The George Raft Story

The George Raft Story is a 1961 American biographical film of Hollywood film star George Raft. Ray Danton portrays Raft and the film was directed by Joseph M. Newman. 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 Raft's career as an actor known for portraying gangsters.

The George Raft Story
Ray Danton in The George Raft Story
Directed byJoseph M. Newman
Produced byBen Schwalb
Screenplay byCrane Wilbur
StarringRay Danton
Jayne Mansfield
Julie London
Barrie Chase
Music byJeff Alexander
CinematographyCarl E. Guthrie
Edited byGeorge White
Distributed byAllied Artists
Release date
  • November 22, 1961 (1961-11-22)
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 were fictional, Moxie was based on Raft's long-time friend and associate Mack Gray. Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel is a major character. No mention is made in the film of Raft's long-estranged wife Grayce (Mulrooney) or early mob benefactor Owney Madden.

George Raft and Mack Gray had played themselves almost two decades earlier in a markedly different but equally fictionalized biographical movie 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 goes into working at mob-controlled night clubs. One night he protects a cigarette girl, Ruth Harris, from being sexually harassed by a gangster. This causes his life to be in danger so he moves to Hollywood.

He breaks into filmmaking as an extra, then is cast as a gangster in Scarface. Al Capone asks to meet Raft and the actor fears for his life, but Capone reveals he likes the movie. At a party, Raft punches out a manager and they become friends.

Raft becomes a big star. He broadens his image making a dancing movie, Bolero. That is a hit but then Raft starts demanding rewrites and turning down gangster roles. He leaves his girlfriend for a Hollywood star he has an affair with.

Raft has financial trouble with the IRS and his friend Benny "Bugsy" Siegel is killed. He has to sell his Hollywood mansion and move into a small apartment. He gets a job working at a casino in Havana, but this ends when Castro comes to power.

Back in Hollywood he is offered to fix a fight by promoter Johnny Fuller but refuses. He gets a job in a Billy Wilder 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.[1][2] It was announced again in 1960 with Ben Schwalb to be producer.[3]

Schwalb said that filming would start October 7, 1960.[4] Filming wounded up being delayed several more months. Ray Danton signed to play Raft, Brad Dexter was Bugsy Siegel and Jayne Mansfield played an unnamed star. Joseph Newman agreed to direct.[5]

The Las Vegas comedy team Pepper Davis and Tony Reece was signed to play a support role. Frank Gorshin was also cast.[6]

Danton, borrowed from Warner Bros, was cast on the strength of his performance in The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond. Danton said he decided not to "do an impersonation of Raft... That solved most of my problems right there. I watched a lot of his old films and noticed a sort of strong suppressed hostility."[7]

Danton says he only met Raft once and the actor 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."[7]

Dean Jennings wrote The George Raft Story in five instalments for the Saturday Evening Post. He was entitled to 20% of what Raft made from a picture based on his story. In June 1961 Jennings said he had no received anything and was suing.[8]

Jayne Mansfield's character is based on Betty Grable.[9]

Director Joseph Newman had directed Raft in I'll Get You for This (1951).

Filming started in July 1961.[10]

Release

The film was known in the UK as Spin of a Coin.[11]

Reception

According to Filmink the movie was "much mocked for its many fictitious aspects but a bit of truth sneaks in (such as Raft's difficulty to separate the roles he played from himself)."[12]

References
  1. Scott, J. L. (Sep 8, 1959). "Wald rushes plans for 'hell raisers'". Los Angeles Times.
  2. "Of local origin". New York Times. Sep 8, 1959.
  3. "Allied artists schedules 14 pictures next year". Los Angeles Times. May 2, 1960.
  4. "FILMLAND EVENTS". Los Angeles Times. Sep 9, 1960.
  5. Scheuer, P. K. (May 16, 1961). "Brennan and conte winners of west". Los Angeles Times.
  6. "Nobu McCarthy may do film in jan". Los Angeles Times. Jun 16, 1961.
  7. Alpert, D. (Jan 28, 1962). "The last of the big-time mobsters". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 168033711.
  8. Hopper, H. (Jun 19, 1961). "Entertainment". Los Angeles Times.
  9. Erickson, Glenn. "The George Raft Story". Turner Classic Movies.
  10. "Two english players in 'reach for glory'". Los Angeles Times. Jun 29, 1961.
  11. "SPIN OF A COIN". Monthly Film Bulletin. 29. 1962. p. 95. ProQuest 1305821558.
  12. Vagg, Stephen (February 9, 2020). "Why Stars Stop Being Stars: George Raft". Filmink.
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