Bogart vs Raft, No Contest

I agree with you on this, it was to everybody's benefit that Raft turned down some of the roles he did. He was pretty lousy. Having said that, I have seen him in a couple of films in which I liked him - Scarface, Each Dawn I Die, They Drive By Night.

There were roles that suited Raft, and he did well with them. He had screen presence and menace, but limited likability or humor. Bogart was a far superior actor and had unlimited charisma. Yes, it is lucky for us, and for Bogart's career, that Raft rejected some of the roles Bogart ended up with.