66 reviews
A deep cast of well-known actors highlights this film noir effort. Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan, Lizabeth Scott, William Talman, Ray Collins, Don Porter and William Conrad are all familiar names, especially to film noir buffs.
Ryan lifts this from an average classic-era crime film to above-average with a convincingly nasty character. He plays a no-compromise hood who lives by the code of violence. You have a problem? Violence, not brains, is the answer, according to Ryan's character "Nick Scanlon."
The film is fast-moving despite not having a lot of action scenes. All the characters are good, not just Ryan's, and the dialog is excellent in spots. The photography is nothing special, at least not as dramatic as most noirs, but it's a solid crime film, thanks to this cast. I would rate this a bit higher but I didn't care for the ending.
Ryan lifts this from an average classic-era crime film to above-average with a convincingly nasty character. He plays a no-compromise hood who lives by the code of violence. You have a problem? Violence, not brains, is the answer, according to Ryan's character "Nick Scanlon."
The film is fast-moving despite not having a lot of action scenes. All the characters are good, not just Ryan's, and the dialog is excellent in spots. The photography is nothing special, at least not as dramatic as most noirs, but it's a solid crime film, thanks to this cast. I would rate this a bit higher but I didn't care for the ending.
- ccthemovieman-1
- Oct 25, 2006
- Permalink
This film reminds me a lot of an earlier film that paired Robert Mitchum and Robert Ryan (CROSSFIRE), as both have very tough and gritty plots that are excellent examples of Film Noir. However, in this film instead of a plot involving anti-semitism, it's a good cop versus organized crime flick. Once again, Ryan is a scumbag and Mitchum is a decent and hard-as-nails cop bent on justice. A particular standout is the dialog between them--very snappy and pure Noir! I particularly liked the exchanges between them in the police station when they were cross-examining the cocky and unrepentant Ryan. And, since it is Noir, you know that there will be ample quantities of violence and testosterone. Give it a try--this is a seldom-mentioned classic.
- planktonrules
- Feb 8, 2006
- Permalink
- bkoganbing
- Oct 4, 2005
- Permalink
The Racket (1951)
A stellar cast and gritty photography can't quite lift this movie into the exciting classic it might have been. The basic problem here is the material, the story, which is slow and steady. It involves lots of conversations, all filmed with huge drama, about negotiating new ways of doing things as a national mob organization squeezes out the local mob boss.
This is still a good movie, for sure. Robert Ryan plays the local boss getting overshadowed and he ramps it up as usual, beating a few people senseless. Robert Mitchum is given a dull role, not as a cop on the beat but as the chief of a precinct in charge of cops on the beat. And he was once buddies with Ryan, so they have a couple of one-on-ones. Lizabeth Scott is sharp and as good as she gets in her quirky femme fatale manner, but we don't see enough of her. Throw in Ray Collins as a slithering politico (a role he seems to have been born for) and William Conrad as a corrupt cop (with many pounds to gain before his days as t.v.'s Cannon, etc.) and you see how it looks like good stuff.
A star behind the scenes is definitely cinematographer George E. Diskant, not a big name in the field but responsible for several terrific film noirs including the flawless "They Live by Night." He is in good form here even though there isn't much action. You only wish the director, John Cromwell, had more guts to let Diskant fly with things. Cromwell is one of those by-the-book directors who gets the job done but doesn't seem to see the opportunities to surprise the viewer. And he was loaded with opportunity here.
The story is basically about life as a cop in a big city. That's why half the time (almost literally) we are in the police station. Or a squad car. There is no actual crime at the center of things (lots of crimes go zipping by, for sure). It's not about solving a crime, but about getting the old boss. It's Mitchum vs. Ryan. And Ryan is more fun. Things get fairly complicated, perhaps needlessly, but the overall trend is toward justice, and how it is best served in a corrupt world. Filled with good nuances, but packaged a bit awkwardly by the end.
I say this isn't quite a film noir, but of course in the big picture most people would have to call it that. What it lacks (for me) is the loneliness of the lead character, and maybe even the evilness of the femme fatale. Mitchum is part of a big machine, and a sympathetic one (a huge police force). Ryan is just a thug, and a mean one with a small mind. It's pure crime stuff with noir stylizing. Good enough for a great evening--if you stay alert to all the details.
A stellar cast and gritty photography can't quite lift this movie into the exciting classic it might have been. The basic problem here is the material, the story, which is slow and steady. It involves lots of conversations, all filmed with huge drama, about negotiating new ways of doing things as a national mob organization squeezes out the local mob boss.
