the racketeer star carol ( deprive of the e that usually appear at the end of her first name ) lombard a a woman throw out of society because she leave her husband for a concert violinist ( roland drew ) who have since become a down and out alcoholic and and torn between her love for him and the interest of new york crime kingpin robert armstrong ( top bill ) . it virtually a compendium of what be wrong with the early talkie represent stiff direction and immobile camera and stagy acting and ridiculously slow paced delivery of line . at the time the sound crew be tell the director to have their actor speak every line s l o w l y and not to start speak their own line until after the previous actor have finish theirs . do about five year later and this could have be an interesting movie and but director howard higgin faithfully follow his sound recorder dictate and systematically undercut the talent we know lombard and armstrong have from watch their late movie . the racketeer be make in 1929 and a year that despite the transition problem from silent to sound nonetheless give u some legitimate masterpiece  vidor hallelujah . and mamoulian applause and wyler hell hero and capra lady of leisure  all from director with strong enough will to tell the soundboard dictator to get stuffed and let their actor talk and act naturalistically . too bad howard higgin wasn not that strong while a it be and watch a naturally rapid pace actor like armstrong slog through the part in the ridiculous way he be tell to speak and one can not help but wonder where that 50 foot gorilla be when armstrong need him .