When Movie Fights Spill Over Into Life

Manpower (1941) Breaks Loose For Real

Humphrey Bogart Visits The Set To Promote Peace Between The Quarrelsome Boys

This Is No Joke --- Robinson's On A Rampage!

There was a fight between Edward G. Robinson and George Raft on the set of Manpower and it was real. The incident happened on April 26, 1941 and was caught by a photographer for LIFE magazine, where it adorned a full page and made national headlines ("they," referring to Robinson and Raft, "profoundly dislike each other off set location").It was one thing for a fan mag to note on-set tensions, but when a major and mainstream publication reported trouble (LIFE's headline cited an "Impromptu Fight"), you knew there was truth being told. Some may still have figured the dust-up for a publicity gag, something staged to hypo Manpower's eventual release. The truth would reveal itself years later when author Rudy Behlmer dug into studio files and found memos detailing the imbroglio, these appearing in his 1985 book, Inside Warner Brothers (1935-1951), a great insider history. Seems the Manpower mess was all too genuine, and a real concern for both WB and the players involved. It did no one good to be seen as unprofessional or running a chaotic shop. To get loud publicity was one thing, but to be laughing stock of a press and industry was something else. This then, was an incident Warners could not let be repeated.

Warner's One-Sheet Exploits The Real-Life Fight

Manpower was a property no player at Warners would reject, being another whirlwind from writers Richard Macaulay and Jerry Wald, who had lately made They Drive By Night and Torrid Zone such fun. Mark Hellinger had also prepped Manpower as associate producer but fell out so severely with Hal Wallis that he left the studio. Anyone who could read (at least the script) knew that Manpower would be popular. Humphrey Bogart had been assigned and very much wanted to do it, but proposed co-star George Raft loudly said he would not appear in another film with Humphrey Bogart. Animosity seemed to be all on Raft's side, as Bogart tried to approach him and got rebuffed. Gossip about this got into the Independent Film Exhibitor's Bulletin on 4-5-41, so strife on Manpower was known well before the bigger blow to come. Bogart's part was recast with Edward G. Robinson, but Raft didn't care for that either. He was hateful toward Robinson and cursed him in front of cast and crew. Robinson tried to be reasonable, but Raft wanted none of it. His was a thuggish nature, no surprise considering his background (organized crime back East), and Robinson had reason to be afraid of him. It all came to boil during a scene where Raft had to pull Robinson off a guy and he instead roughed up Eddie G. and got a fist swung in return. The two had to be separated, and not for a last time.

Offscreen Playmates Dietrich and Raft Bat 'Er Up

The shutterbug who caught the moment got a dream of a candid capture, two major stars going at each other like mad dogs. Warners might have stopped him and took the negative, but evidently chose not to. Surely they had juice to ice the story and photo, but maybe here was a calculated risk worth taking. The studio could not have bought publicity this good. The problem was serious, however, and WB prepared a letter to the Screen Actor's Guild. Robinson, being the first to calm down, made a suggestion that they let the thing drop and not get others involved. A half-day's money had been lost, but filming resumed, hands shook and all promising to behave. Robinson and Raft made up thoroughly and even did another picture together (A Bullet For Joey in 1954), but the Manpower event entered H'wood folklore and the two were still being asked about it toward their respective ends. By then, of course, it was dust of history. Manpower had been playing late shows on a loop, and few viewers knew what had happened on a set so many years before. What we presently enjoy from Warner Archive and regularly at TCM is spent fuse of a then-TNT combination of Robinson and Raft with Marlene Dietrich, and incidentally as good a dose of Raoul Walsh as any of his actioners for WB. All Manpower presently lacks is an upgrade to High-Definition.

I watched the Archive disc last night. Quality was okay, that is if this were 1985.  There was noise on the track and I don't think it was my television. The better movies, of course, can overcome viewing conditions like this. Manpower has scenes that are exhilarating, others to remind you this was way back and standards of funny were different then. From latter category is Alan Hale sliding down a stair banister in his union suit. Hale and Frank McHugh are all over Manpower. If you can't abide them, don't watch. Action is plentiful, as in any guy stepping slightly out of line gets knocked silly, generally by hair trigger Robinson, who is a power pole worker with best pal Raft. Eddie had played the man who cured syphilis just a year before. To arguments he had no range, I say present these two performances. Manpower was largely filched from an oldie, also with Robinson, called Tiger Shark. Too many E.G.'s had him as a frog no woman with eyes would want. Bette Davis unkindly said it made her ill to have to kiss him in Kid Galahad. Eddie's own wife seems to have treated him like some of the women in his films, but ... name a better or more dynamic actor.

George Raft kept barrels of apples all through his house because they gave it a nice smell. He also had five or six different women a day, according to reliable-or-not sources. Raft probably didn't care that he blew so much opportunity in the movies. He died broke, but that may not have bothered him either. Say what you will about Raft being a dud actor, but I enjoy him anytime. He's really the best thing about Manpower. Dietrich at forty is a little past believable as an ex-con clip-joint hostess, especially as colleagues beef about being in their mid-twenties and almost played out. There's a scene where Raft slaps Dietrich down a flight of stairs and yes, it's actually her who takes the spill. I've read MD got an injury because George failed to pull the blow. All was apparently forgiven because Marlene moved in with him toward an end of production. Manpower was shot all-indoors and uses toy trucks, poles, and even toy men. It is charming for fakery that films wouldn't (couldn't) use much longer. I thought how this really isn't so different from celebration of unreal that is present day CGI, only Manpower was built by hand and so at least earns a sentimental regard.