Artivels Undescribable Perfection

Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

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.

Newflo2VL Walsh-directed or not, this is a mediocre film. The strained macho humor is a bore. But Dietrich is excellent, and Robinson is fine -- makes you believe every word he says. The black and white photography in the rain, though studio-bound, is stirring.

aberlour36 With a great cast and director, in the golden age of movies, one can only gasp at the failings of this film. In the first place, the casting is terrible. One has to believe that little Eddie Robinson is a brawling blue collar guy and that George Raft is also a rough, tough electrical lineman. The writing is dreadful, especially the comic relief of Alan Hale. Every move of the film is predictable. And poor Marlene! Mostly, she just simmers and smokes cigarettes. A waste of time for all concerned, especially viewers.

Ralph Michael Stein MINOR SPOILERSWarner Brothers celebrated the dedication and bravery of power line repair crews. In the U.S. of 1942 with prosperity emerging from the Depression, tough, brawling but brave civilian workers were a cinematic counterpart to the expanding roster of military action films.In "Manpower" a naive and essentially softhearted Edward G. Robinson is a line repairman promoted to gang foreman. His best friend on the crew is George Raft. Robinson falls head-over-heels in love with the getting-older-but still-sensuous Marlene Dietrich, soon to begin her own conquest of American forces in Europe. Raft, at first dismissive of clip joint Dietrich's marriage to Robinson, falls in love with her. No surprise here.With a good supporting cast including pre-"Wagon Train" Ward Bond and pre-"Our Miss Brooks" Eve Arden, the film has both humor and action. Can you imagine a film today highlighting, in a serious vein, a crew of utility workers?The best scene: Robinson's astonishment when he realizes he's been taken for a sucker at Dietrich's clip joint. How does he know? The bill is for $4.12!!!The story is predictable but it's one more movie showcasing some remarkable talent. And there is a good shot of Dietrich's legs.