The George Raft Story

The George Raft Story is a 1961 American biographical film directed by Joseph M. Newman that stars Ray Danton as Hollywood film star George Raft. The picture was retitled Spin of a Coin for release in the United Kingdom, a reference to Raft's character's nickel-flipping trick in Scarface (1932), the film that launched his career as an actor known for portraying gangsters.

The George Raft Story
Ray Danton in The George Raft Story
Directed byJoseph M. Newman
Screenplay byCrane Wilbur
Produced byBen Schwalb
StarringRay Danton
Jayne Mansfield
Julie London
Barrie Chase
CinematographyCarl E. Guthrie
Edited byGeorge White
Music byJeff Alexander
Distributed byAllied Artists
Release dates
  • January 24, 1962 (1962-01-24) (Los Angeles)[1]
  • March 21, 1962 (1962-03-21) (New York)[2]
Running time
106 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.2 million

The film is a largely fictionalized version of Raft's turbulent life and career. Neville Brand appears briefly as Al Capone, recreating his role from the 1959 television series The Untouchables. Although other characters are fictional, Moxie is based on Raft's longtime friend and associate Mack Gray. Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel is a major character. The film does not mention Raft's estranged wife Grace or early mob benefactor Owney Madden.

Raft and Gray had played themselves almost two decades earlier in a markedly different but equally fictionalized biographical film about Raft's early days as a dancer reluctantly involved with gangsters entitled Broadway (1942).

Plot

George Raft works in New York as a dancer at the Dreamland Casino. He associates with gangsters and works at mob-controlled nightclubs. One night, he protects a cigarette girl from sexually harassment by a gangster, endangering his life.

Raft moves to Hollywood and begins his film career as an extra before being cast as a gangster in Scarface. Raft is frightened when Al Capone asks to meet him, but Capone reveals that he likes the film. At a party, Raft punches a manager and they become friends.

Raft becomes a major star and broadens his image by appearing in a 1934 musical film with dancing titled Bolero. Although the film is a hit, Raft begins demanding rewrites for future roles and declines gangster roles. He leaves his girlfriend for a Hollywood star with whom he has been conducting a love affair.

Raft has financial trouble with the IRS and his friend Benny "Bugsy" Siegel is killed. He is forced to sell his Hollywood mansion and move to a small apartment. He takes a job at a casino in Havana, but the casino closes when Fidel Castro forces communism upon the nation.

Back in Hollywood, Raft is offered to fix a fight by promoter Johnny Fuller but refuses. He accepts a role in Billy Wilder's 1959 film Some Like It Hot.

Cast

Production

Allied Artists announced the film in 1959 as part of a slate of projects including Streets of Montamarte with Lana Turner as Suzanne Valadon, The Purple Gang with Barry Sullivan, Teacher was a Sexpot with Mamie Van Doren, Confessions of an English Opium Eater, Pay or Die with Ernest Borgnine as Joseph Petrosino and The Big Bankroll about Arnold Rothstein.[3][4] It was announced again in 1960 with Ben Schwalb named as producer.[5] Director Joseph Newman had directed Raft in I'll Get You for This (1951).

Schwalb announced that filming would begin on October 7, 1960,[6] but production was delayed until July 1961.[7] Ray Danton, Brad Dexter, Jayne Mansfield and Frank Gorshin were cast. The Las Vegas comedy team of Pepper Davis and Tony Reece was signed to play a support role.[8]

Danton, borrowed from Warner Bros., was cast on the strength of his performance in The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond. Danton said that he decided against performing "an impersonation of Raft ... I watched a lot of his old films and noticed a sort of strong suppressed hostility."[9] Danton only met Raft once, and Raft told him: "We have to make careful they [the filmmakers] don't make this guy [Raft] into a heavy." Danton later said: "I thought it was a strange, obtuse thing to say."[9]

Dean Jennings wrote The George Raft Story in five installments for The Saturday Evening Post and was entitled to 20% of Raft's profits from a film based on his story. In June 1961, Jennings claimed that he had not received anything and announced his intention to bring legal action.[10]

Jayne Mansfield's character is based on Betty Grable.[11]

Release

The film was known in the UK as Spin of a Coin.[12]

Reception

In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Howard Thompson wrote: "'Nice guy, George Raft, according to 'The George Raft Story.' Misunderstood, too, claims this blithely glossy little biographical drama ... The criminal associations of Mr. Raft, before his tough, patent-leather personality made him famous in films, are known facts. Not long ago, the actor himself, who may be as nice a guy as they come, candidly filled in a brass-tacks account to a national magazine. So much for the record—his own."[2]

Los Angeles Times critic John L. Scott called The George Raft Story "a vigorous but curious film play" and wrote: "It is rather strange that Crane Wilbur's screen play places more emphasis on its central figure's friendships for gangland figures than with his lengthy career as an entertainer. This tends to give observers a one-sided view of the star's life. What the man really feels inside never comes out—a seemingly never-ending fault of biographical film tales."[13]

References
  1. "'Raft Story' Film to Open". Los Angeles Times. 1964-01-24. p. 9, Part IV.
  2. Thompson, Howard (1962-03-22). "Screen: 'George Raft Story' Opens". The New York Times. p. 40.
  3. Scott, J. L. (Sep 8, 1959). "Wald rushes plans for 'hell raisers'". Los Angeles Times.
  4. "Of local origin". New York Times. Sep 8, 1959.
  5. "Allied artists schedules 14 pictures next year". Los Angeles Times. May 2, 1960.
  6. "FILMLAND EVENTS". Los Angeles Times. Sep 9, 1960.
  7. "Two english players in 'reach for glory'". Los Angeles Times. Jun 29, 1961.
  8. "Nobu McCarthy may do film in jan". Los Angeles Times. Jun 16, 1961.
  9. Alpert, D. (Jan 28, 1962). "The last of the big-time mobsters". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 168033711.
  10. Hopper, H. (Jun 19, 1961). "Entertainment". Los Angeles Times.
  11. Erickson, Glenn. "The George Raft Story". Turner Classic Movies.
  12. "SPIN OF A COIN". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 29. 1962. p. 95. ProQuest 1305821558.
  13. Scott, John L. (1962-01-25). "'The Raft Story' Odd Biographical Picture". Los Angeles Times. p. 10, Part III.
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