This is still a good movie, for sure. Robert Ryan plays the local boss getting overshadowed and he ramps it up as usual, beating a few people senseless. Robert Mitchum is given a dull role, not as a cop on the beat but as the chief of a precinct in charge of cops on the beat. And he was once buddies with Ryan, so they have a couple of one-on-ones. Lizabeth Scott is sharp and as good as she gets in her quirky femme fatale manner, but we don't see enough of her. Throw in Ray Collins as a slithering politico (a role he seems to have been born for) and William Conrad as a corrupt cop (with many pounds to gain before his days as t.v.'s Cannon, etc.) and you see how it looks like good stuff.
A star behind the scenes is definitely cinematographer George E. Diskant, not a big name in the field but responsible for several terrific film noirs including the flawless "They Live by Night." He is in good form here even though there isn't much action. You only wish the director, John Cromwell, had more guts to let Diskant fly with things. Cromwell is one of those by-the-book directors who gets the job done but doesn't seem to see the opportunities to surprise the viewer. And he was loaded with opportunity here.
The story is basically about life as a cop in a big city. That's why half the time (almost literally) we are in the police station. Or a squad car. There is no actual crime at the center of things (lots of crimes go zipping by, for sure). It's not about solving a crime, but about getting the old boss. It's Mitchum vs. Ryan. And Ryan is more fun. Things get fairly complicated, perhaps needlessly, but the overall trend is toward justice, and how it is best served in a corrupt world. Filled with good nuances, but packaged a bit awkwardly by the end.
I say this isn't quite a film noir, but of course in the big picture most people would have to call it that. What it lacks (for me) is the loneliness of the lead character, and maybe even the evilness of the femme fatale. Mitchum is part of a big machine, and a sympathetic one (a huge police force). Ryan is just a thug, and a mean one with a small mind. It's pure crime stuff with noir stylizing. Good enough for a great evening--if you stay alert to all the details.
- secondtake
- Sep 9, 2013
- Permalink
- claudio_carvalho
- Nov 18, 2008
- Permalink
This is a story that has been presented thousands of times on the big screen. What makes this film, The Racket, a cut above most of the other crime/drama films of the past 70 odd years is the standout performance by Robert Ryan as the gangster Nick Scanlon. I used the word "gangster"which is based on the Websters dictionary which defines the word "gangster: as follows: "a member of a gang of criminals : racketeer".
In today's films we hear more about the word "mobster" defined as "someone who is part of a secret organized group of criminals : a member of the Mob" Nick Scanlon is not part of any criminal organization, not even if the criminal organization he associates with refers to their head honcho as "the old man". Robert Ryan's character is a formidable foe to the 7th Precinct Police station as well as to all the criminal elements as he certainly marches to his own drum and that drum is beaten often by his own fists on to the other criminals who do not take his orders without talking back to him. The 7th precinct police station has recently been advised of their new Captain an honest hard working and devoted officer of the law named Captain Thomas McQuigg played by first rate actor Robert Mitchum.
Captain Thomas McQuigg and the feisty criminal Nick Scanlon share a common trait. They don't run away from trouble, no these two tough opponents they run head on towards trouble. This film also reflects how the criminal element has infiltrated the police and the judicial system with their brute force and cash influence. I guess some things such as in this film, the more they change the more they stay the same. (Police and justice corruption are still prevalent in the year 2018 as the current U.S. president, Donald Trump, has been under siege with non truth accusations, and the news stated pay to play by the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.)
The film The Racket does have one clear message besides the strong performances by many of the actors and actresses in this excellent film and that message is "justice will prevail".
I give the film a 7 out of 10 rating
In today's films we hear more about the word "mobster" defined as "someone who is part of a secret organized group of criminals : a member of the Mob" Nick Scanlon is not part of any criminal organization, not even if the criminal organization he associates with refers to their head honcho as "the old man". Robert Ryan's character is a formidable foe to the 7th Precinct Police station as well as to all the criminal elements as he certainly marches to his own drum and that drum is beaten often by his own fists on to the other criminals who do not take his orders without talking back to him. The 7th precinct police station has recently been advised of their new Captain an honest hard working and devoted officer of the law named Captain Thomas McQuigg played by first rate actor Robert Mitchum.
