Smashing the Rackets 1938

Jim ‘Sock’ Conway, Chester Morris, a former boxer and FBI hero, is maneuvered into a do-nothing desk job in the district attorney’s office for political reasons. He considers quitting but agrees to stay on to defend Letty Lane, Rita Johnson, in order to court her more amiable sister, Susan ‘Pat’ Lane, Frances Mercer.

A protection racket, led by Whitey Clark, [Ben Welden], and Chin Martin, [Edward Pawley], begins to pressure local businesses to install slot machines. Chin hires Steve Lawrence, [Bruce Cabot], Letty’s boyfriend and a skilled attorney, to file an injunction to prevent the authorities from interfering with their plans. Steve soon contemplates taking over the gang from Whitey, whom he finds too brutal. After Whitey orders the brutal beating of Franz and Otto, Franz, [Joe De Stefani], and Otto, [Scotty Beckett], and Otto dies, Jim uses his official position to prosecute the hoodlums and earns a promotion.

He then secures an indictment of a major racketeer. Steve and Chin kill Whitey, and Steve arranges for Chin to be caught in a police raid. A suspicious Letty tracks Steve to his country home just as Chin arrives to kill Steve, and she fatally shoots him. Peggy, Steve’s mistress, [Kay Sutton], provides testimony that allows Steve to be indicted. Letty kills herself in an automobile accident in order to avoid damaging her sister’s reputation. Jim and Pat are married, and he founds his own law practice.