MANHANDLED
starring Gloria Swanson, Tom Moore, Lilyan Tashman
MOVIE WEEKLY
August 23, 1924
Although we do not expect everyone to agree with us, we think "Manhandled" is the best thing Gloria Swanson ever did. By that we do not mean that it is the biggest picture Miss Swanson ever made, but that she proves herself a greater actress than even we, her staunch admirer, believed her to be. She is a comedienne of the first water and seems to be the embodiment of Mabel Normand as she used to be, Colleen Moore as she is now, and herself, all in one. Her impersonation of Chaplin is as brilliant as anything we ever saw on the screen.
In "Manhandled" Miss Swanson is seen in the role of a gum chewing saleslady who sells remnants in the basement of Thorndykes, and says "Okay" to everything. That is, to nearly everything; for Tessie is a "good girl" and will allow no familiarity from anyone, excepting Johnny Hogan, her "steady company." And then Tessie is discovered by a lot of artists and designers who all insist that they want to help her to rise, only they all begin the same way by trying to hold her in their arms. This is what Johnny calls "Manhandling."
Tom Moore is delightful as Johnny, and Ian Keith is the handsomest thing we ever saw on the screen.