Captain Thomas McQuigg and the feisty criminal Nick Scanlon share a common trait. They don't run away from trouble, no these two tough opponents they run head on towards trouble. This film also reflects how the criminal element has infiltrated the police and the judicial system with their brute force and cash influence. I guess some things such as in this film, the more they change the more they stay the same. (Police and justice corruption are still prevalent in the year 2018 as the current U.S. president, Donald Trump, has been under siege with non truth accusations, and the news stated pay to play by the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.)
The film The Racket does have one clear message besides the strong performances by many of the actors and actresses in this excellent film and that message is "justice will prevail".
I give the film a 7 out of 10 rating
- Ed-Shullivan
- Jan 7, 2018
- Permalink
A corrupt crime syndicate has moved into town, bringing with it new tools and pulling political strings instead of just using muscle. They join up with local boss Nick Scanlon who is old-school and trades on violence more than anything else. Into the middle of this corruption and rising crime comes honest policeman Capt Tomas McQuigg who has history with Scanlon but aims to bring him down and expose the syndicate's web of corruption as well.
First of all, let me correct the entry on this page that classes this film as `film-noir', I assume that this has been added by another user that doesn't know what this means and equates it to any black and white film that involves crime. Needless to say, I do not see this as a noir, I see it as a basic crime story with tough cops and equally tough criminals. The basic story is good as it involves corruption as much as the usual crime boss characters. The film doesn't really be all it could have been and it stays at a tough if basic level for the majority. All told the story goes by slickly enough and is enjoyable despite that fact that you will have almost totally forgotten it fifteen minutes after it has finished.
The cast help it to be better than it actually is and features two typically tough-talking and square jawed leads. Mitchum isn't as impressive as he can be but he does has a solid screen presence and he does well here. Ryan plays a character than has actually become more interesting with time due to other, similar characters than he has played since - his character is a bit toothless but that has more to do with codes of the time than his performance. The support cast are OK but nobody really stands out.
Overall this is an OK film that will pass quite easily but has few qualities that will really stick in your mind for very long after you see it. Oh, and it's not a film-noir!
First of all, let me correct the entry on this page that classes this film as `film-noir', I assume that this has been added by another user that doesn't know what this means and equates it to any black and white film that involves crime. Needless to say, I do not see this as a noir, I see it as a basic crime story with tough cops and equally tough criminals. The basic story is good as it involves corruption as much as the usual crime boss characters. The film doesn't really be all it could have been and it stays at a tough if basic level for the majority. All told the story goes by slickly enough and is enjoyable despite that fact that you will have almost totally forgotten it fifteen minutes after it has finished.
The cast help it to be better than it actually is and features two typically tough-talking and square jawed leads. Mitchum isn't as impressive as he can be but he does has a solid screen presence and he does well here. Ryan plays a character than has actually become more interesting with time due to other, similar characters than he has played since - his character is a bit toothless but that has more to do with codes of the time than his performance. The support cast are OK but nobody really stands out.
Overall this is an OK film that will pass quite easily but has few qualities that will really stick in your mind for very long after you see it. Oh, and it's not a film-noir!
- bob the moo
- May 4, 2004
- Permalink
Entertaining film with politics, crime and corruption the main themes here.
Robert Mitchum plays a dedicated, righteous policeman who heads a unit of officers. He is as honest as 24 hours in a day. He takes pride in such officers as Bill Talman, a young cop gunned down in police headquarters by the usually evil Robert Ryan. Without the insanity of his earlier crime driven roles, Ryan comes across as the embodiment of evil.
Ray Collins steals the show as a worm of a prosecuting attorney up to his neck in corruption. It is interesting to note that both Collins and Talman went on to TV careers in "Perry Mason."
Lizabeth Scott, as a lounge singer, caught up in the mayhem, tries hard to please but she does not evoke the emotion needed for her role.
To say that the ending is justified is more than right.
Robert Mitchum plays a dedicated, righteous policeman who heads a unit of officers. He is as honest as 24 hours in a day. He takes pride in such officers as Bill Talman, a young cop gunned down in police headquarters by the usually evil Robert Ryan. Without the insanity of his earlier crime driven roles, Ryan comes across as the embodiment of evil.
Ray Collins steals the show as a worm of a prosecuting attorney up to his neck in corruption. It is interesting to note that both Collins and Talman went on to TV careers in "Perry Mason."
Lizabeth Scott, as a lounge singer, caught up in the mayhem, tries hard to please but she does not evoke the emotion needed for her role.
To say that the ending is justified is more than right.
