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Get ‘Manhandled’ at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre on Feb. 23

WILTON – She’s one of the few stars from the silent days whose name is still instantly recognized by the movie-going public.

She’s Gloria Swanson, who defined an era with memorable performances that ranged from intense drama to flat-out comedy.

Swanson’s comedic gifts are on display in ‘Manhandled’ (1924), a riotous society comedy, to be screened with live music on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

The screening will be accompanied with live music by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is free and open to all; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to help defray expenses.

‘Manhandled,’ directed by Allan Dwan, tells the story of Tessie McGuire (Swanson), a down-on-her-luck salesgirl who climbs the social ladder by pretending to be a Russian countess.

Tessie is a working class gal who attends a sculptor’s party, where her skill with mimicry makes her a hit. She is hired by a fashionable dressmaking establishment to use her acting skills on their customers.

Tessie finds that by impersonating a Russian noblewoman, she has men at her beck and call. But then authentic Russians arrive, with unexpected complications.

“Seeing a Gloria Swanson picture in a theater with live music and an audience is a classic movie experiences,” said Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician and the Town Hall Theatre’s resident accompanist.

Rapsis emphasized the value of seeing early cinema as it was originally presented.

“These films were designed for the big screen, live music, and large audiences. If you can put those conditions together again, you get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies,” Rapsis said.

‘Manhandled’ starring Gloria Swanson, will be screened with live music on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Admission is free; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to defray expenses.

For more info, visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com or call (603) 654-3456.

For more about the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.