Manpower *** (1941, Edward G Robinson, George Raft, Marlene Dietrich, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Eve Arden, Ward Bond) – Classic Movie Review 5285

Edward G Robinson and George Raft star as power cable he-men Hank McHenry and Johnny Marshall, who clash over nightclub singer Fay Duval (Marlene Dietrich), in director Raoul Walsh’s rickety, cliché-loaded 1941 film.

Dietrich marries Robinson for the security, but live wires spark when they invite Raft (whom she really loves) in to get well after an accident.

Manpower makes hard work of what should be a light load. It carries a heavy weight, burdened down with its predictable yarn in the wobbly screenplay by Richard Macaulay and Jerry Wald.

The movie relies entirely on the charisma of the star trio to stay afloat. Luckily the chemistry is there – all three are on their most vivacious form – and it proves enough. Director Walsh ensures that the he-man stuff is fine, and, by his slight of hand and the sheer force of star power and personality, he manages to make you forget that the romance, songs and humour are largely stale and fumbled.

Indeed, the film should be called Starpower not Manpower.

Also in the cast are Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Eve Arden, Ward Bond, Joyce Compton, Walter Catlett, Barton MacLane, Lucia Carroll, Egon Brecher, Cliff Clark, Joseph Crehan, Ben Welden, Barbara Land, Barbara Pepper, Dorothy Appleby, Roland Drew, William Hopper, Al Herman and Ralph Dunn.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5285

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