Newspaper readers forget fast. It goes in one eye and out the other – The Racket (1951)
The Racket (1951)
Today on Classic Movie Review, we are taking on Film Noir The Racket (1951).
iMDB.com rates this movie at a low 6.7[1]. The Racket (1951) was slaughtered on rottentomatoes.com [2] with 33 percent on the Tomatometer and 44 percent audience score. Gees! It’s not that bad. I am going to slot this film at 382 on my list of all Film Noirs.
I first saw the movie when I was deep diving into the Film Noirs of Lizabeth Scott. This movie is loaded with stars of the genre. Although the outcome is predictable, watching these great actors go through the paces is fantastic.
This film is a remake of the silent film The Racket (1928). The 1928 film was based on Bartlett Cormack’s play of the same name. The play and the earlier film were about a bootlegger roughly modeled on Chicago gangster Al Capone.
Howard Hughes produced The Racket (1928) and owned the studio for The Racket (1951). Two actors from the play got their start in Hollywood as a result. They are Edward G. Robinson and John Cromwell. Cromwell eventually made his mark as a director, including for today’s film. John Cromwell is the father of James Cromwell, a great actor known for, among other things, playing the drunken Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact (1996).
Actors – The Racket (1951)
Returning
Robert Mitchum was in the role of Captain Thomas McQuigg. He was dapperly dressed and as cool as ever. This great actor was first covered in the great Film Noir Out of the Past (1947).
Lizabeth Scott played the tough torch singer that found her heart of old, Irene Hayes. She was made for this role with her husky voice and star-eyed optimism. Scott was first covered in the very good Film Noir The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946).
Robert Ryan snarled and growled his way through this film as gangster Nick Scanlon. He was pretty convincing as a criminal left behind by changing times. Ryan was first covered in the war flick Battle of the Bulge (1965).
William Talman played the perfect cop and husband, Officer Bob Johnson. I thought he looked a little old to be a rookie cop. However, it was made clear that he was a war veteran, possibly accounting for the extra years. Talman excelled at playing bad guys and was first covered in the Film Noir Armored Car Robbery (1950).
Ray Collins was almost perfect a corrupt D.A. Mortimer X. Welsh with the right amount of criminality and fear. Collins was first covered in the fantastic Clark Gable war film Command Decision (1948).
William Conrad was the hidden gem of this movie as corrupt investigator Det. Sgt. Turk. He slunk around in the background before making a pivotal movie. Conrad was first covered in the Film Noir Cry Danger (1951).
Milburn Stone showed up as an uncredited member of the investigation team.
Story – The Racket (1951)
In a big city, newspapers are being delivered on the streets. The headline reads that the Crime Commission is meeting with the governor. The citizens seem skeptical. In the meeting, the locals tell the governor that national crime syndicates are moving in and the problem is too big to be solved locally.
Harry Craig (Les Tremayne) is the lead local investigator. He brings a news item showing that Police Captain Thomas McQuigg (Robert Mitchum) has been transferred again. Craig says directly that local officials are helping to promote crime by repeatedly moving a good cop like McQuigg.
Craig tells about Nick Scanlon (Robert Ryan), the local crime boss being taken over by a national syndicate. They are not sure who is the head of the national boys. He is known only as the “Old Man.” The syndicate already controls the assistant state’s attorney Mortimer X. Welsh (Ray Collins) under their control. They are using their money to get Mortimer elected to a judgeship. Craig wants to break the case just before the elections.
In a highrise in another part of town, torpedoes and hired muscle are waiting in Nick Scanlon’s outer room. Nick has sprung Durko (Max Wagner) without syndicate approval. Mannick (John Daheim) and another hood are worried because someone spilled their guts to the Crime Commission. They expect Nick to blow his top. Nick enters the room and snarls at the hoods before returning inside. Nick is waiting for the barber Tony (Tito Vuolo). They ask Tony to talk to Nick about not going overboard with revenge.
Tony tries to talk to Nick, but the gangster Nick sees right through the ploy. Nick knows that Mannick is behind the talk. Nick forces Mannick to tell about the trouble. Nick thinks the “Old Man” is too easy on people and doesn’t use enough violence.
Craig returns to his office and is greeted by his staff, including a very young Milburn Stone. They think they will get convictions based on the stool pigeon Roy Higgins (Howland Chamberlain). They expect Higgins to return for more interrogations. The staff tells that Higgins is part of the Acme Real Estate Company.
