Review of Pickup on South Street (1953) by Darryl J — 30 Aug 2008

"pickup on south street" is samuel fuller's gritty noir interpreted in the his trademarked journalist perspect, within a disorietated world, in lack of humprey bogart's sam spade or philip marlowe. inevitably, director fuller infuses his political cynicism upon the scenario of communist apprehesion as well as the anarchic disbelief in patriotism.

Richard widmark plays a pickpocket whose thievery casts great hinderance to communist conspiracy so he sinks into a target as the ultimate wanted man. it evocates the involvements of walks of life in the ghetto, such as thelma ritter's stool pidgeon who is keen to gather the sum of her final decent funeral; jean peters as the sappy girl who descends as the mistress of abusive communist agent. the usage of slangs are a hard-boiled defiance for certain audience to follow. eventually widmark vows to beat down the communist not for the sake of his devoted enthusiasm over this country but for avid sense of vegence for his beloved girlfriend who refuses to doublecross him.

"pickup on south street" might be a new breed of film noir then, and absolutely iconclastic to the classic noir heroism magnefied by humprey bogart or dick powell as the die-hard noir savior who straightens things off with un-fading mettle and belief into the righteous. the abscence of heroism is one particular trait for this flick as well as the specific indication toward fanatic maccathyism. fuller cannot help but vent his patterned reel of newspaper realism.

And also, the major star richard widmark does ignite the screen with his irreconciled paroteriat pride while thelma ritter sneers at you with her street-cred then it shatters into pieces of broken ghetto dream as she gets shot to death by the communist at last.