George Raft - Forgotten Style Icon.

[V.C. Brunswick]

In the film Cotton Club, the Richard Gere character, Dixie Dwyer, was loosely based on George Raft.

 

[bunnyb.gal]

Always been a fan of Raft. I didn't know he was a dancer!

Mind you, in those days, everybody who wanted to act in Hollywood had to be able to at least tap dance

And yes, he did wears spats a lot. Sadly these days he's probably most remembered for turning down the role of Rick in Casablanca

Interesting article

And if memory serves from reading his biography aeons ago he was taxi dancing alongside Valentino and also earning a good living hoofing...

Great link, HadleyH! Like I said - smokin'!!!

 

[Kirk H.]

Always been a fan of Raft. I didn't know he was a dancer!

Mind you, in those days, everybody who wanted to act in Hollywood had to be able to at least tap dance

And yes, he did wears spats a lot. Sadly these days he's probably most remembered for turning down the role of Rick in Casablanca

Interesting article

Casablanca was not the only one he turned down. He also turned down High Sierra (1941), The Maltese Falcon (1941), and Double Indemnity (1944). Do not know if he got bad advice or made bad decisions.

Kirk H.

 

[skyvue]

Welcome Uptown Dandy!

This is the passage in your post that I found questionable:

Interestingly, while the placement on the armholes of the suit jacket seem rather high and altogether the suit jacket exhibits a rather tapered fit,, the pants retain that distinct "baggy" look of the 1930s.

Why? Because arm holes were high back then (and as you hang around the Lounge a bit longer, you'll find that it's a feature most here consider very desirable in vintage clothing, because it allowed for much greater freedom of movement with the jacket pulling up every time one moves one's arms). And though there's always a certain range in clothing features in any era, jackets tended to have a tapered fit then. That "skirt" effect, where the bottom of the jacket almost blouses out because of the tarpering, one can see in virtually every movie from the 1930s, certainly the first half of the decade.

But there are others here who knows MUCH more than I do about the specifics of a given decade in men's fashions. They'll correct me, I hope, if I've gotten anything wrong.

 

[Widebrim]

Casablanca was not the only one he turned down. He also turned down High Sierra (1941), The Maltese Falcon (1941), and Double Indemnity (1944). Do not know if he got bad advice or made bad decisions.

Kirk H.

Well, I could perhaps see him in Casablanca, but not as good as Bogart. As far as the Maltese Falcon goes, probably. High Sierra? I think he could have done a good job. But Double Indemnity? I don't think so...Just my opinions.

 

[HadleyH]

And if memory serves from reading his biography aeons ago he was taxi dancing alongside Valentino and also earning a good living hoofing...

Great link, HadleyH! Like I said - smokin'!!!

You are welcome bunnyb.gal!

 

[Renault]

I just wanted his wardrobe from "Outpost in Morocco"! Everytime he turned around he had on a different uniform!

Do any of you remember the "Alka-Seltzer" TV commercial from back in the 60's that was a parody on the one prison movie near-riot scene in the mess hall????? Raft as well as several other character actor icons were in it!!!!! It was like a who's who of "Bad Guys" from the oldies......

The all chanted "Alka-Seltzer! Alka-Seltzer! Alk-Seltzer!!!!"

Renault

 

[Mario]

In the film Cotton Club, the Richard Gere character, Dixie Dwyer, was loosely based on George Raft.

Only partly; Gere's character in the film was actually modelled on George Raft and Bix Beiderbecke.

 

[An Uptown Dandy]

I just wanted his wardrobe from "Outpost in Morocco"! Everytime he turned around he had on a different uniform!

Do any of you remember the "Alka-Seltzer" TV commercial from back in the 60's that was a parody on the one prison movie near-riot scene in the mess hall????? Raft as well as several other character actor icons were in it!!!!! It was like a who's who of "Bad Guys" from the oldies......

The all chanted "Alka-Seltzer! Alka-Seltzer! Alk-Seltzer!!!!"

Renault

Hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM7GCV8PLAs

 

[An Uptown Dandy]

Well, I could perhaps see him in Casablanca, but not as good as Bogart. As far as the Maltese Falcon goes, probably. High Sierra? I think he could have done a good job. But Double Indemnity? I don't think so...Just my opinions.

Bogart was pretty good in all of these films. Basically, for films like Dead End and High Sierra (gangster parts), I can see why Raft was the first choice. I read somewhere that he did not read particularly well, so perhaps reading the scripts was a problem. But someone could have read them for him. I really think he just was not into parts that he thought would make him look "bad" on screen. His mother was known to watch his films at the local theatre and yell to her son on screen when the cops were getting closer to him during a chase - so who knows, maybe he just didnt want his mother to get confused if she saw him in Double Indemnity plotting to kill someone's husband for insurance money.

Based on Raft's strict attention to details both big and small, it seems more likely that he turned down (a) Dead End because he didnt think it was realistic for a gangster on the run to return to his old neighborhood to see his mother, (b) Casablanca because he thought it was silly for a grown man to sit in his bar alone after-hours crying over "some skinny swedish broad," as he put it; (c) Double Indemnity for the aforementioned reasons.

I'm not saying these are good reasons to turn down any of those parts, but it certainly does speak to his desire for authenticity on screen as well as what he may have perceived to be limitations in his own acting ability.

 

[John in Covina]

"Interestingly, while the placement on the armholes of the suit jacket seem rather high and altogether the suit jacket exhibits a rather tapered fit,, the pants retain that distinct "baggy" look of the 1930s."

