The Best George Raft Movies

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Updated June 23, 2023 1.5K votes 423 voters
Over 400 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best George Raft Movies
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List of the best George Raft movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. George Raft's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top George Raft movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated George Raft movies will be at the top of the list. George Raft has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest George Raft movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining George Raft films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best George Raft role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest George Raft performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

List films include Nob Hill, The Man from Cairo and many more.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best George Raft movies?" and "What are the greatest George Raft roles of all time?"

George Raft worked with many famous directors, including big names like Fritz Lang and Billy Wilder.

Most divisive: The Upper Hand
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  • Scarface
    1

    Scarface

    Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, George Raft
    34 votes
    • Released: 1932
    • Directed by: Howard Hawks
    Key lieutenant of South Side Chicago crime boss Johnny Lovo (Osgood Perkins), Tony Camonte (Paul Muni) is an ambitious and reckless gangster who ignores warnings not to mess with Irish gangs on the North Side. When the North Side retaliates, Tony essentially massacres them, leaving him on top of the world. Worried about Tony's overconfidence, however, Johnny orders him killed, but this also backfires, and Tony finds himself even closer to becoming king of the city.

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  • Invisible Stripes
    2

    Invisible Stripes

    George Raft, Jane Bryan, William Holden
    19 votes
    • Released: 1939
    • Directed by: Lloyd Bacon
    Cliff Taylor (George Raft) is paroled from the infamous Sing Sing Correctional Facility, where he came to regret his life of crime. Upon release, Taylor is determined to keep it honest. Cliff soon finds it impossible to get hired because of his criminal record, and, worse yet, his romance with girlfriend Peggy (Jane Bryan) falls apart. He is pushed to the limit when his younger brother joins with his still-crooked prison buddy (Humphrey Bogart), forcing him to reconsider his vow of lawfulness.

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  • They Drive by Night
    3

    They Drive by Night

    George Raft, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan
    33 votes
    • Released: 1940
    • Directed by: Raoul Walsh
    Brothers Joe (George Raft) and Paul Fabrini (Humphrey Bogart), who are delivery-truck drivers, push themselves hard trying to run their own business. One night, a fatigued Paul falls asleep behind the wheel, demolishing the truck and losing an arm. Joe is then offered a job by a truck company owner (Alan Hale) whose wife, Lana (Ida Lupino), falls for Joe. Lana kills her husband to be with Joe, but when he refuses her advances because he loves Cassie (Ann Sheridan), Lana frames him for murder.

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  • Each Dawn I Die
    4

    Each Dawn I Die

    James Cagney, George Raft, Jane Bryan
    36 votes
    • Released: 1939
    • Directed by: William Keighley
    Frank Ross (James Cagney) is an intrepid reporter hot on the trail of a corrupt politician when he is framed for vehicular manslaughter and sent to prison. There he meets the infamous gangster "Hood" Stacey (George Raft), and the two become fast friends when Stacey saves Ross from a deadly knife attack. When Stacey escapes from a courthouse, he promises that he will help clear Ross' name by finding the man who framed him. But can Ross really trust the word of a gangster?

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  • Some Like It Hot
    5

    Some Like It Hot

    Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe
    26 votes
    • Released: 1959
    • Directed by: Billy Wilder
    In the classic comedy Some Like It Hot, musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) find themselves on the run from Chicago mobsters. Their clever solution? Disguise themselves as women and join an all-female band headed to sunny Florida. Amidst their high-stakes charade, Joe falls for the sultry Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), while a wealthy admirer relentlessly pursues Jerry, further complicating their predicament. This 1959 Billy Wilder-directed film, celebrated for its impeccable comedic timing and witty script, won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

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  • The Glass Key
    6

    The Glass Key

    George Raft, Edward Arnold, Claire Dodd
    17 votes
    • Released: 1935
    • Directed by: Frank Tuttle
    In an attempt at reform, crime boss Paul Madvig (Edward Arnold) closes down a gang member's gambling den, then offers support to Senator John Henry's re-election, hoping to marry Henry's daughter Janet. Paul and his loyal bodyguard, Ed Beaumont (George Raft), are soon immersed in the brutal murder of Janet's wayward brother Taylor -- whose girlfriend, Opal, is convinced of Paul's guilt. With the involvement of a vengeful gang member and a willing press, it falls to Ed to clear Paul's name.