Sexylocher Masterful Movie

Contentar Best movie of this year hands down!

Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

Hayleigh Joseph This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

alexanderdavies-99382 "Manpower" isn't exactly the kind of film that requires much brain power. It is a case of what you see is what you get. That isn't to say that the film isn't good or entertaining, it is. It is a more undemanding kind of film. It is unfortunate that the two leads didn't work together again at "Warner Bros." Much has been made of the slight tension on the set between Edward G. Robinson and George Raft. It is true that both people had a different style to the way they worked and that was the source of the tension. It is not true that they both engaged in a fist fight. What happened, was that Robinson and Raft exchanged a few words and Raft slightly elbowed his co-star in the ribs. Supporting players Alan Hale and Ward Bond quickly kept them apart and Robinson left the set for a while. The story is about two engineers whose friendship is compromised by the arrival of a woman (Marlene Dietrich). That is all the there is but it's enough. Alan Hale comes out with his usual silly one-liners, as does Frank McHugh. They provide some comic relief which doesn't intrude upon the film. George Raft enjoys a couple of punch ups and they are good enough.

lugonian MANPOWER (Warner Brothers, 1941), directed by Raoul Walsh, stars an powerhouse cast of Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich and George Raft in a routinely made screenplay dealing with the life and times of a couple of hard-working linemen. Following the pattern to Walsh's earlier directorial assignment, THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT (1940) featuring Raft and Humphrey Bogart as truck driving brothers, with Ann Sheridan and Ida Lupino the female co-stars, the surprise of MANPOWER comes not so much for its familiar plotting but the interesting casting of Marlene Dietrich (on loan-out assignment from Universal) in a sort of role that could have gone to either Sheridan or Lupino of THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT fame.The plot revolves around linemen working for the Pacific Power and Light Company: Hank McHenry (Edward G. Robinson), foreman of the crew, and Johnny Marshall (George Raft), his closest friend who works directly under him. Called out on an emergency assignment during a thunderous storm, the maintenance crew risk their lives surrounded by high voltage wires dangling from telephone poles. As Hank nearly loses his life by having his foot tangled in a hot wire, Antoine "Pop" Duval (Egon Breacher) loses his own by not getting out of the way of a live wire. Because Johnny happens to be Pop's closest friend who earlier arranged for his daughter's early parole from prison, Johnny, accompanied by Hank, ends up breaking the news to Fay (Marlene Dietrich). Though Fay's lack of emotion towards her father's death leaves Johnny cold and angry, Hank, however, feels differently towards her. Finding Fay to be the hostess at a clip joint called The Midnight Club, run by Smiley Quinn (Barton MacLane), Hank goes over there to make an impression on her. In spite of her past, and being told she's doesn't love him, Hank marries her anyway, much to the dismay of Johnny. Following a serious accident that keeps him from his job, Johnny, under Hank's urging, recuperates at his home with Fay acting as nursemaid. When Fay realizes her feelings towards Johnny is getting stronger, she intends on doing something about it.Others members of the Warners stock player participating in this production include that of Frank McHugh (Omaha); Alan Hale (Jumbo Wells); Eve Arden (Dolly); Joyce Compton (Scarlet); and Ben Weldon (Al Hurst). Highlights consist of Walter Catlett (Sidney Whipple) as a high strung hospital patient who falls victim of numerous childish pranks from the visiting, fun-loving linemen; while Billy Wayne (Benny, the counterman) gets his quota of laughs in the dining room sequence by calling out the food orders. Then there's Ward Bond playing Eddie Adams, another fellow lineman, who, on numerous occasions, "gets out of line" with Hank. Marlene Dietrich gets herself one brief song interlude (interrupted by patrons through some spoken dialogue) to "He Lied and I Listened" by Frederick Hollander and Frank Loesser, while Beal Wong gets more time vocalizing, "Chinatown, My Chinatown" by Joe Young, Sam Lewis and Jean Schwartz.While credited as an original screenplay by Richard Macauley and Jerry Wald, much of it appears to be reworked from earlier screen material, mainly First National's own TIGER SHARK (1932) with Edward G. Robinson and Richard Arlen as tuna fisherman in love with the same girl (Zita Johann). Warners production of SLIM (1937) featuring Pat O'Brien, Henry Fonda and Margaret Lindsay, which happens to be about linemen, is often an overlooked item but bearing little connection to what's become MANPOWER a few years later. Even so, movies aren't made, they're remade or recycled. Though basically known for playing crime figures, MANPOWER does offer both Robinson and Raft a chance to act in something other than tough guys holding guns. Of the two feature films to team Robinson and Raft (their second being A BULLET FOR JOEY (United Artists, 1955)), MANPOWER, has become the most worthwhile and revived of their collaborations over the years. On the other hand, Dietrich's Warner Brothers debut should have been something special, or at least different. A costume or biographical drama, for instance, in European setting and lavish sets. However, it did offer her a chance working opposite Robinson and Raft for the only time and becoming a worthy attraction to what's basically a man's movie. As with her Fay character, Dietrich does have more chemistry opposite Raft than she did with Robinson. Though Dietrich had been conflicted between two men before, her finest opportunity happens to be the ones opposite rugged he-men types of Randolph Scott and John Wayne in both Universal's 1942 productions of THE SPOILERS and PITTSBURGH.With a great start of action, comedy and crisp dialogue, a pity MANPOWER didn't fulfill its promise for its full 103 minutes. Even through some of its weaker passages, MANPOWER can still be electrifying, thanks to Raoul Walsh's know-how direction and skill he handled with THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT. Available on DVD through Turner Home Entertainment, MANPOWER can also be found on the Turner Classic Movies cable channel. (**1/2)

