George Raft

[charliechaplinfan]

Then you'll be just like me with football I can't explain anything but the basics to my kids, that's what Dad's are for.

[charliechaplinfan]

I went to the other end of George's career to watch I'll Get You an adorably entertaining movie made in 1950s London. George stars with Sally Gray, who is too young for him, why do film makers insist on putting really young leading ladies with their 50ish co stars? A complaint, it's not convincing and they weren't not in the kissing scene but the banter was good, him cooking eggs and sleeping in the bed whilst she took the sofa. She gets the better of him too, a tough guy getting taken by a small blonde, he makes a lame pass to get a gun off her and she spins him around and has him caught, nifty work. Sally Gray is very good in this movie, I haven't heard of her in anything else though.

A couple of things I noticed, the wanted poster seemed to feature George without toupee whilst his hair looked fuller in the movie, I thought this was part of the plot, he was balding in America but once he's got to Britain he was masquerading as a man with hair. He wears naval uniform too, although I'm not sure how convincing it was.

I loved the shots of London, it gave the movie great nostalgia. I absolutely loved this movie. Here's what I wrote on the noir thread.

Another noir movie, British this time, I'll Get You starring George Raft and the very pretty Sally Gray. Raft, plays an engineer who arrives in England and absconds from the airport which launches a police search for him, you'd think no one else was wanted in London at this time. He lets a pretty secretary get the better of him and gets hauled in to work for British intelligence. It turns out he is the only person to meet Michael Grand a man responsible for the kidnap of top science brains and is brought in to the British investigation to capture Grand. All with the help of Sally Gray an operative of British Intelligence. What's really delightful about this movie is the location work in 1950s London along with the plot that moves along quite quickly. Gray is a bit too young for Raft's love interest but with all of these ageing film stars, it's not meant to matter. The only uncomfortable bits in the film is the love scene between the two, the banter is much better.

[Western Guy]

Re: Photos.

Many moons ago I came across a book in our local library that focused on movie magazines of the 30s. There was an absolutely ridiculous photo of George during his Paramount days decked out in a Little Lord Fauntleroy suit, holding an oversized lollipop. A publicity shot, but don't know how George, a tough and proud man, ever could have humiliated himself in this way - unless he had a hidden sense of self-humor hardly displayed in his choice of film roles, where he took his image absolutely seriously, much to the detriment of his career. Anyhoo, if anyone here knows of this picture and perhaps could offer some insight into its origin, I'd be much appreciative.

[charliechaplinfan]

I can understand posing as Valentino, even as a clown for Follow The Boys but Little Lord Fauntleroy, it's bizarre.

[feaito]

Re: Photos.

Many moons ago I came across a book in our local library that focused on movie magazines of the 30s. There was an absolutely ridiculous photo of George during his Paramount days decked out in a Little Lord Fauntleroy suit, holding an oversized lollipop. A publicity shot, but don't know how George, a tough and proud man, ever could have humiliated himself in this way - unless he had a hidden sense of self-humor hardly displayed in his choice of film roles, where he took his image absolutely seriously, much to the detriment of his career. Anyhoo, if anyone here knows of this picture and perhaps could offer some insight into its origin, I'd be much appreciative.

I think that I recall seeing that pciture and that he was dressed for a costume party at San Simeon (Hearst-Davies).

[Western Guy]

Wasn't for a film, Alison. An embarrassing publicity photo, and God knows what the point of it was. Actually upset me when I came across it, as it did with Mack Gray's nephew, who said it completely was an insult to George.

Yet George, who punched out directors, producers and fellow actors, who earned record suspensions at Paramount for roles he saw as unsavory, allowed himself to go out as such in a nationally-syndicated movie magazine. I do not get it.

He would have been better off to have taken "Temple Drake" and "Dead End".

Just saw your post, feaito. Thanks for clarifying. But still I maintain: What the . . .

[feaito]

I forgot to mention that I've seen Norma Shearer, Irving Thalberg, Joan Crawford, Constance Bennett, dressed up in quite ridiculous costumes (as babies, school children et al) for such San Simeon soirées.

[Western Guy]

Another interesting consideration. George Raft, who, until he met Virginia Pine, admitted he had the social skills of a punch drunk prizefighter, invited to San Simeon! Don't know when this soiree occurred, but given Raft's reputation prior (and even during and after his relationship with the highly-refined Miss Pine) I have a difficult time seeing him admitted to such society. Raft said that it was not until later in his career that he adopted manners and the procedure of polite dinner conversation.

