Manpower (Warner Bros.) (1941)

"MANPOWER' — PUBLICITY Slapping Dietrich Proves Raft's Hardest Film Task George Raft has just completed his most difficult assignment in quite a few years as a motion picture star. “Manpower”, the new film at Still Raft 9; Mat 114—15c GEORGE RAFT the Strand Theatre starting today with Marlene Dietrich and Edward G. Robinson as the other top players, gave Mr. Raft a run for his money. It wasn’t enough that the man who is considered one of Hollywood’s best dressers, the man with more suits than moods, had to perform in working clothes and cheaplooking duds (he plays a none too rich telephone lineman). It wasn’t enough that he had to spend a whole day making a scene which called for him to consume a bottle of beer. Beer is the one beverage that can’t be faked in the movies. Nothing else provides a realistic foam. By the time the sixth take—and the sixth bottle—came along, Raft was prepared to swear off. Director Raoul Walsh kept him happy by feeding him pretzels. There were two difficulties about which Walsh could do very little, however. Both involved integral and important plot developments. First off there was the matter of slapping Miss Dietrich. Raft was supposed to slap the lady and throw her down a flight of stairs — accidentally, said the script, but nevertheless definitely. Throughout his career as an actor Raft has insisted on She's A Lucky Star! Raoul Walsh, whose 20-year record of box office successes probably exceeds that of any other director in Hollywood, places Marlene Dietrich at the head of his list of “Seven Lucky Stars’ who are “the easiest to get along with and the easiest to make successful pictures with.” Walsh named Miss Dietrich, who is co-starring with Edward G. Robinson and George Raft in “Manpower,” along with Marion Davies, Ida Lupino, Priscilla Lane, Ann Sheri dan, Lily Pons and Gloria Swanson. The new, exciting Warner Bros.’ film makes its local debut this Friday at the Strand. playing decent characters, not the kind that go around hitting Marlene Dietrich. Morally, the slap might be permissible, but Raft didn’t have complete faith in his power to pull the punch. When Miss Dietrich confessed that she was actually looking forward to the scene, as a connoisseur of slaps and punches, Raft finally gave way. Jittery as an expectant father, he rehearsed the scene and went through a perfect take without so much as disturbing Miss Dietrich’s make-up. Then he took the rest of the day off. When he came back to the studio the next day the company was ready for some action shots showing him and Robinson at work atop telephone poles. He climbed up a pole, forgot to fasten his safety belt and promptly fell off. They taped a couple of his ribs and he went back up to continue his role. Oh for the life of a movie star. With some _ headache powders and iodine. In 'Manpower' Opening Today Still MP 33; Mat 103—15c George Raft and Marlene Dietrich are the high-voltage love team of today's new picture, ''Manpower", at the Strand. Edward G. Robinson is co-starred with them in the powerful action story, which was directed by Raoul Walsh. A strong supporting cast includes Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Ward Bond, Eve Arden, Joyce Compton and many more. Robinson Exits Talking In New ‘Manpower’ Role The more you die the longer you last as an actor, according to Edward G. Robinson. Robinson’s death scene in “Manpower”, the new film which opens at the Strand Theatre on Friday with Marlene Dietrich and George Raft in the co-starring roles, marks about his twentieth such last reel exit in ten years as a Hollywood star. The exact count is a bit uncertain because at least once he played a dual role in which he died and lived simultaneously. “A death scene,” says Robinson, “is the most valuable assignment an actor can get. It also is one of the most difficult. There’s nothing easier to overact. But if you do it right it is by its very nature the most important sequence of the picture. Audiences invariably remember death scenes.” In ‘Manpower’, however, dying is only a small portion of Robinson’s assignment. For the first time he dances on the screen. It isn’t much of a dance. His screen partner re ‘Manpower’ at Strand Stacks Up as Entertainment-Plus Cast Headed by Triple Threat Star Trio of Robinson, Dietrich and Raft Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich and George Raft are the co-starring trio of “Manpower”, the new picture