“ HOW TO HANDLE WOMEN” PROVIDES SPARKLING COMEDY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18623, 27 November 1928, Page 7

“ HOW TO HANDLE WOMEN” PROVIDES SPARKLING COMEDY.

The theme of the big picture at Crystal Palace last night is set out in its title. There are many ways in which to handle women, each way depending largely on the particular woman’s disposition, foibles, desires, and temperament, but when a picture conies with the title “ How to Handle Women,” the only deduction from it is that it is one of the most diverting type of pictures screened, the type that does not pretend to instruct, or to be a profound study', or to point the proverbial moral, but to make the heart lighter with laughter, and, for a time at least, to chase away dull care. So it is with this picture at Crystal Palace. In this admirable comedy-farce Mr Glenn Tryon is a newspaper cartoonist with

a weakness for peanuts. Leaving his little humdrum village, he goes to New York, to earn fame and make a fortune. A third incentive to life is provided when he meets Miss Marian Nixon, who conducts a column in a newspaper giving advice to romantic young men and girls. To fame and fortune he adds love. Even with these powerful incentives—and the greatest of these is love—he fails to get a job. Then comes along Mr Raymond Keane as the Prince of Volgaria, who refuses to see reporters. Getting the prince’s apartments in order to

“ scoop ” his rivals, in the way of newspaper men, the cartoonist learns that the prince’s object is to obtain a loan from the United States for his principality. The shrewd Americans are reluctant to oblige, on account of lack of national resources for security. To help the prince out of his difficulties, and to impress the girl, the resourceful cartoonist assumes the identity of the prince, uses his art for all it is worth, sells Volgaria’s peanut crop to American bankers for a large sum. and pleases and astonishes his sweetheart with his talents for statesmanship finance, and diplomacy-. This is how he handles women. It is a good way. It depends largely- on a sequence of events, rarely available in real life, but that does not affect the success of the story on the screen. So well are the incidents worked out, directed, and acted that it all seems as natural as Mr Tryon’s liking for peanuts and his fondness for a pretty and attractive girl. He enlists first her interest, and then her devotion, and when the prince’s enemies take a hand in the

plot, and the police discover that the cartoonist is an impostor. he, with her help,, holds them all at bay\ The bogus prince who rules a peanut kingdom is one of the most genuinely humorous characters screened. Mr Tryon fits into it perfectly-. He is decidedly original, his acting being different in form from the acting of the general run of comedians. His gifted personality carries him a long way to begin with, and he has trained and developed his talents so carefully that those who see him are carried along with him from the beginning of the story to the end. Miss Nixon has been described as “ the sweetest girl in the pictures.” She began her career as a dancer in vaudeville, became notable as an expert toe, ballet, eccentric, and ballroom dancer, and went on to the screen by accident. Reference has been made to the directing of this picture. Here the credit should be given to Mr W. J. Craft, who has specialised in comedy-. He shows much skill in bringing together the elements of the story-, to make the most of the humorous incidents. On the whole, “ llow to Handle Women ” is one of the most entertaining and refreshing stories of its kind shown at Cry-stal Palace this year. Quite different in all respects is “ Diamond Handcuffs.” This picture traces a diamond trail of drama from an African diamond mine to London and to New- York’s underworld. It is a story of a diamond’s sinister spell over men and women. Tragedy follows in its wake. Around it are greed, hate, avarice, and other evil passions until it is smashed to atoms under the wheels of a dray. Miss Eleanor Boardman takes the leading part. Supporting her are Mr Conrad Nigel and Miss Gwen Lee. : The Symphony Orchestra and its able conductor, Mr A. J. Bunz, had a programme of special items. Conspicuous * amongst these -were Beethoven’s 1 “ Eroica,” Woodforde-Finden’s “ Pagoda ] of Flowers,” and Herold’s “ Zampa.” i Amongst the other items were Caryll’s 1 “ Kissing Time,” Heuberger’s “ The < Opera Ball,” Rimmer’s “ Wedding 1 Bells.” and Arbos’s “ Spanish Suite.” 1 1