[feaito]

Hi Stone,

Didn't he date Norma Shearer after Thalberg died? Maybe he accompanied her to one of those parties at SS or maybe he dressed up for a costume party at some other place, but I'm almost sure that I read that he was dressed up for a costume party . Sorry for not being of more help.

[Western Guy]

Yes, feaito, George did date Norma briefly, much to the chagrin of Louis Mayer and others of the so-called Hollywood elite. Mayer, for instance, made the comment that a "nice Jewish girl like Norma should not be dating a roughneck like Raft". Out of all of Raft's three well-publicized Hollywood romances, Raft's affair with Norma (who was Jewish only by marriage, btw; she converted after her marriage to Thalberg) was probably his least serious.

I'm not sure about the timing of that photo, though, feaito. From what I recall, it looks like an earlier Hollywood shot, prior to George's affair with Norma. Raft started going with Norma in the late 30s and I'm pretty sure the Lord Fauntleoy pic was taken mid-30s latest.

Not 100% per cent certain, though, but (again from memory) Raft looked somewhat more youthful in the pic than he did when he started at Warners in '39, which was when he, Norma and the Boyers hooked up at the New York World's Fair, later (in August) traveling together (in the company of other celebs) on the Normandie, where Raft jokingly commented he was merely "making a fourth for bridge".

Their relationship lasted for only a year and a half. George's marital status again ended that relationship.

[feaito]

Very interesting information Stone. I always thought that George Raft and Norma made an odd couple.

But, all in all, the only thing that would make sense, given what you state about Raft's personality is that he was dressed like that for a costume party.

BTW, I recall that he was featured in the 1933 Paramount extravaganza "Alice in Wonderland", as Mock the Turtle?

[Western Guy]

No, feaito, George was one of the few Paramount stars not featured in Alice in Wonderland. I believe Cooper and Fredric March were in the picture, but Raft was not -- probably fortunately for him.

[feaito]

My memory fails me then.... You are right I seem to recall that March played the turtle or Cary Grant? Well, one of them.

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm pretty sure Cary Grant played the Mock Turtle.

Could it have been at one of Basil Rathbone's soirees? Might his have been fancy dress. Even so, unless you are dressed up with a lot of other celebs in silly costumes, as the San Simeon parties are often portrayed why would George be dressed in such a way? Is it possible George knew Marion Davies who was funloving but liked a drink. Unless he was in fancy dress and it was released as a prank. It's awfully short sighted of the studio to present him that way. Maybe someone didn't like him and that's why it made it to print. He still had to pose for it though. It speaks volumes how outraged you and his friends are on his behalf Stone.

I have a book on Norma Shearer that makes mention of the Raft romance and how he tried to divorce Grayce but the price was too high. I like to think that in real life Norma had more than a hint of the woman she was in The Divorcee and A Free Soul and looking at it like that, I think they were a better pairing than Mayer understood. I love Norma BTW, one can only think how different George would have been to Irving Thalberg. It must have been very hard to be in a marriage to a man who wasn't expected to live very long, I feel that if nothing else she had chance to let her hair down and live a little.

Was it Norma who said she would have married him within the first week of meeting him if she could? The phrasing isn't precise, it could have been Betty Grable. It speaks volumes about his charm and the polished social skills he'd developed.

And whoever did say that I still say it's the smile, I'm crazy over smiles that light up the face, he had a cracking one and the studio execs didn't utilise it very often.

Now to Johnny Allegro

[charliechaplinfan]

I loved Johnny Allegro too, granted it has the beautiful and talented Nina Foch in it and a good supporting cast, the detective Schultz reminding me of pictures I've seen of Howard Hughes around this time, George MacCready playing Vallens reminded me of villans that were on TV programmes in the 1970s, the setting reminded me of Fanstasy Island, I hae very poor memories of TV at this time but nevertheless this is what springs to mind for me. George Raft as a florist a florist to the mobs who grew up in Hell's Kitchen and knew the right people (a bit autobiographical there) a good performance by Raft, perhaps supprting your theory that he's best surrounded by a good cast, if not costar. Nina Foch made George look a little small, as did George MacCready but reading the facts on the imdb Miss Fochs stood at 5ft 9 so with heels she would be shoulder to shoulder with Raft.

It's watching this film made in 1949 that leaves me amazed that this is a man of 54, granted I think there was a toupee as his hair never shifted in the later fight scenes and it's certainly him and not a double, either that or it's a strong brand of hairspray.

Another one I've enjoyed, going like this I might even enjoy A Man From Cairo.