Racket, The (Blu-ray Review)
Director
John CromwellRelease Date(s)
1951 (October 14, 2025)Studio(s)
RKO Pictures (Warner Archive Collection)- Film/Program Grade: C+
- Video Grade: B+
- Audio Grade: A-
- Extras Grade: B
Review
Corruption and crime typically are at the core of film noir. Deadline U.S.A., The Harder They Fall, Roadblock, and The Turning Point all deal with characters trying to buck corruption among bad cops or crooked politicians in league with some criminal element. Filmed primarily on small budgets with a gritty realism, they feature themes of temptation, power, and self-preservation. In The Racket, an incorruptible cop faces off against a mob boss and the politicians and police who profit from protecting his operations.
The Racket opens as the governor convenes a special commission on crime. There’s a criminal mastermind, known only as “the Old Man,” and the governor appoints investigator Harry Craig (Les Tremayne) to lead the investigation into the Old Man and his crime syndicate. Nick Scanlon (Robert Ryan) is a thug who’s risen to the top of the crime ladder through violent coercion and murder, in opposition to the subtler workings of the Old Man, whose underlings operate through a front, buying judges and fixing elections.
Honest police captain Tom McQuigg (Robert Mitchum) is the barrier between the decent people of the city and the criminal element. So his corrupt superiors have transferred him repeatedly from one district to the next to keep him away from Scanlon’s crooked operations. Allied with Scanlon are corrupt D.A. Mortimer Welsh (Ray Collins) and Det. Sgt. Turk (William Conrad). To help him to close in on Scanlon, McQuigg recruits a heroic cop, Officer Bob Johnson (William Talman), who isn’t afraid to put his career and life on the line to buck the corrupt system.
Meanwhile, Scanlon’s younger brother Joe (Brett King) is infatuated by night club torch singer Irene Hayes (Lizabeth Scott). However, when she finds herself in a jam with the cops, Joe disappears and young reporter Dave Ames (Robert Hutton) becomes her chivalrous protector.
Robert Ryan turns in the film’s best performance as surly, tough crime boss Nick Scanlon. Whenever he appears, he dominates the scene and his power can be felt. Terrifying his henchmen and brazen with the cops, believing he’s untouchable and immune from the law because of his disreputable connections, he practically struts.
Robert Mitchum, as the good cop, has the less interesting role, but plays it effectively. With sleepy eyes and a casual manner, he conveys self-assurance and authority. There’s some fire when Mitchum and Ryan share a scene, but Mitchum doesn’t convince that he’s been trying to bring down Scanlon for a long time. Yet he perseveres, waiting for the moment to trap Scanlon and eliminate his crime spree.
Lizabeth Scott as the femme fatale makes little impression in a sketchy cliche of a role, but does elicit some sympathy as the girl caught in the middle and adds a bit of glamor to the primarily male cast.
William Talman has a substantial role as honest cop Bob Johnson and figures prominently in the plot. It’s interesting to see him in this part when he’s forever etched in our memory as Hamilton Burger, the D.A. on TV’s Perry Mason. On the surface, Talman conveys goodness, but his eyes suggest that maybe he’s a little too enthusiastic about nailing Scanlon. His look suggests misplaced priorities. The script, however, makes him a one-note hero. He jumps at the chance to be more than a cop on the beat and pits his personal safety on the back burner despite being married and expecting a baby. Is this really heroic?
Director John Cromwell has settled for a talky picture with little action instead of allowing dynamic visuals to advance the story. The film is based on a 1927 play and its stage origins are painfully evident in the static staging and quantities of expository dialogue. Cromwell displays little creativity in the use of cinematic effects to enhance and streamline the narrative. There’s one rousing outdoor chase scene with cars racing through city streets, but it comes late in the film. The cast is composed of good actors, but they’re wasted in this dull film.