Robert Ryan made a career of playing against type. Off-screen, he was a warm-hearted, intelligent man who fought against injustice and campaigned for civil rights. In character, he frequently played sardonic, sadistic villains. Maybe being 6"4" with the swagger of the ex-Marine and college boxer he'd been, coupled with a face of chiseled granite, contributed. And he was never more entertainingly sociopathic than as Nick Scanlon in "The Racket." A loose cannon mobster allied with a national crime syndicate, he refuses to cool his natural taste for violence to protect his associates' political power plays. His adversary and ex-childhood pal is staunchly honest cop Robert Mitchum. Together, they strike sparks in what has been incorrectly described as a "noir" film. It's more of a tough, smart gangster movie. There are stand-outs throughout, led by Ray Collins' sweaty, corrupt DA and Don Porter's smooth syndicate "front." But it's Ryan who ambles off with the acting honors.
Pretty much the entire cast delivers good performances. Robert Mitchum swaggers through the movie calmly exuding righteousness (!), machismo, and testosterone as a good cop dedicated to fighting a sprawling web of political intrigue and corruption.
Robert Ryan is superb as a nasty, snarling thug, the ruthless boss of a vicious gang of hoodlums who specialize in murdering witnesses.
William Talman -- who starred as the psychopathic killer in The Hitch Hiker -- is convincing but underused as a decent, dependable cop.
Lizabeth Scott is disappointing as a trashy blonde nightclub singer. She doesn't seem to get 'into' her part and delivers a bland, lack-luster performance.
Although the cast's acting in general is good, the direction and cinematography are mediocre. The plot is predictable and holds no surprises, no twists, no denouement. Although the story hints at a mastermind who is pulling Ryan's strings, the angle is not developed and we never find out who it is (probably the Governor). Not a classic, but Ryan's performance is worth the cost of admission.
Robert Ryan is superb as a nasty, snarling thug, the ruthless boss of a vicious gang of hoodlums who specialize in murdering witnesses.
William Talman -- who starred as the psychopathic killer in The Hitch Hiker -- is convincing but underused as a decent, dependable cop.
Lizabeth Scott is disappointing as a trashy blonde nightclub singer. She doesn't seem to get 'into' her part and delivers a bland, lack-luster performance.
Although the cast's acting in general is good, the direction and cinematography are mediocre. The plot is predictable and holds no surprises, no twists, no denouement. Although the story hints at a mastermind who is pulling Ryan's strings, the angle is not developed and we never find out who it is (probably the Governor). Not a classic, but Ryan's performance is worth the cost of admission.
- classicsoncall
- Jun 23, 2016
- Permalink
The Racket is a remake of the 1928 film of the same name, itself based on a popular Bartlett Cormack play. With Howard Hughes backing the production it was beset with a number of problems, interference and a few director changes were prominent and the script was tampered with to try and capture the zeitgeist of the Kefauver Committee Hearings that were running prominently at the time. Plot in basic form pitches Robert Mitchum's honest police captain against Robert Ryan's no good crime boss, and the location is some corrupt American city (almost certainly Chicago).
At the time of its making, the film had a cast list that cried out as a roll for film noir/crime movie big hitters: Robert Mitchum (Out of the Past), Robert Ryan (Crossfire), Lizabeth Scott (Pitfall) and William Talman (Armoured Car Robbery), while in support there was the likes of William Conrad (The Killers), Ray Collins (Leave Her to Heaven) and Virginia Huston (also Out of the Past). Even looking at the directors who contributed on the production sees some fine genre credentials: John Cromwell (Dead Reckoning), Nicholas Ray (In a lonely Place), Mel Ferrer (The Secret Fury) and Tay Garnett (The Postman Always Rings Twice). But too many cooks can often spoil the broth, such is the case here.
Solid enough story that's unspectacular in its execution, a choppy yet just about watchable experience, and certainly a softer crime movie than it really ought to have been. It has often been coined as being a hard-hitting melodrama, but the decent thriller sequences are cloaked by a narrative that actually doesn't flow with any conviction. There's also the odd casting of Mitchum as a good guy to get around, and the film doesn't achieve that, namely because Mitchum plays it distinctly unenthusiastically. Ryan, too, looks to be going thru the motions, while Scott is woefully underused. Thankfully there's good work from Talman, Collins and Conrad to enjoy, while Huston impacts with what little she is given to work with.
