MovieChat Forums > The Racket (1951) Discussion > Question?

Question?

posted 16 years ago by homeimp
7 replies | jump to latest

I did not understand William Conrad's role in this film. He seemed to have a foot in every camp. He was accepted by the new "cleaner" mob as represented by Don Porter. He seemed to be on good terms with the villain, Robert Ryan, but also was in with the police led by Mitchum. Exactly where did his allegiance lie? Why did he shoot Ryan at the end? What exactly were his motives? It appeared he wanted Ryan dead at the behest of Porter's character, but at one point he seemed to be a kind of double agent working for the good guys. Was this ever made clear? I wold appreciate anyone's assistance.

[–] francisbt2003 16 years ago

true but he was one of the best charactors in the movie!!!!!!!!

[–] homeimp 16 years ago

Thanks for your response.

I agree he was an interesting character, but I would still like to know just what his agenda was and who he was ultimately working for. I also enjoyed the steely gaze of William Talman, obviously an actor I unjustly overlooked after watching him lose every week to Perry Mason for so many years. Did you listen to the commentary? It's the first time I felt the person doing the commentary had very little affection for the film he/she was commenting on. He seemed almost apologetic, hoping we could find something to like about the film.

I will be getting Film Noir 5 soon. It's next on my list after the new Hitchcock releases.

[–] Ovader 14 years ago

His agenda is for the crime syndicate since he is a corrupt official. The commentator stated that he has seen the 1928 version of The Racket and prefers it to the 1951 version and he gives his reasons at the end of the film.

[–] gribfritz2 12 years ago

Sgt Turk is a corrupt police officer. McQuigg knows he is corrupt, but there is no proof so he is powerless. At the end, Scanlon admits that if he has to go to prison he will rat on everybody. Turk sets Scanlon up so he can "escape." Of course, when he goes to escape, Turk will be justified as a police officer in shooting the escaping prisoner, effectively shutting him up and preventing him from ratting on everybody.

[–] alydar21 11 years ago

At end after Scanlon is shot dead, the officials arrive with arrest warrants for both Turk (Conrad's character) and for Ray Collin's character. I also wondered which side Turk played, but that smallest camera shot of the 2 warrants cleared it up for me. Turk was corrupt official.

[–] alydar21 8 years ago

Re watched : Turk's title was Sargeant Turk. So he must have worked for the police. And also was on the Syndicate's payroll. You nailed it when you suspected him as a "double agent" per se.
I think Turk was ordered to eliminate Scanlon during an 'off screen' phone conversation with the 'Old Man'. Remember that Scanlon threatened to spill all inside info on the Syndicate if Ray Collins character couldn't get him released from custody.
I kept watching this scene over and over to get the gist.

[–] liscarkat (16530) 4 months ago

It wasn't completely clear whether Turk was crooked or not until the very end. At first I thought he was a bad guy, then near the end I thought he might have been a sort of double agent--a cop infiltrating the Old Man's organization. But when the two guys showed up at the very end with subpoenas for him and Welsh it was clear he was just crooked all along.