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The Racket

Play trailer Poster for The Racket 1951 1h 28m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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33% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 44% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
As one of the only honest cops left in the city, Capt. Thomas McQuigg (Robert Mitchum) has his back against the wall when a large crime syndicate makes its way to his doorstep. After bringing aboard local mobster Nick Scanlon (Robert Ryan), the illegal organization intends to help place corrupt attorney Mortimer X. Welsh (Ray Collins) in a prominent government position. But, if McQuigg can stay alive long enough, he just might be able to bring down the crooks with a key witness (Lizabeth Scott).
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The Racket

Critics Reviews

View All (9) Critics Reviews
Time Out Softer than it should have been, then, but still dark enough to lose yourself in. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times As for the film's observations on crooks and poltics, they are so generalized and familiar that this is just a case of one more time around. Rated: 2/5 Mar 25, 2006 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a predominantly underwhelming and uninvolving endeavor... Rated: 1.5/4 Jun 14, 2023 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia It is a film noir that, before an hour passes, takes away all my interest with its mechanical plot, the clichés and the repertoire of ductile characters of the police procedural. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 5/10 Jan 14, 2021 Full Review Harry MacArthur Washington Star Director John Cromwell keeps crackling along at a fast and noisy clip. Feb 6, 2020 Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television Well-told version of a famous stage play. Dec 26, 2016 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve D Solid but breaks no new ground. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/23/23 Full Review deke p 1951! Mitchum! Wm Talman. Robert Ryan as ganster. Great cast. Police in corrupt town. Saw it 12.30.2021 The movie channel Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Poor acting by Ryan, amateurish. He puts too much stress on some words in his dialogue, appears wooden and overacts. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Matthew D Action, fedoras and Robert Mitchum not taking shit. Everything you need for a good movie. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/09/21 Full Review Audience Member Nothing special, typical gangster film. Two good leads though. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Solid tightly made film noir about police captain Robert Mitchum trying to take down Robert Ryan's crime empire. Lizabeth Scott plays the love interest as Mitchum and Ryan battle both each other and also battle their respective superiors. The film was co-written by W.R. Burnett; some scenes were reportedly directed by Nicholas Ray, who'd directed Ryan in the brilliant "On Dangerous Ground." Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Racket

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Cast & Crew

On Dangerous Ground 89% 78% On Dangerous Ground Watchlist Macao 44% 59% Macao Watchlist The Big Steal 67% 63% The Big Steal Watchlist The Narrow Margin 100% 88% The Narrow Margin Watchlist Murder, My Sweet 89% 86% Murder, My Sweet Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis As one of the only honest cops left in the city, Capt. Thomas McQuigg (Robert Mitchum) has his back against the wall when a large crime syndicate makes its way to his doorstep. After bringing aboard local mobster Nick Scanlon (Robert Ryan), the illegal organization intends to help place corrupt attorney Mortimer X. Welsh (Ray Collins) in a prominent government position. But, if McQuigg can stay alive long enough, he just might be able to bring down the crooks with a key witness (Lizabeth Scott).
Director
John Cromwell
Screenwriter
William Wister Haines, W. R. Burnett
Production Co
RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 28m
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