On a surface viewing it's easy to believe that The Racket is a better film than it is. We enjoy seeing Ryan doing snarly villainy and throwing punches, and Mitchum, in spite of walking thru the picture, is always a watchable presence. Pulses are raised too with some gun play, auto pursuits and a roof top punch up. But strip those away and you find the odd scene slotted in that doesn't make a great deal of sense, they exist but serve no purpose since the writing doesn't recall them later. There's also the whiff of stupidity about the way the makers were clearly trying to craft an intelligent take on organised crime, yet the police really don't have to do much to nail these bad boys. It's all very well portraying Mitchum and Talman as bastions of good and pure, but at least let them have to do work to bring down the crims! While the ending is wholly unsatisfactory.
The names involved ensure the film is never boring, but confused messages and a jumbled narrative make it a film of big intentions but not much substance. As for film noir? Well it does contain film noir type characters, but really this is about as film noir as my day- glow socks. 5/10
At the time of its making, the film had a cast list that cried out as a roll for film noir/crime movie big hitters: Robert Mitchum (Out of the Past), Robert Ryan (Crossfire), Lizabeth Scott (Pitfall) and William Talman (Armoured Car Robbery), while in support there was the likes of William Conrad (The Killers), Ray Collins (Leave Her to Heaven) and Virginia Huston (also Out of the Past). Even looking at the directors who contributed on the production sees some fine genre credentials: John Cromwell (Dead Reckoning), Nicholas Ray (In a lonely Place), Mel Ferrer (The Secret Fury) and Tay Garnett (The Postman Always Rings Twice). But too many cooks can often spoil the broth, such is the case here.
Solid enough story that's unspectacular in its execution, a choppy yet just about watchable experience, and certainly a softer crime movie than it really ought to have been. It has often been coined as being a hard-hitting melodrama, but the decent thriller sequences are cloaked by a narrative that actually doesn't flow with any conviction. There's also the odd casting of Mitchum as a good guy to get around, and the film doesn't achieve that, namely because Mitchum plays it distinctly unenthusiastically. Ryan, too, looks to be going thru the motions, while Scott is woefully underused. Thankfully there's good work from Talman, Collins and Conrad to enjoy, while Huston impacts with what little she is given to work with.
On a surface viewing it's easy to believe that The Racket is a better film than it is. We enjoy seeing Ryan doing snarly villainy and throwing punches, and Mitchum, in spite of walking thru the picture, is always a watchable presence. Pulses are raised too with some gun play, auto pursuits and a roof top punch up. But strip those away and you find the odd scene slotted in that doesn't make a great deal of sense, they exist but serve no purpose since the writing doesn't recall them later. There's also the whiff of stupidity about the way the makers were clearly trying to craft an intelligent take on organised crime, yet the police really don't have to do much to nail these bad boys. It's all very well portraying Mitchum and Talman as bastions of good and pure, but at least let them have to do work to bring down the crims! While the ending is wholly unsatisfactory.
The names involved ensure the film is never boring, but confused messages and a jumbled narrative make it a film of big intentions but not much substance. As for film noir? Well it does contain film noir type characters, but really this is about as film noir as my day- glow socks. 5/10
- hitchcockthelegend
- Jun 20, 2011
- Permalink
The 80-minutes has the cast elements of a memorable crime drama—Ryan, Mitchum, Talman, Conrad. Then too, RKO's head honcho Howard Hughes actively participated, along with a narrative of city corruption that's handled in some revealing detail. So why aren't the results more memorable than I think they are. To me, the screenplay is more congested than it should be. For example, Liz Scott's role is clearly there for marquee value, adding nothing to the plot, other than crowding up the many characters and sub-plots. Considering the number of writes, rewrites, and re-shoots (IMDB), perhaps the crowding is understandable. All in all, the number of production fingerprints fail to blend into an impactful whole, leaving a movie of a few memorable parts.
Ryan, of course, is Ryan, scary in his intensity, and wholly convincing in his criminal belligerence. Mitchum, however, is cast against type as the unwavering precinct captain. In fact, Captain McQuigg runs his precinct much like Scanlon's (Ryan) territorial tyrant. Thus McQuigg is more like a competing territorial chief than a neutral enforcer of the law, (note how McQuigg unlawfully tears up a legal writ.). The film's worth watching for its outlining of how corruption works in a city environment. District Attorney Welch (Collins) and Sgt. Turk (Conrad) betray their public trust by allying with the crime syndicate, becoming instrumental as go-betweens and influence-peddlers.
