Charm

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 13 May 1961, Page 3

Charm

(A Fourth Leader in “The Times”]

“Charm,” it was pronounced in one of the re. views of a recently published novel, “may be loaded word these days reviewer-wise, but this book unequivocally possesses it,” and a critic, writing in the same week about a new film, said: “Charm—no. not as a dirty word—charm is just the word for it.” This suggests that, in reviewing circles at least, “charm,” if used at all as a term of praise, must be accompanied by an explanation. It is difficult to see why; just as it is hard to understand why this attractive word has lately earned a dubious name for itself when it is applied to people. If someone is said to be able “to charm a bird off a tree,” there is an underlying suggestion that he may do something pretty unpleasant to the bird when he gets hold of it. If someone is said to be “oozing with charm,” the speaker’s tone of voice may well imply that there is a perfectly horrible chap lurking under an outer coat of meretricious varnish. Yet charm is apparently something that it is desirable to possess. "Charm schools.” both in this country and in America, are reported to be well attended by students ready to pay good money in order to become more acceptable members of society; and charm—perhaps a slightly different brand of charm—would come high up on many people’s lists of the desirable gifts that a fairy godmother would do well to bestotv on a child. Probably the whole question turns on what is meant by charm. There have been plenty of definitions of this elusive quality, but one tentative suggestion that may be as good as the next is that a man or a woman who possesses charm acts as a kind of rose-tinted lookingglass in which other people see themselves as cleverer, nicer, wittier, and better informed than thev suspect is really the case. This, it may be thought, is a thoroughly desirable attribute in a friend, in a business colleague, or in a chance-met acquaintance—goodness knows there are plenty of circumstances, and plenty of people, too, ready at the drop of a hat to cut everyone down to his right size. Charming people are rare, and they ought to be cultivated and cherished By the same token, if a book or a play or a film, while plumbing no tremendous depths or while plumbing no depths at all. succeeds in enchanting and diverting its readers or

viewers, making them feel happy and pleased with themselves for an hour or two. it could surely be praised for its “charm” without nervous apology?