Manpower (1941)

Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich, George Raft, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh ... see more  , Eve Arden , Barton MacLane , Ward Bond , Walter Catlett , Joyce Compton , Lucia Carroll , Egon Brecher , Cliff Clark , Joseph Crehan , Ben Welden , Barbara Pepper , Dorothy Appleby , Murray Alper , Jean Ames , Lynne Baggett , Diana Barrymore , Joyce Bryant , Georgia Caine , Nat Carr , Eddy Chandler , Chester Clute , Joe Devlin , Roland Drew , Ralph Dunn , Faye Emerson , Eddie Fetherstone , James Flavin , Brenda Sue Fowler , William Gould , Fred Graham , Carl Harbaugh , John Harmon , Harry Harvey Jr. , Herbert Heywood , Harry Holman , William Hopper , Vera Lewis , Frank Mayo , William Newell , Lee Phelps , Jane Randolph , Drew Roddy , William Royle , Cliff Saum , Jeffrey Sayre , Harry Seymour , Charles Sherlock , Harry Strang , Robert Strange , Charles Sullivan , Elliott Sullivan , Dorothy Vaughan , Nella Walker , Billy Wayne , Dick Wessel , Joan Winfield , Isabel Withers , John Kelly , Leah Baird , Pat McKee , W. Beal Wong , Muriel Barr , Gayle Mellott , Al Herman

Manpower was Warner Bros' latest reworking of 1932's Tiger Shark, with power-company linemen substituting for tuna fisherman. While repair some downed lines in a heavy thunderstorm, Hank McHenry (Edwa... read more rd G. Robinson) saves the life of his best pal Johnny Marshall (George Raft). While Johnny emerges from the experience unscathed, Hank is permanently crippled. He takes this misfortune in stride, but Johnny vows to look after Hank's best interests for the rest of their lives. When Hank marries blowzy nightclub hostess Fay Duval (Marlene Dietrich), Johnny is disdainful, convinced that Fay is playing Hank for a sucker. While recuperating in Hank's home after a slight injury, Johnny confesses to Fay that he's in love with her, a feeling that turns out to be mutual. Out of loyalty to Hank, Johnny refuses to have anything to do with Fay, who finally decides to leave town rather than break up the men's friendship. But Fay cannot stay away from Johnny, forcing him to confront the ever-trusting Hank with the truth, leading inexorably to the film's violent conclusion on a precariously high utility pole. A few comic interludes aside, Manpower is virile, gutsy entertainment; the fact that Edward G. Robinson and George Raft did not get along at all during shooting-resulting in a well-publicized on-set fistfight-only adds to the film's crackling tension. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi