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Pickup on South Street Reviews
Criminals or Commies? Who's worse? The question at the heart of this hardcore New York street crime drama. But it's 1953, and paranoia runs deep, so we know the answer. Richard Widmark at his tough guy best. The incredibly beautiful Jean Peters is the " party girl" kept by a cell of spies. And of course the wonderful Thelma Ritter, who steals the movie as a street survivor working every angle she can on those tough Manhattan streets. Great New York street shots. But was that shack floating in the East River built for the set, or was that really out there floating around in 1953? And who knew that a pickpocket was known as a "cannon"?
One of my all time favorite films. Sam Fuller was truly a master of the small, short, and heavy hitting b movies. The dialogue and acting in this film is truly remarkable. Thelma Ritter has me in tears everytime.
Cold War Noir. Too bad it wasn't directed by Hitchcock or it could've become a classic. The premise is brilliant and the style is classic noir. I tried to not let the honor-among-thieves subplot bother me.
Well acted and good camera work.
The story is nothing special really, but Samuel Fuller's direction is flawless, a young Rickard Widmark playing the tough guy is always a treat. and I was very impressed with Jean Peters performance. She achieved the perfect balance between hard boiled and vulnerable.
"Pickup on South Street" is considered one of the best film noirs and showcases Sam Fuller's controlled direction. The film revolves around a pickpocket, played by Richard Widmark, who steals microfilm intended for communist spies, leading to a series of events involving a woman, Jean Peters, and a stool pigeon, Thelma Ritter. While the love story feels rushed and somewhat unbelievable, Richard Widmark delivers an excellent performance, and Thelma Ritter's portrayal adds unexpected emotional depth to the film, particularly in her memorable final scene.
3.5 stars; An excellent film noir from 1953. Richard Widmark plays a pickpocket who gets a lot more than he bargained for when he picks the purse of Jean Peters, who plays a gopher for a con man played by Richard Kiley. Rounding out an all star cast from that era is Thelma Ritter who plays a snitch that fingers the con man, not knowing what's really going on with him. She pays the ultimate price in the end. If you enjoy film noir that reflects the seamy side of NYC of the 50's, then this is your flick!!
It's good. Others consider it a classic. Great cast. Widmark playing the creep, who is finally ok, and gets the girl... Peters. Thelma great as herself. Never heardo til saw on The Movies Channel, 2-19-23. Giving it 3 1/2 RT stars. Listen to my brief Voice Memo note.
Interesting noir about people living on the margins of society in the middle of Cold War conflict. Sam Fuller also made a technically impressive film here--shot great and looks great on Criterion.
Samuel Fuller's Pick Up on South Street is a masterpiece. It's a mesmerizing human drama and an outstanding crime and spy tale. The beautiful cinematography feels natural and not overly stylized. The film is gritty in every way: the characters, the NY City atmosphere, the underworld slang and the human morals - or lack thereof. Thelma Ritter and Richard Widmark are outstanding. Ritter conveys something in every tiny gesture. Widmark's range is remarkable, convincing us of his tremendous criminal skill and cynicism, and just when we think he's acting to type he raises the stakes and sends the story into more complex territory. Finally, this must be Jean Peter's finest performance she's completely convincing as the beautiful, sexy, street-smart NY streetwalker with a heart of gold. Well done, Fuller !
One of my biggest discoveries from Pickup on South Street was the painful lack of name recognition I had for Thelma Ritter, despite her receiving six career Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress, including four straight nods from 1950-53, and featuring roles in such classics as All About Eve and Rear Window. In a film that establishes itself almost entirely based on the strength of its style and characters, Fuller excels in creating each, with Ritter's streetwise, heavily-accented informant Moe that plays off the cops and the street in equal measure while selling neckties out of a suitcase leading the pack in terms of endearment and rough-hewn charm. As soon as she starts listing off fluctuations in market prices in exchange for the name of a petty thief, you know that it's going to be a banger, but she becomes an unexpectedly heartfelt and principled character as the runtime rolls on. But Ritter's not the only one bringing the heat; there's also Vic Perry, a real-life pickpocket brought in as a technical advisor and who was provided with a bit part in 'Lightning Louie' - a guy on the inside who is encountered by Jean Peters as she is trying to track down a pickpocket through underworld connections. Louie is related to no other characters and is seen in only one scene; hell, he's only ever in one *posture*, and his place in the plot is explained largely through context. As far as we know Louie has been sitting in this Chinese restaurant since the birth of the universe, doling out information in exchange for crumpled bills that he picks up with chopsticks before tucking them in his elbow. The film is packed full of innuendo, double-dealing, and slick characters. It toes the line between slick and superficial, and I love it dearly. It's a brilliantly seedy New York thriller packed with close-proximity facial shots, backroom deals, smoky offices, manipulated emotions, and ultimatums infused with a Cold War spy flair and condensed into a jam-packed 80-minute runtime like an espresso. It's a cop film, a noir, a thriller, and even an unexpected drama when it wants to be. Though I may not be a fan of their actual romance or their final fate, Widmark and Peters fit right into this environment, rounding out a cast that might not be heavy on all-time A-listers but delivers a product that is more than the sum of its parts, having started on such firm ground as to make up for some of the later weakness. And if you wanted another reason to watch this movie, J. Edgar Hoover apparently hated it, even considering how every red-blooded American hates the Commies and is quick to remind you of the fact. (4.5/5)
Probably the only good spy film of that anticommunist-crazy era.
Nothing notable outside of Ritter.
A great 50s noir with not -so-bad petty criminals getting mixed up with top level espionage, an interesting mix that brings Thelma Ritter one of her greatest performances and one of her many Academy Award nominations. She shines here!
Five Reasons To See PickUp On South Street: 1. It's a Samuel Fuller picture. 2. Thelma Ritter's Oscar nominated performance 3. Jean Peters sexy performance 4. Richard Widmark's screen presence 5. It's Film Noir, baby!
The best thrilling movie ever made!