At the office of Acme Real Estate Company, R.G. Connolly (Don Porter) and Davis (Ralph Peters) are discussing the electing of friendly judge Mortimer. Higgins arrives at the office and demands to see the “Old Man” because he was promised the judgeship. Connolly says the boss is not in, and Higgins says he is done with the rackets. Connolly gives Higgins a confession to sign. The weak Higgins signs the document.
Higgins runs into Nick coming out of the elevator. Nick lets Higgins leave. Nick meets with Connolly and says the confession will do no good, and they have to act against a man who will squeal. Nick wants to do things the old way and is unhappy with the new leadership. Connolly says there are ways to get stuff done without killing.
Nick points out the window and shows that Higgins has been shot dead in the parking lot. Durko and another hood quickly leave the parking lot in their car. They almost hit some pedestrians in a crosswalk. A beat cop, Officer Bob Johnson (William Talman), asks why they are in such a hurry. He lets them leave but is very suspicious. It is not long before Johnson hears about the murder.
Johnson goes to the police station and pours over the mug books until he identifies Durko. Johnson has a warrant issued for Durko.
Back at Acme, Connolly is reading the riot act to crocked police Det. Sgt. Turk (William Conrad). Turk is showing Johnson’s report on Durko. Turk is an investigator for the States Attorney’s Special Investigations Department. Since Johnson is in McQuigg’s precinct, Connolly doesn’t know what can be done. Turk wants violent action. Connolly tosses the problem back to Turk to handle.
The officers of McQuigg’s precinct gather for roll call. They have mixed opinions about their new captain. McQuigg conducts an inspection of the men. McQuigg says their job is to protect the public, and he will not put up with any corruption. Afterward, McQuigg complements Johnson on his excellent work identifying Durko.
Turk arrives at the 7th precinct to talk to McQuigg. Turk asks about Johnson and is told he is solid and honest. Johnson is brought in Turk gives him the once-over. McQuigg gives Turk the boot, and Johnson knows someone is covering for the criminals. McQuigg places Johnson on a special assignment.
Johnson is happily married to Lucy Johnson (Virginia Huston). Johnson talks about his work, and Lucy wonders if her husband’s work is worth the effort. Johnson is driven and plans to go back to work that night. Lucy announces she is pregnant. Johnson is doomed!
McQuigg shows up at Nick’s apartment. The hoods in the lobby are shocked by the police captain’s presence. McQuigg walks into Nick’s room. They are on a first-name basis from the old days. Nick denies being involved in the killings of Higgins. McQuigg gets tough on Nick, and Nick stands up to the cop. McQuigg goes over all the times that Nick has messed with his career. He says from now on, it’s personal. Nick implies that he can bribe McQuigg.
A female is raising her voice and fighting with a man outside the door. She burst into Nick’s room. She says her name is Irene Hayes (Lizabeth Scott), and she just broke up with her fiance. Under questioning, she says she is a singer at the Paradise Club.
Nick calls Joe Scanlon (Brett King) into his room. Nick chews out his brother for getting engaged to a cheap canary. Joe does not defend Irene. Nick says she can keep the ring but needs to let his brother go. Irene storms out, and Nick slaps his brother around. After the humiliation of his fiance and the beating, Joe stands up to his brother and says he will marry Irene. McQuigg watches the family fight with joy.
When Joe leaves, Nick complains about all the money and effort he has poured into his brother. This includes buying college degrees. Nick gets mad at McQuigg’s grin and offers to bribe him again. McQuigg leaves.
At home, Mary McQuigg (Joyce Mackenzie) tries to keep her husband from returning to work late at night. McQuigg tells Mary that he has to watch for shenanigans as it is near the election. McQuigg walks out to his car, and a bomb explodes on his porch. A car speeds away that seems to contain some of Nick’s hoods.
McQuigg is okay, and Mary has been knocked down. She takes it like a trooper. Police surround the house and get a line on a suspicious car. McQuigg gets in a police car, and they go to where the two hoods crashed their car. An officer on the scene says he recognizes them as Nick’s men. The criminals are inside a parking garage. There is one cop inside the garage.
McQuigg takes the lead, and shortly they find the police officer wounded but alive. McQuigg has a gun battle with one of the hoods as they both head to the roof. The hood jumps on McQuigg, and they both lose their guns. They get into a donnybrook and roll all over the rooftop. In the fight, the hood loses his footing and falls to his death. McQuigg is still not happy because one of the hoods got away. I wonder why none of the other cops came up to help.