Michael_Elliott Manpower (1941) *** (out of 4) Power company workers Hank (Edward G. Robinson) and Johnny (George Raft) end up falling in love with the same woman (Marlene Dietrich) who not only tears their friendship apart but also threatens a lot more. This Warner B-picture shares a lot in common with TIGER SHARK as well as its remake SLIM so those familiar with either of those films won't find anything too original here but to be honest even if you're not familiar with either of them, you'll probably still find this not too original. With that said, the cast is so good that you really can't blame the film for its short comings and instead you will get caught up in the drama and find yourself having a pretty good time. As with many Walsh pictures, this one here takes the simple story and the director pumps it up with all sorts of loud action including various storms with the men trying to work on power lines and of course one thing after another goes wrong. We also get countless scenes with Robinson and Raft in bars, drinking, smoking and just acting tough like not too many can. Fans of the two stars will certainly want to check this film out even though neither men give one of their greatest performances. Robinson manages to come off very tough but also can handle the softer moments with Dietrich as she begins to rip his heart up. Raft has always been fun even when playing the sidekick and that's true here. Apparently he and Robinson had a few angry moments with each other while filming this and you can tell in a few scenes. Dietrich is pretty good but the screenplay really doesn't do her any favors. Both Robinson and Raft at least had well written characters but the same can't be said for Dietrich. Alan Hale and Frank McHugh add nice support. The screenplay follows all the clichés you'd expect it to and this of course leads up to a very silly ending that really doesn't work too well. With that said, as silly as the film is it's still fun for the cast.

ruefish This movie uses an ensemble cast, featuring a bubbly Edward G. Robinson (as a love-lorn man looking for the right woman) who does better work cast as the heavy. Alan Hale quips, the other cast members relate every bad pun the writer could think up about electricity, and Dietrich (we all know she won't be able to cut being a house wife...) stands around looking wooden and very bored. The "special" effects are hysterical (look for wires holding the actors up in the final storm scene), the plot formulaic and predictable and why a line man would actually go near a pole in the middle of a lightning storm is a question this movie blithely ignores. You'll be amazed at the amount of water used during the filming of this movie. Make sure you're seated near a bathroom while viewing and, if you have the opportunity to watch another film, pass this one up.