THE RACKETEER (1929) Robert Armstrong, Carole Lombard & Roland Drew | Crime, Drama, Thriller | B&W

The Racketeer is a 1929 American Pre-Code drama film. Directed by Howard Higgin, the film is also known as Love's Conquest in the United Kingdom. It tells the tale of some members of the criminal class in 1920s America, and in particular one man and one woman's attempts to help him. Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper appears in a minor role. The film is one of the early talkies, and as a result, dialogue is very sparse.

SYNOPSIS
A dapper gangster sponsors an alcoholic violinist in order to win the love of a glamorous divorced socialite.

A busker playing a violin is harassed by a group of street punks until Police Officer Mehaffy (Paul Hurst) chases them away. The intoxicated violinist passes out. When Mehaffy is about to arrest him for vagrancy the powerful Mahlon Keane (Robert Armstrong) places $50 in the violinist's pocket and has the officer place him in the next taxi where Keane will pay for a night's accommodation at the YMCA for him to sleep it off. The nearest taxi contains socialite Rhoda Philbrooke (Carole Lombard) who knows the violinist as her lover Tony Vaughan (Roland Drew); she takes him in her taxi.

Mahlon and Rhoda meet again at a fundraiser for an orphanage, with Mahlon acting as the banker at the poker table. Mahlon views Rhoda cheating at cards and covers up her indiscretion with some sleight of hand. The pair fall in love with Mahlon providing Tony's alcohol detoxification that returns him to his career as a concert violinist.

CAST & CREW
Robert Armstrong as Mahlon Keane
Carole Lombard as Rhoda Philbrooke
Roland Drew as Tony Vaughan
Paul Hurst as Mehaffy, a Policeman
Kit Guard as Gus
Al Hill as Squid
Bobby Dunn as The Rat
Budd Fine as Bernie Weber
Hedda Hopper as Mrs. Karen Lee
Jeanette Loff as Millie Chapman
John Loder as Jack Oakhurst
Winter Hall as Mr. Sam Chapman
Winifred Harris as Mrs. Margaret Chapman

Directed by Howard Higgin
Written by Paul Gangelin (story and screenplay), A.A. Kline (dialogue)
Produced by Ralph Block
Cinematography David Abel
Edited by Jack Ogilvie, Doane Harrison
Distributed by Pathé Exchange
Release date November 9, 1929
Running time 68 minutes
Country United States
Language English