comedy" and reported "Critics say this is Gloria's triumph".[8] St. Petersburg Times wote that Fine Manners stands head and shoulders above anythng Gloria has done for the past year," and note that the story was written specifically for her. They wrote that the film "will prove to be the star's most popular vehicle."[9]
Conversely, The New York Times noted that Fine Maners was reminiscent of George Bernard Shaw's play, Pygmalion, writing "The photoplay has been constructed with meticulous attention to the edicts of the movie school of conventionalities; true characterization, intrigue and subtlety are conspicuously absent. Still, the idea of introducing a chorus girl from a burlesque show and having her try valiantly to grasp the ways of a less demonstrative society, does bring to mind Shaw's cockney heroine." They noted that writers underscore the differences between the societal ranks of the two protagonists by emphasizing Orchid's ignorance of social amenities and by her being assigned a common name. While granting that there are scenes in which the cinematography is clever, they made note that the story itself is not very absorbing.[10]
Release
Fine Manners was released August 1926 in the United States, November 1927 in Portugal, and January 1928 in Finland.
In other films
When preparing for the filming of Ride a Wild Pony in 1976, Disney director Don Chaffey remade the Australian town of Chiltern to make it into the bush town of Barambogie for the film. As the project was a period piece set in 1927, designers used a local cinema that had closed in 1970 and created a period film theater called the Crystal Palace which advertised on its marquee Gloria Swanson in Fine Manners as its current attraction.[11]
References
- ↑ "Fine Manners (1926)". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ↑ Joseph R. Millichap (1981). Lewis Milestone. Twayne's filmmakers series. Twayne Publishers. pp. 15, 31. ISBN 0-8057-9281-3.
- ↑ Lawrence J. Quirk (1984). The films of Gloria Swanson. Citadel Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-8065-0874-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Grace Kingsley (September 28, 1926). "Tony will be in it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ↑ Hal Erickson. "film summarty". Rovi. The New York Times. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ↑ Richard Koszarski (2008). Hollywood on the Hudson: film and television in New York from Griffith to Sarnoff. Rutgers University Press. p. 42. ISBN 0-8135-4293-6.
- ↑ "Gloria Swanson Finds New Field". Berkeley Daily Gazette (Google News Archive). September 13, 1926. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ↑ "Fine Manners". Miami News (Google News Archive). July 3, 1927. p. 23. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ↑ "Gloria Swanson Stars In Photo Booked At Patio". St. Petersburg Times (Google News Archive). August 21, 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ↑ Mordaunt Hall (August 30, 1926). "review: Fine Manners (1926)". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ↑ "Time Turned Backward As Town Is Transformed". Youngstown Vindicator (Google News Archive). March 31, 1976. p. 28. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
External links
- Fine Manners at the Internet Movie Database
- Fine Manners at AllMovie
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