This was a period in the country's history (1951) when organized crime was getting headlines thanks to Sen. Kefauver's investigation committee. So Hollywood's response is not surprising. I just wish the movie had lived up to its potential, but I guess there's a lesson here about too many cooks.
Ryan, of course, is Ryan, scary in his intensity, and wholly convincing in his criminal belligerence. Mitchum, however, is cast against type as the unwavering precinct captain. In fact, Captain McQuigg runs his precinct much like Scanlon's (Ryan) territorial tyrant. Thus McQuigg is more like a competing territorial chief than a neutral enforcer of the law, (note how McQuigg unlawfully tears up a legal writ.). The film's worth watching for its outlining of how corruption works in a city environment. District Attorney Welch (Collins) and Sgt. Turk (Conrad) betray their public trust by allying with the crime syndicate, becoming instrumental as go-betweens and influence-peddlers.
This was a period in the country's history (1951) when organized crime was getting headlines thanks to Sen. Kefauver's investigation committee. So Hollywood's response is not surprising. I just wish the movie had lived up to its potential, but I guess there's a lesson here about too many cooks.
- dougdoepke
- May 8, 2016
- Permalink
THE RACKET is a very familiar crime story produced by Howard Hughes. The typically mild-mannered Robert Mitchum stars as a cop leading a task force against the sinister criminal organisation blighting his city, and the man at the top is a ruthless murderer who has to be stopped at all costs.
What follows is entirely predictable to anybody who's familiar with this genre in any way, but at the same time it's rather engaging with a literate script and some excellent performances from actors who lift the material above its pulpish origins. Mitchum is only middling here as he seems to be sleepwalking through the role, but Robert Ryan's kingpin is much better and rather hissable. The real scene-stealer, though, is William Talman (THE HITCH-HIKER) as the rookie cop who finds himself involved in something far beyond his means.
What follows is entirely predictable to anybody who's familiar with this genre in any way, but at the same time it's rather engaging with a literate script and some excellent performances from actors who lift the material above its pulpish origins. Mitchum is only middling here as he seems to be sleepwalking through the role, but Robert Ryan's kingpin is much better and rather hissable. The real scene-stealer, though, is William Talman (THE HITCH-HIKER) as the rookie cop who finds himself involved in something far beyond his means.
- Leofwine_draca
- Sep 10, 2015
- Permalink
Howard Hughes produced this film, and he knew a thing or two about the power of big money and racketeering. So it was natural for him to want to make a noir thriller about it. In the capable directorial hands of old pro John Cromwell, this is an excellent study of the octopus tentacles of crime syndicates and how a handful of people struggle against them, many getting hurt in the process. William Talman plays a stalwart and honest cop, so you can imagine what happens to him. The hero is Robert Mitchum, as the only incorruptible police captain on the police force in 'the city'. The main baddie in town is psycho crime boss Robert Ryan, just as menacing and ruthless as ever, except that he gets carried away by his passion for murder and out of impatience even kills someone himself, whereas crime bosses are meant to sit back and have this kind of thing done for them, like asking in the barber and the manicurist. Lizabeth Scott is the sultry gal caught up in it all, trying to decide whether to follow her cynical streak or go honest. Her part is not big enough to do her justice, but she does her usual good job. The best thing in the film is the powerful confrontational scene between Mitchum and Ryan, where they face each other down, and we see that Ryan is even taller than Mitchum (I always wondered!) What fireworks that brings! Always ominous and in the background is 'the Old Man', whom we never see, and who is the boss of bosses. Of course, nothing ever happens to him, and The Racket goes on as before, after this particular story is played out. This is a potent tale, well worth watching. The only thing missing is Gloria Grahame.
- robert-temple-1
- Sep 13, 2008
- Permalink
About what you'd expect from a film with no true auteur...i.e. FIVE directors!...and a very meddlesome studio head...i.e. Howard Hughes. No mood of tension or corruption, as befits a noir, and a general flatness in the dialogue and characterization, especially among the good guy cops and their spouses. However, no film with the great Robert Ryan at his damaged, evil best is flat out bad so let's give this one a generous C plus.
But there's some fun to be had here in this slightly lame-brained noir. (Sorry to the above doctrinaire defender of a very narrow definition of noir, but "noir" is about a feeling and there's no strict definition I know of. There doesn't always have to be a femme fatale a la Barbra Stanwyck or Mary Astor to qualify -- though I won't argue it doesn't help!)
Mainly, the fun in this from is from the always great Robert Ryan who sinks his teeth into a out-and-out nasty character. Ryan even finds a little bit of complexity.