which opened yesterday at the Strand. With this triple-threat star grouping, an_ exciting story by ace scripters Jerry Wald and Richard Macaulay, and masterful direction by Raoul Walsh, director of such recent hits as “High Sierra” and “Strawberry Blonde’, “Manpower” stacks up as entertainment-plus. The new film is set against a background of the Pacific Coast’s night life, where the hard-boiled linemen relax between the dangerous jobs of adjusting high tension power lines. Second home for most of them is the cheap and joyful Club ‘“28’’, where they are entertained by the B-girls (dance hall hostesses), and forget the dangers of their daily life. It is a close little fraternity, the men bonded together by the hazards of their job. Closest of these bonds is that between the two characters portrayed by Raft and Robinson. In a crashing electric storm, as they are dealing with hot wires, Raft is knocked unconscious, and Robinson attempting to save him, receives a permanent leg injury. Raft, in turn, drags him to safety. When he recovers, the two men are closer than ever. Then Dietrich comes into their lives. She plays the daughter of one of the older linemen, and no better a Bgirl than she should be. She has just come out of the penitentiary, and soon after her Still MP 502; Mat 201—30c TNTrio—George Raft, Marlene Dietrich and Edward G. Robinson in the Strand's new hit, Manpower’. release her father is killed on the job. Robinson, whose character in the film is that of a simple, vigorous soul without too much insight, feels sorry for her, and over his friend’s hard-bitten protests, marries her. They set up housekeeping in a small apartment. Raft, injured in an accident, comes to stay with them and recuperate. Although he is attracted by Dietrich, he refuses to meet her halfway when she plays up to him. She decides, since he will not have anything to do with her and she doesn’t love Robinson, that she may as well go back to her old work. She goes to the club to ask the proprietor if she can have a job at his place in Chicago. While she is there, the place is raided and she goes to jail. Raft hears about it and hurries down to the jail to get her out before Robinson finds out. Furious and disgusted with her, he slaps her down a flight of stairs, makes her promise to go back to her husband. But, determined to be honest, she tells Robinson she’s going to leave him, that she loves Raft. Murder in his heart, Robinson rushes out in a storm to find Raft. The ensuing clash has all the fury of a strong friendship turned to hate, and makes a thrilling finish to the powerful dramatic story. Still EGR 333; Mat 101—15c EDWARD G. ROBINSON marks that he has worn a path right up her ankles. But it’s progress. Robinson and light frivolity have been a long time getting together. Even in his memorable comedy hit, “A Slight Case of Murder,” he played a serious minded racketeer who had no chance for the lighter things. Let no one say, however, that Warner Bros. has not given him the best of everything in “Manpower”. He marries Marlene Dietrich, he is a law-abiding citizen with nice Jerry Wald-Richard Macaulay lines to speak and some of the most hectic action scenes he has enjoyed since “Kid Galahad”. He has spectacular bouts with everything up to and including the weather, in his role of telephone lineman specializing in trouble shooting assignments. When he finally dies it is a spectacular death with high power lines involved in the proceedings and some good juicy lines to speak. If Robinson had cared to, he might have pointed out that several of the most successful films, such as “Dark Victory” and “Camille”, were little more than long death scenes. As far as the movies are concerned, while there’s life there’s hope for a good demise. Says It With Roses “George Raft is the gentlest man I ever knew — at least with girls,” said Marlene Dietrich the morning after Raft slapped her down a flight of steps. “His eyes were tight shut when he hit me, and Mack Grey tells me George was almost in tears.” The slap, a new experience for Raft, who had never hit a woman on the screen, occurred in a scene in “Manpower” the Strand’s current attraction. She returned to work next morning, found her dressing room filled with roses from George Raft. Edward G. Robinson shares the leading roles with Dietrich and Raft. Also featured in “Manpower” are Frank McHugh, Alan Hale, Eve Arden and many other’ popular players of the screen. 11