So much fun to see the master George Raft as a chorus boy, but above all, every time I watch a dance number from films of this period I am simply astounded by the incredibly high quality of dance and choreography that they could then take for granted and which is absolutely nowhere to be found today.
Raft and Cagney were not also dancers, like Astaire, Kelly or Gene Nelson, they really developped an own style. That they were able to play gangsters in one movie and doing musical numbers in the next just shows how well they were trained and that at that time to be a star really meant to know the craft. Eric Porter was one of the greatest Shakespeare actors but also could do musical numbers. Louis Jourdan was not even a trained dancer and could not sing but just p l a y e d to can do it in Gigi. On the other hand, Fred Astaire later did some "serious" parts in Kramers "On the Beach" and even a horror movie, Ghost Story, and Astaire certainly would have been great in horror movies. I do not know how this worked but those stars of the pre-television all were so talented that it seems like magic and today it´s very, very rare to see something like that.
Actually, George Raft and Jimmy Cagney started out in films as dancers .... not as tough guys ! Quite the dancers, aren't they ? Check out the clip on You Tube of the two of them competing in a dance contest,;taken from the 1932 movie, "TAXI", starring Loretta Young and Cagney. Great movie.
Raft took a wrong turn when he traveled down the crime movie road. That's all of Raft I see on TCM. None of his great dancing movies are ever shown. I guess he hung around his pal Bugsy too much.
George Raft had an elegance that was all his own! He could dance beautifully. I have only now discovered this!
So much fun to see the master George Raft as a chorus boy, but above all, every time I watch a dance number from films of this period I am simply astounded by the incredibly high quality of dance and choreography that they could then take for granted and which is absolutely nowhere to be found today.
The Great entertainers could all dance.
It's kind of fascinating to watch a tough guy like George Raft dancing so gracefully. I have the same thought about James Cagney.
George was discovered by Hollywood while making his living as a noted Broadway dancer. (IIRC)
you took the words out of my mouth!
And Christopher Walken!
jude p m:
💜💜💜RAFT, always!!!!!
Raft was a band leader in "Every night at eight", produced in 1935. He danced that same song "I feel a song coming on".
Great scene, great dancing, love it. thanks
parabéns pelo ótimo trabalho uma das melhores cenas desse grande clássico George raft exelente ator e grande dançarino
Raft and Cagney were not also dancers, like Astaire, Kelly or Gene Nelson, they really developped an own style. That they were able to play gangsters in one movie and doing musical numbers in the next just shows how well they were trained and that at that time to be a star really meant to know the craft. Eric Porter was one of the greatest Shakespeare actors but also could do musical numbers. Louis Jourdan was not even a trained dancer and could not sing but just p l a y e d to can do it in Gigi. On the other hand, Fred Astaire later did some "serious" parts in Kramers "On the Beach" and even a horror movie, Ghost Story, and Astaire certainly would have been great in horror movies. I do not know how this worked but those stars of the pre-television all were so talented that it seems like magic and today it´s very, very rare to see something like that.
Georgie cool as always
Actually, George Raft and Jimmy Cagney started out in films as dancers .... not as tough guys ! Quite the dancers, aren't they ? Check out the clip on You Tube of the two of them competing in a dance contest,;taken from the 1932 movie, "TAXI", starring Loretta Young and Cagney. Great movie.
interesting, that was quite the scene ,Cagney and Raft in the dance contest!
Picture this: Fred Astaire star of gangster movies and George Raft star of dance movies. It could have worked when I see George Raft in tails.
Fred as a gangster might have worked in a comedy. In other words, good for a laugh. :D
Raft took a wrong turn when he traveled down the crime movie road. That's all of Raft I see on TCM. None of his great dancing movies are ever shown. I guess he hung around his pal Bugsy too much.
He's so so.