Poor Robert Mitchum, however, seems a bit uncomfortable playing a thoroughly stalwart lawman. It's more of a Gary Cooper part and there's nothing roguish for Mitchum to have fun with.
Still, there's tons of familiar faces doing good work including the always good Lizabeth Scott (not quite a femme fatale in the classic sense, I admit) and William Talman as a braver but stupid cop. (I'm not sure if we're supposed to think he's not smart, but he the risks he takes are beyond foolhardy.)
I particularly got a kick of out seeing the great Bill Conrad (aka Quinn-Martin's "Cannon" and "Rocky and Bullwinkle"'s bombastic narrator) as well as Don Porter as a sleazy ward healer. 20 years later Porter would play an equally oily (though arguably less evil) political type, as the Nixonian/Reaganesque Senator Crocker Jarman in "The Candidate."
Mainly, the fun in this from is from the always great Robert Ryan who sinks his teeth into a out-and-out nasty character. Ryan even finds a little bit of complexity.
Poor Robert Mitchum, however, seems a bit uncomfortable playing a thoroughly stalwart lawman. It's more of a Gary Cooper part and there's nothing roguish for Mitchum to have fun with.
Still, there's tons of familiar faces doing good work including the always good Lizabeth Scott (not quite a femme fatale in the classic sense, I admit) and William Talman as a braver but stupid cop. (I'm not sure if we're supposed to think he's not smart, but he the risks he takes are beyond foolhardy.)
I particularly got a kick of out seeing the great Bill Conrad (aka Quinn-Martin's "Cannon" and "Rocky and Bullwinkle"'s bombastic narrator) as well as Don Porter as a sleazy ward healer. 20 years later Porter would play an equally oily (though arguably less evil) political type, as the Nixonian/Reaganesque Senator Crocker Jarman in "The Candidate."
- bobwestal-2
- Sep 23, 2002
- Permalink
This is a surprisingly disappointing film for being a hardboiled noir about ruthless gangsters and established corruption. The leading gangster is Robert Ryan, who definitely dwarfs the quiet but pertinacious leading policeman Robert Mitchum, who is more calculating and subtle and therefore wins, while Robert Ryan is carried off guard by his own roughness. Ryan dominates the acting, though. But the one person who makes the film interesting at all is Lizabeth Scott with her suave voice and shifting standing, leaving you wondering where she really is, until she is forced by circumstances to land on one side. There is a great finale at the police station, which doesn't save the film from regular mediocrity. Only Lizabeth Scott makes it a little more than that.
Hamilton Burger (William Talman) a cop and Lt. Tragg IRay Collins) a DA? And Cannon (William Conrad) to boot! I recognized man of the cast. Robert Ryan I recognized from The Longest Day Dirty Dozen, Bad Day at Blackrock, and lots of other things. And I can never say enough about Robert Mitchem. What a great cast.
A hood that thinks he runs the town associates with a national crime syndicate. There is some friction between the two. Plus they're trying to throw an election. But two honest cops (Mitchem and Talman) try to thwart their efforts. Bought politicians, dirty cops, a night club singer.....it has nearly everything.
And to top it off, I used to have an old Nash just like the police cars used in this movie! It was huge (17 feet long) and looked like an upside bathtub. But it was roomy and rode good. I got a lot of looks in it, for sure. Those were the days. I wish fedoras would come back in style. I guess I was just born twenty years too late. I really don't know why they have such a high number for characters in a movie review. I think I covered it in the first two paragraphs. I didn't want to give anything away. But there is an explosion and several killings. Now that I think about it, Jack Webb would have fit right in, in this movie. He could have given a lecture to the thugs about honest cops and protecting the public and stuff.
But Tragg sure seemed wimpy in this movie. But Burger sure played his role well. I really didn't care to see Ryan in this role. He makes a better good guy than a bad guy.. Of course that's just my opinion and your mileage may vary. I can't believe I still haven't typed enough characters for this movie review. So I'll just keep on typing until the red letters go away. This will probably get canned, but I just wanted to say what a great movie it was. I can't believe I haven't seen it before. I guess I'll just have to binge Robert Mitchem movies.
Still haven't reached 600 characters. Sheesh!;' If you've read this far, I don't know what to tell you except watch the movie! You won't regret it. I like that style of movie. They convey violence but don't show brains splattered out everywhere or blood and gore gratuitously like they do today. Not full of vulgarity and profanity and f-bombs every other word. They knew how to make good movies back then. I hardly ever watch a new movie unless it's more about substance than profanity.
