Review of Pickup on South Street (1953) by Matt T — 21 Feb 2011

Skip McCoy (Richard Widmark) is a low down dirty hood, a pickpocket with a string of offences. One more conviction and he'll be in Sing Sing for a long time. But you got to earn a living some how. On a packed subway train Skip spots a target, a young attractive woman (Jean Peters) and lets his wandering hands steal from her purse. Unbeknown to him, two FBI agents are following her. She's carrying microfilm with important atomic information that's to be passed on to a Communist organisation. Skip has finally hit the jackpot and reckons a big score is to be had. The FBI and the Reds attempt to track him down.

Director Sam Fuller certainly packs a punch with this hard hitting drama. And punches are literally laid out to the females, especially poor old Jean Peters as Candy, the prostitute who gets socked on the jaw as well as being tossed around like a rag doll. One often feels sorry for her, although she does get retribution. Weasel faced Widmark plays to type as the cocky tea leaf all dressed in his trademark fedora and suit. Sexual chemistry between the leads add fission as they try to outwit each other. Although it is Thelma Ritter as Moe who steals the film as a police informer with scruples.

Pickup On South Street is very much of it's time, a propaganda film that points decidedly at the "Commies" as the bad guys as oppose to the more sympathetic characters such as the stool pidgeon and the prostitute who become more patriotic as events unfold. All that is except Skip who will do anything for a quick buck. The Cold War casts a large shadow over the film. Interestingly the French, not liking the anti-Communist message, dubbed in a plot using drugs instead.

A dynamic, violent thriller, Fuller who also wrote the script delivers a visually rewarding film noir that never lets up. With action and interest in every scene and the location shots of New York excitingly staged.

All in all, a cracker!