George Raft plays himself playing a gangster. Meta before meta was cool, baby.
Acting
Raft's weirdly flat charisma playing 'himself'—accidental genius or just accidental?
Production
Universal's backlot 1920s New York looks like a party you weren't invited to.
Director
William A. Seiter
George Raft
George Raft
Pat O'Brien
Dan McCorn
Janet Blair
Billie Moore
Marjorie Rambeau
Lillian Rice
Broderick Crawford
Steve Crandall
Anne Gwynne
Pearl
Edward Brophy
Porky
S.Z. Sakall
Nick
Marie Wilson
Gracie
Iris Adrian
Maisie
Gus Schilling
Joe
Ralf Harolde
Dolph
Charles Lane
Hungry Harry
Arthur Shields
Pete Dailey
Nestor Paiva
Rinelti
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Raft's contract demanded he only play gangsters who died or went to prison—this loophole let him play 'himself' and survive.
Released while Raft's real mob connections were under FBI scrutiny; the film's 'I'm just an actor' defense feels pointed.
US
