The Racket (1951)

The big national crime syndicate has moved into town, partnering up with local crime boss Nick Scanlon. There are only two problems: First, Nick is the violent type, preferring to do things... See full summary »

Director:

John Cromwell

Writers:

William Wister Haines (screenplay), W.R. Burnett (screenplay),

Stars:

Robert Mitchum, Lizabeth Scott, Robert Ryan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Mitchum	...	Captain Thomas McQuigg
Lizabeth Scott	...	Irene Hayes
Robert Ryan	...	Nick Scanlon
William Talman	...	Officer Bob Johnson
Ray Collins	...	Dist. Atty. Mortimer X. Welsh
Joyce Mackenzie	...	Mary McQuigg (as Joyce MacKenzie)
Robert Hutton	...	Dave Ames
Virginia Huston	...	Lucy Johnson
William Conrad	...	Det. Sgt. Turk
Walter Sande	...	Precinct Sgt. Jim Delaney
Les Tremayne	...	Harry Craig (Crime Commission chief investigator)
Don Porter	...	R.G. Connolly
Walter Baldwin	...	Booking Sgt. Sullivan
Brett King	...	Joe Scanlon
Richard Karlan	...	Breeze Enright

Storyline

The big national crime syndicate has moved into town, partnering up with local crime boss Nick Scanlon. There are only two problems: First, Nick is the violent type, preferring to do things the old-fashioned way instead of using the syndicate's more genteel methods. The second problem is McQuigg, the only honest police captain on the force, and his loyal patrolman, Johnson. Together, they take on the violent Nick and try to foil the syndicate's plans to elect Welch, the crooked prosecutor running for a crooked judgeship.

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Plot Keywords:

police | corruption | singer | election | crooked cop | 

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Taglines:

YOU'LL LEARN WHO PAYS OFF WHO -- AND WHY! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Syndikat

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In May 1950, Samuel Fuller was assigned to work on the film's screenplay and was considered as a possible director.

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Goofs

Nick Scanlon's car is a 1949 Chrysler Crown Imperial limo. In the crash scene, an older 1942 model was used. The '49 side trim has been added, but the different front end reveals the switch.

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Connections

Referenced in The Big Steal: Look Behind You (2007)

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Soundtracks

"A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening"
Music by Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics by Harold Adamson
Performed by Lizabeth Scott (dubbed)

User Reviews

Robert Ryan is surly and manic as the Bad Guy

Amusing, inexpensive, and predictable, this 50's gangster film's highlights are the snarling confrontations between Ryan and Top Cop Robert Mitchum. Ryan's cruelties are three-dimensional, but Mitchum seems to be thinking about something offscreen when he's not in a face-off with Ryan. Other secondary characterizations are quite vivid, especially by Ray Collins (a few years before "Touch of Evil") as a crooked political candidate, and William Talman, 50's TV stalwart, as the doomed rookie cop.