OK I finally met the character limit. Let's see if this gets through! :)
A hood that thinks he runs the town associates with a national crime syndicate. There is some friction between the two. Plus they're trying to throw an election. But two honest cops (Mitchem and Talman) try to thwart their efforts. Bought politicians, dirty cops, a night club singer.....it has nearly everything.
And to top it off, I used to have an old Nash just like the police cars used in this movie! It was huge (17 feet long) and looked like an upside bathtub. But it was roomy and rode good. I got a lot of looks in it, for sure. Those were the days. I wish fedoras would come back in style. I guess I was just born twenty years too late. I really don't know why they have such a high number for characters in a movie review. I think I covered it in the first two paragraphs. I didn't want to give anything away. But there is an explosion and several killings. Now that I think about it, Jack Webb would have fit right in, in this movie. He could have given a lecture to the thugs about honest cops and protecting the public and stuff.
But Tragg sure seemed wimpy in this movie. But Burger sure played his role well. I really didn't care to see Ryan in this role. He makes a better good guy than a bad guy.. Of course that's just my opinion and your mileage may vary. I can't believe I still haven't typed enough characters for this movie review. So I'll just keep on typing until the red letters go away. This will probably get canned, but I just wanted to say what a great movie it was. I can't believe I haven't seen it before. I guess I'll just have to binge Robert Mitchem movies.
Still haven't reached 600 characters. Sheesh!;' If you've read this far, I don't know what to tell you except watch the movie! You won't regret it. I like that style of movie. They convey violence but don't show brains splattered out everywhere or blood and gore gratuitously like they do today. Not full of vulgarity and profanity and f-bombs every other word. They knew how to make good movies back then. I hardly ever watch a new movie unless it's more about substance than profanity.
OK I finally met the character limit. Let's see if this gets through! :)
- GreggoWhitehead
- Aug 25, 2023
- Permalink
"The Racket" (1951) is directed by... well, quite a few different pairs of hands actually. John Cromwell gets the credit, but he had uncredited directing help from Nicholas Ray and Mel Ferrer. It's hardly surprising actually when you look at who owned RKO when the film was made. None other than Howard Hughes, who had a panache for taking directors off movies at the drop of the hat. In fact, "Vendetta" from 1950, went through six directors! This constant reshuffling in the director's chair probably accounts for the differing feel to the picture. The beginning, quite bland and unmemorable mutates into a very good middle section before ending predictably. It would be interesting to see who did what on the motion picture.
The screenplay is by William Wister Haines and W.R. Burnett (author of "Little Caesar"), and based on a play of the same name by Bartlett Cormack, which was also the basis for the 1928 film "The Racket", directed by Lewis Milestone. It is about McQuigg (Robert Mitchum), the only honest police captain on the force, and his loyal patrolman, Johnson (William Talman). Together, they take on the violent Nick Scanlon (Robert Ryan), who is backed by The Syndicate. Together, they plan to elect Welch (Ray Collins), the crooked prosecutor running for judge.
Mitchum and Ryan are very good, as usual, but there is certainly an added intensity when they share the screen, and Lizabeth Scott, Ray Collins and William Conrad all contribute, good solid performances. The photography, by George E. Diskant, is very nice indeed, full of shadows and darkness. In fact, with a slightly less routing screenplay and just one director, this could have turned out to be something special. Still, as it is, it is good enough and a lot better than its reputation.
The screenplay is by William Wister Haines and W.R. Burnett (author of "Little Caesar"), and based on a play of the same name by Bartlett Cormack, which was also the basis for the 1928 film "The Racket", directed by Lewis Milestone. It is about McQuigg (Robert Mitchum), the only honest police captain on the force, and his loyal patrolman, Johnson (William Talman). Together, they take on the violent Nick Scanlon (Robert Ryan), who is backed by The Syndicate. Together, they plan to elect Welch (Ray Collins), the crooked prosecutor running for judge.
Mitchum and Ryan are very good, as usual, but there is certainly an added intensity when they share the screen, and Lizabeth Scott, Ray Collins and William Conrad all contribute, good solid performances. The photography, by George E. Diskant, is very nice indeed, full of shadows and darkness. In fact, with a slightly less routing screenplay and just one director, this could have turned out to be something special. Still, as it is, it is good enough and a lot better than its reputation.
- JohnWelles
- Sep 21, 2011
- Permalink