Ann Dvorak & George Raft – Animal Magnetism in “Scarface”
On May 9, 2013 by Christina Rice With 4 Comments
- Collection Spotlight
Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 129
I just picked up this shot of Ann Dvorak & George Raft in Scarface on eBay. By picked it up, I mean I “bought it now,” and am anxiously awaiting its safe arrival from Spain. I had never seen this photo before and jumped at the chance to add it to the collection. The price was a bit of an extravagance but the only other image I have of this fantastic scene of Ann trying to seduce Raft is from a 1979 re-release. Being that I am a movie memorabilia snob, a 1970s still simply does not compare to an original release photo. Ain’t it a beauty?
George channeling his inner ‘Valentino’, here?
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio played the same part in the 1983 re-makle of ‘Scarface’. To paraphrase Senator Lloyd Bentsen — ‘I know Ann Dvorak, Mary Elizabeth. And you’re no Ann Dvorak.’
Any thoughts on the 1983 re-make of ‘Scarface’?
I haven’t seen it since I was a kid, so all I remember is some guy getting chainsawed in the head and Pacino slamming his face into a mountain of coke. Whenever I see Scarface action figures, I get bitter because I would love to have a 6″ Paul Muni on my desk at work.
The anecdote is probably in the bio (it’s in Todd’s McCarthy’s Howard Hawks) – Ann asked Raft to dance with her at a party at the director’s home; Raft finally obliged & Hawks was so impressed that he had her repeat the episode in the film. Surely one of Ann’s best moments on film.
Definitely one of Ann’s best moments, and yup, that story made it into the book!