DVD Review: Two Gloria Swanson silents directed by Allan Dwan

I guess it all depends on one’s age, perspective, and understanding of film history. Some people only know Gloria Swanson from “Sunset Boulevard.” Others are only aware of her cameo on a 1966 episode of TV’s “The Beverly Hillbillies.” There are even those who are only aware of her having appeared in “Airport 1975.”

In fact, Gloria Swanson might have done her best work in silent features while directed by Allan Dwan, and two of these examples have been released to DVD and blu ray by Kino Lorber.

“Manhandled” is a 1924 release in which Gloria Swanson plays Tessie, an overworked shop girl who is neglected by her boyfriend, a working-class mechanic trying to get somewhere his inventions. She accepts an invitation by her boss to attend a party, and ends up finding her way into that level of society, goaded by a friend who tells her that she can charm wealth out of “these boobs.” Tessie realizes quickly that she is out of her element, and soon also discovers that their interest in her has underlying motivation.

“Stage Struck” is a 1925 feature in which Gloria Swanson again plays Jennie, another working girl, this time in a diner trying to capture the attention of Orme, a handsome pancake flipper while dreaming of someday becoming a stage star. The conflict occurs when an actual actress arrives in town in a Riverboat show and catches Orme’s attention. Jennie pits herself against the actress in an attempt to attract Orme.

Allen Dwan was the best director to showcase Gloria Swanson’s abilities, including a natural flair for comedy that she had developed while working for Mack Sennett. The opening of “Manhandled” shows Tessie as tired and aching from a day’s work, and then presents the diminutive woman on a cramped subway car, being lifted by the larger people pressed on every side of her, dropping her things, holding onto the coat straps of others, and being squeezed and prodded beyond her endurance. It is really a remarkable scene, director Dwan’s tight shots allowing the viewer to really sense how uncomfortable the central figure in the frame is.

“Stage Struck” ambitiously opens with a lengthy sequence in Technicolor featuring Gloria in glittery costumes engaging in a melodrama. This is something of a parody in that Swanson had become known for costume dramas that caused critics to respond to how she looked and give little attention to her skill as an actress. The color sequence turns out to be a dream, as suddenly we see her waking up from this fantasy, surrounded by the dreary reality of a black and white world.

“Stage Struck” makes even better use of Gloria Swanson’s slapstick training, as she flips pancakes, causing one to land on her head (and she can’t figure out where it went). Later she engages in a boxing match and when, in desperation, she jumps overboard from a riverboat, she gets caught on a hook.

With these features, director Dwan challenges the screen persona that Swanson had established and allows her to draw from her acting abilities while giving her both a showcase and a framework that affects her presentation. Dwan expertly switches from expansive long shots, to establishing medium shots, to cramped close-ups in order to best present the movement within the frame. When Jennie takes a tumble with a full tray of dishes, Dwan surrounds her central image with negative space. When Tessie is surrounded by society partygoers that are well outside her element, she is shown standing in confused silence while the title cards show the others pretentious adding layers to the simplest conversations.

Success is relevant in both films, and each from the working class. The boyfriend in “Manhandled” does manage to make his invention work. The desired man in “Stage Struck” realizes that Gloria is truly more dazzling than the actress he thought he coveted.

Both films feature romantic conflict, physical and situational comedy, a nice succession of shots, and strong supporting casts. Arthur Housman, later famous for playing drunks, appears in “Manhandled.” “Stage Struck” boasts an appearance by pioneering Keystone comedian Ford Sterling.

Despite that both films were challenging Gloria Swanson’s image, each of them were box office hits. “Manhandled was widely proclaimed by critics and moviegoers as the best Gloria Swanson film to date. “Stage Struck” enjoyed the same level of critical acclaim and box office success.

Dwan and Swanson would work together in eight feature films, and each time he would successfully draw out areas of her abilities that other directors never discovered. Dwan had been working since the 1910s and continued direction movies into the 1960s.

Kino’s print of each film is restored from the best available elements. “Manhandled” is restored from footage provided by Lobster Films and the Indiana University Libraries Moving Image Archive. The best footage from each source was combined. “Stage Struck” is mastered from 35mm elements preserved by the George Eastman museum, containing the original Technicolor epilogue and prologue.

The Special Features on each are also quite commendable. “Manhandled” provides informative commentary by film historian Gaylyn Studlar, and a nicely detailed essay booklet by film historian Peter Labuza. “Stage Struck” offers a commentary by film historian Fredric Lombardi, whose insights into Allen Dwan are quite fascinating, and an excellent booklet by film historian Farran Smith Nehme.

Both of these releases are recommended to libraries, research centers, schools that provide film study, and silent film enthusiasts. They are both important from a socio-historical perspective as well as for their aesthetic significance.

“Manhandled” is available here.

“Stage Struck is available here