Though John Cromwell is the credited director, The Racket ran through five directors and considerable meddling by then RKO head Howard Hughes. The final film isn’t exactly a hodgepodge but it lacks the vision of a single person. The tone is frequently inconsistent and the focus shifts from McQuigg to Johnson to Scanlon. The story is less than compelling and, were it not for Ryan, the film would hardly be worth a look. Ryan’s performance makes up for at least some of the picture’s shortcomings.
The Racket was shot by director of photography George E. Diskant on 35mm black & white film with spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Sourced from a 4K scan of the original nitrate negative, the Blu-ray shows fine detail in police uniforms, Lizabeth Scott’s dresses, building exteriors, and a police station detention room. The cinematography isn’t as atmospheric as in other noirs of the period, making the film more a routine police procedural. Shadows and sources of light aren’t well pronounced, contributing to a flat, early TV look. The lack of visual action hurts the film and renders it tedious and talky.
The soundtrack is English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio. English SDH subtitles are an available option. Dialogue is clear and distinct. Paul Sawtell’s score is appropriate but used too sparingly, resulting in endless, unrelieved dialogue. Sound effects include racing automobile engines, gun shots, and bodies being pummeled. Ryan’s line delivery reflects Scanlon’s cold and arrogant personality. Lizabeth Scott sings the Jimmy McHugh song A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening (dubbed by Trudy Stevens).
Bonus features on the Blu-ray release from the Warner Archive Collection include the following:
- Audio Commentary with Eddie Muller
- Original Theatrical Trailer (1:07)
Audio Commentary – Turner Classic Movies host Eddie Muller, author of several books on film noir, notes that RKO was one of the best studios until 1948, when Howard Hughes took control. The Racket was remade to capitalize on Congressional hearings addressing organized crime. Hughes had also produced the first film based on the stage play, in 1928. The Racket was one of the first films to expose crime organizations. Les Tremayne was a popular radio announcer who gave gravity to the role of the lead investigator. Four other directors, including Nicholas Ray and Tay Garnett, worked on The Racket. The original play, a veiled expose of Al Capone’s crime operations with Chicago’s mayor, was written by journalist Bartlett Cormack. Edward G. Robinson played the role of the Scanlon character (unnamed in the play), which led to notice by Hollywood. Robert Ryan dominates the 1951 remake. His role in Crossfire boosted his career. Muller says “Ryan gets everything there is out of the part.” He was expert at conveying the inner torment of a character. Mitchum was sort of an “indentured servant” at RKO because he was loyal to Hughes, who didn’t fire him after his bust for smoking pot. Mitchum might be too laconic for the part of McQuigg because you don’t feel he’s burning to nail Scanlon. Mitchum was usually the good guy at RKO but went on to play villains in Night of the Hunter and Cape Fear. Talman’s performance is subtle and contains “a little bit of psycho in him.” In the film, crime has become part of legitimate businesses, with a real estate company serving as a front for illegal activity. Sam Fuller was originally hired to write The Racket, but Hughes rejected his script because it made the cop look as unscrupulous as the bad guy. Lizabeth Scott’s specialty was playing the “tough-as-nails gal.” In The Racket, she has a thankless role, but she’s much better in meatier roles. The plot gets complicated with an extensive number of characters. Talman, with a “reptilian gaze,” is never seen out of uniform, even at home. Director John Cromwell is only as good as his material. His best noir is Caged, about women in prison. Muller refers to the “all hands on deck” scene in which all the characters appear together. Though a different ending was planned for the film, the actual ending is the same as in the original film. Muller expresses his preference for the 1928 version over the 1951 version because it has better action sequences and better direction by Lewis Milestone.
The Racket is derivative of many other films and lacks originality. Seeing it for the first time, you may wonder if you haven’t seen it before. Directors burdened with a small budget have managed to make it work and turn out pretty good pictures, but director Cromwell simply goes through the motions, unimaginatively. The Racket lacks snappy dialogue, a sensual femme fatale and even dark, heavily shadowed interiors, all trademarks of film noir. The pace is deadly. Even at only 89 minutes, the film seems much longer as it plods along. The talented cast certainly deserved a better film.
- Dennis Seuling