Fine Manners

Fine Manners is a 1926 American blackandwhite silent comedy film directed initially by Lewis Milestone and completed by Richard Rosson for Famous PlayersLaskyParamount Pictures. After an argument with actress Gloria Swanson, director Milestone walked off the project, causing the film to be completed by Rosson, who had picked up directorial tricks while working as an assistant director to Allan Dwan. The success of the film, being Rossons first directorial effort since he codirected Her Fathers Keeper in 1917 with his brother Arthur Rosson, won him a longterm contract with Famous PlayersLasky.

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 another interesting screen portrayal to her long list of successes. Miami News called the film a most laughable comedy and reported Critics say this is Glorias triumph. 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 stars most popular vehicle.Conversely, The New York Times noted that Fine Manners was reminiscent of George Bernard Shaws 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 Shaws cockney heroine. They noted that writers underscore the differences between the societal ranks of the two protagonists by emphasizing Orchids 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. ........

Source: Wikipedia