Review of Pickup on South Street (1953) by Bryan M — 05 Aug 2011
The old saying was "there is honour amongst thieves". The underclass of any era or society have their own moral codes, codes that those not of that class find incomprehensible. And within this class there are layers of trust, mistrust, betrayal and abuse.
Jean Genet spoke of betrayal of those one had been friends with, loved and even trusted and been trusted by in terms almost sexual. Betrayal and abuse within the limits of their code of morals was accepted,and this betrayal included turning 'friends' into the authorities, it was indeed almost an expression of that trust.
Candy seems only able to love a man who is prepared to rough her up, and rewards his love by betraying him, perhaps in her own mind for his own good. Skip measures trust by the amount of abuse she will take to protect him.
This film explores this lowest strata of humanity and its code of morals, within which as Mo (Thelma Ritter) succinclty puts it - there are limits.
This review of Pickup on South Street (1953) was written by Bryan M on 05 Aug 2011.
Pickup on South Street has generally received very positive reviews.
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