The Racket - 1928 - 7/10

Silent mobster film, packed with bullets, steeped in cynicism.
Mob boss Scarsi (think Capone) is muscling in on a rival’s territory.
Despite a police presence, the downtown shootout is violent with a surprising amount of deaths.
Copper McQuigg, trying to arrest the criminals, is reassigned to an outlaying precinct.
By the mayor – per request by mob boss, Scarsi.
Louis Wolheim as Scarsi steals the film from star Thomas Meighan.
The notion that crime controls politicians would be whitewashed by the Production Code.

Marie Prevost fetching as a gold digging hussy.
On par with The Underworld (1927) this provided a template for hundreds of gangster flicks.