McQuigg kicks in the door of Nick’s place. He knocks the butler to the floor and demands to know where Nick is. McQuigg sees the picture of Joe and takes it with him. Living in the land sans the 4th Amendment.
McQuigg arrives at the precinct and is beset by reporters wanting info on the bombing. Attorney Mortimer X. Welsh is waiting in McQuigg’s office. He states that he is outraged about the bombing. McQuigg tells Welsh that the “Old Man” knows where Nick is and he should ask. McQuigg tries to talk Welsh into going straight. Welsh comes back that the “Old Man” is making him a judge. McQuigg answers that if he convicted Nick, Welsh could be governor. Welsh says no way.
After Welsh leaves, McQuigg sends Johnson to the Paradise Club to arrest Joe. He says to charge Joe with vagrancy or expectorating on the public pavement. Johnson wants to know if the same applies to spitting teeth onto the sidewalk.
Nick finds out from the butler that Joe has gone to the club. He also tells that McQuigg roughed him up.
Irene is breathly belting out torch songs when Johnson and another cop arrive at the club. A reporter, Dave Ames (Robert Hutton), is trying to tip the bar manager (Herb Vigran) for an introduction to Irene. Johnson sees Dave, and they are old war buddies. Dave has a thing for Irene, and she works him from the stage.
Johnson finds out from the bar manager that Joe is in the dressing room. Johnson and Dave go back and, for some reason, leave the other cop behind. Johnson sees Joe’s car in the alley. Irene is having a good time with Joe. Johnson and Dave watch as the pair exit to where the car is parked.
Johnson tells Joe that the car is stolen and arrests Joe. Joe is also charged with carrying a concealed weapon. Joe is cocky and says Nick will have him out in 10 minutes. Irene walks to the police station as Dave tags along to protect her. She is pretty hostile until she realizes Dave is a big fan.
Two hoods drop Nick at the back door of the Paradise Club. The bar manager lets Nick know that Joe has been arrested. Nick finds out that Irene is walking and calls her a Tommie. According to Eddie Muller’s outro for this film, it means tomboy or a manly woman.
Nick goes after Irene. Dave tells that Johnson was his sergeant in the Marines. The hoods and Nick catch up to Irene, but when one of the boys doesn’t want to attack the couple in McQuigg’s percent, Nick beats the man and has him placed in the back.
At the police station, Irene tells Dave he has not shot at romance with her. McQuigg tells Joe he is being charged with grand theft and gun possession. He then tells Irene that she must testify against Joe. She says no way. Dave is another witness. McQuigg has Irene detained as a material witness.
Joe calls a bonding company instead of his brother. McQuigg thinks they don’t want to use a writ to get the two out of jail because it is too public. He then asks Dave to write the story with McQuigg’s name featured prominently. Since he knows McQuigg is setting himself up as a target, he asks Dave to add his name to the story.
McQuigg goes to see Judge Sherman. McQuigg makes it back to the station in the morning. Judge Sherman, a legitimate judge, has agreed to hear the case against Joe. No sooner does he get inside than Welsh runs in with the newspaper asking how McQuigg could do this to him? Welsh says the car’s owner won’t press charges, and a permit for Joe’s gun can be issued. Welsh lets out that the “Old Man” is connected to Nick.
Turk comes in and tells Wlech that Connolly wants to see him. Welsh looks like a deer in headlights. Dave comes in and has been threatened with being fired from the paper. McQuigg calls Irene down to meet with Dave.
Connolly blames Welsh for not being available when Joe was arrested and says he might be out of the election. Welsh wants to see the “Old Man.” Connolly refuses, and Welsh asks if they still need Nick. Nick comes in the back and hears what is said. Nick says Johnson won’t testify at the trial, and Irene will be convicted of something and sent to prison. Connolly says the “Old Man” will not like the killing of Johnson. Welsh runs away to do Nick’s bidding.
Davis brings in a writ, and Nick puts the date on it to get Joe out of jail. At first, Joe barks about leaving Irene in jail. Irene gets irate that she is being left behind and is blamed for the car theft. She says she will tell everything, including the murder of Higgins. Welsh comes inside and hears Irene say she will testify.
McQuigg says he wants to arrest Nick. He convinces Irene to testify, and she finally realizes her life is in danger. McQuigg plans to have Joe picked up again.