Why? Because arm holes were high back then (and as you hang around the Lounge a bit longer, you'll find that it's a feature most here consider very desirable in vintage clothing, because it allowed for much greater freedom of movement with OUT the jacket pulling up every time one moves one's arms). And though there's always a certain range in clothing features in any era, jackets tended to have a tapered fit then. That "skirt" effect, where the bottom of the jacket almost blouses out because of the tarpering, one can see in virtually every movie from the 1930s, certainly the first half of the decade.

But there are others here who knows MUCH more than I do about the specifics of a given decade in men's fashions. They'll correct me, I hope, if I've gotten anything wrong.

I recall seeing some writing on the influence that King Edward (the one that abdicated) had on the fashion of the time and it seemed like he was a fan of the look if I remember right.

 

[Renault]

Hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM7GCV8PLAs

Thanks Dandy!!!!!!!! What memories. Hadn't seen that commercial in 40 years!!!!!!!! We used to reenact this scene (much to the chagrine of the staff on lunch duty) in the jr. hi. cafeteria!!!!!!!!! Duck! Lunch Lady has a loaded sloppy joe!

Renault

 

[Widebrim]

Bogart was pretty good in all of these films. Basically, for films like Dead End and High Sierra (gangster parts), I can see why Raft was the first choice. I read somewhere that he did not read particularly well, so perhaps reading the scripts was a problem. But someone could have read them for him. I really think he just was not into parts that he thought would make him look "bad" on screen. His mother was known to watch his films at the local theatre and yell to her son on screen when the cops were getting closer to him during a chase - so who knows, maybe he just didnt want his mother to get confused if she saw him in Double Indemnity plotting to kill someone's husband for insurance money.

Based on Raft's strict attention to details both big and small, it seems more likely that he turned down (a) Dead End because he didnt think it was realistic for a gangster on the run to return to his old neighborhood to see his mother, (b) Casablanca because he thought it was silly for a grown man to sit in his bar alone after-hours crying over "some skinny swedish broad," as he put it; (c) Double Indemnity for the aforementioned reasons.

I'm not saying these are good reasons to turn down any of those parts, but it certainly does speak to his desire for authenticity on screen as well as what he may have perceived to be limitations in his own acting ability.

Interesting points, which very well may be true, particularly the last about his perceived limitations.

 

[Shangas]

I recall seeing some writing on the influence that King George (the one that abdicated) had on the fashion of the time and it seemed like he was a fan of the look if I remember right.

King George never abdicated.

You're thinking of his brother, King Edward the Eighth, who married a yank and gave up the throne.

 

[John in Covina]

King George never abdicated. You're thinking of his brother, King Edward the Eighth, who married a yank and gave up the throne.

Edward,,,,,
George was his dad I think.

 

[Lincsong]

George Raft fell on hard times in his later years. Made money appearing at the grand openings of supermarkets. My Dad remembers him at the one down the street in the mid 1960's.

 

[skyvue]

Bogart was pretty good in all of these films.

I think "pretty good" is a serious understatement.

Based on Raft's strict attention to details both big and small, it seems more likely that he turned down (a) Dead End because he didnt think it was realistic for a gangster on the run to return to his old neighborhood to see his mother, (b) Casablanca because he thought it was silly for a grown man to sit in his bar alone after-hours crying over "some skinny swedish broad," as he put it; (c) Double Indemnity for the aforementioned reasons.

I think you give him far too much credit. Raft arguably made not a single movie that's today considered a classic, while the list of movies he turned down includes a number of (arguably, at least) the greatest movies ever made.

I think it's more that our George was just a bit clueless about picking his roles. There's a reason (in addition to his more limited acting skills) why Raft, sharp dresser though he may have been, is much less known to most folks today than Bogart.

 

[An Uptown Dandy]

I am a big Raft fan, obviously, so I would have to plead guilty when accused of giving him too much credit

While I would disagree that none of his films would be considered "classics," I do agree that none of them would be considered the greatest film ever. . . . if that makes any sense.

Most of what I wrote about his role selection included a healthy dose of speculation. I think declining to take on roles in all of those films would be considered poor decision-making by just about anyone. By his own admission, Raft seemed to look for parts that he considered "realistic," a term which seemed to have a different, more limited definition in his own mind - i.e. Would George Raft do this in a similar situation?

By the way, thanks for the previous post on the high armhole placement.

 

[David Conwill]

By his own admission, Raft seemed to look for parts that he considered "realistic," a term which seemed to have a different, more limited definition in his own mind - i.e. Would George Raft do this in a similar situation?

My father always said “John Wayne never played anyone but John Wayne in a movie”, but that worked for him.

I suspect that’s the way a few other iconic actors also chose roles. A lot of emphasis is placed on an actor’s range, but I believe it’s a strength also to know the type of role you are good at (and that fits with your public image), and ensure you are being cast in that type of role. It showcases your best abilities and keeps your public image where you want it.

-Dave

 

[Lily Powers]

He might not be the best actor to grace the silver screen, but I certainly think he was quite compelling to watch. "They Drive By Night" was one of the first George Raft films I saw, and I loved him in the 1966 "Casino Royale" spoof. To me, Raft seemed more like he just acted, as opposed to being an actor. At any rate, he's worth a spot in my TiVo Favorites, so I can record any of his movies when they come on.