At his home, Johnson sees his name in the paper. He rushes Lucy off to the doctor in case he is attacked at home. Johnson secures his home and waits with his gun for the expected attack. Dave shows up and asks about getting Irene released. While they are talking, two hoods arrive by car. Dave lets Durko and the other man inside. The hoods pull guns as Dave leads them to the bedroom. Johnson calls from his hiding place. He and the two hoods get into a shootout. Johnson kills them both.
Turk, Connolly, and Nick are in the Acme office and have Welsh on the phone. Welsh is spilling all of the info about Irene telling the cops about Higgins. Connolly wants to handle Irene and asks Nick to let someone else handle the girl.
Welsh comes into McQuigg’s office and gets the captain to leave for coffee as ordered by Nick. Welsh asks to have Johnson sent away for protection.
When Nick arrives demanding to see Irene, Johnson is at the front desk. He thinks Nick is a regular hood and insults the gangster. When Nick realizes he is talking to Johnson, they fight. Nick shoots Johnson. Dave sees the murder happen as he enters the room. Nick pistol-whips Dave and escapes. McQuigg returns in time to see the getaway car. He puts out a flash bulletin for the car, and it is not long until Nick is arrested.
At the police station, Johnson dies. McQuigg says a few good words about Johnson. Irene is tending to the injured Dave. Lucy walks into the station and hears that a cop has been killed. She knows it is Johnson before she is told.
Connolly and Welsh meet about the murder. Connolly says the main thing is that Nick not be allowed to confess. Mary comes and takes Lucy home. Irene tries to protect Dave from confessing.
Welsh and Turk arrive at the station to help Nick. Nick is brought in by the patrol offices. He has dumped the murder weapon. Nick blames his driver for the killing. Davis comes in with a writ of habeas corpus. McQuigg rips up the writ. When Davis goes to get Welsh, the desk sergeant first trips him and then arrests him for being drunk and disorderly and resisting arrest. McQuigg has Nick booked for murder. They exchange punches.
Welsh and Turk come in with the torn-up writ. McQuigg has Nick brought down. Dave and Irene are in the next room, and both agree to testify as Irene has a change of heart. Dave identifies Nick as Johnson’s murderer. Irene insults Nick to his face saying his brother always apologizes for him. Irene slaps Nick, and he lets slip that he beat Dave. Welsh knows they are sunk.
Just then, an officer comes in with Nick’s gun with Nick’s fingerprint all over it. Nick is left alone in the office with a guard outside the door.
Welsh is on the phone with the “Old Man.” He is instructed to tell Nick that he must remain in jail until after the election. Welsh is scared to tell Nick. Finally, with McQuigg, Turk, and Nick in the office, Welsh tells Nick he has to stay in jail. McQuigg leaves the office.
Nick says he will bring everyone down by talking to the Crime Commission. He says he will turn in Connolly, the “Old Man,” and the big guys in New York. Turk opens the window for Nick to escape. McQuigg comes back in, and Nick grabs the murder weapon. McQuigg faces him down, and Nick pulls the trigger. The gun is empty. Turk fires his gun and kills Nick. McQuigg didn’t know the gun was unloaded, but he did have a cop outside the window.
McQuigg tells Welsh that he planned everything. Turk says they always go too far. Dave runs Irene down, and they agree to give love a try.
Harry Craig from the Crime Commission arrives with subpoenas for Welsh and Turk. McQuigg talks to the desk sergeant, saying it has been a long day and tomorrow with be the same. Mary is waiting in the car for him.
Conclusion – The Racket (1951)
This was Robert Mitchum’s first film following his pot arrest on August 31, 1948. Was it just chance that his first role back was that of a super crimefighter?
As I mentioned in the intro, this film was produced by reclusive millionaire Howard Hughes and directed by John Cromwell. However, iMDB.com has four uncredited directors; Mel Ferrer, Tay Garnett, Nicholas Ray, and Sherman Todd. This resulted from Howard Hughes’ inability to leave finished films alone.
My favorite Film Noir scriptwriter, Sam Fuller, was hired as a contract writer for today’s film. However, his script was rejected because Captain McQuigg was just as bad as Nick Scanlon.
Of course, I love Perry Mason, especially the Raymond Burr series from 1957 to 1966. For most of the run, Ray Collins and William Talman were primary characters. However, they were cast slightly differently than in this film. Ray Collins went from a crooked judge to the ever-dependable Lt. Arthur Tragg. William Talman went from beat cop to District Attorney Hamilton Burger.
World-Famous Short Summary – Good cop keeps his eye on the prize
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[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043955/
[2] The Racket – Rotten Tomatoes
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