Review of The Pawnbroker (1965) by Jon F — 26 Jan 2007
[i]Harlem brings back memories of the Holocaust for this tormented pawnbroker[/i].
[b]The Pawnbroker - 8/10[/b].
Director - Sidney Lumet.
Starring - Rod Steiger, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jaime Sanchez, Brock Peters, Thelma Oliver.
Harlem Pawnbroker Sol Nazerman (Rod Steiger) thought he had put the horrible memories of the Holocaust behind him. By focusing on running a pawn shop and distancing himself from others, he had been able to disguise the horrible event, yet on the 25th anniversary of losing his family in a Nazi concentration camp, the memories begin to haunt him in ways he never imagined. The solemn and desperate faces he sees daily at the pawn shop and in the tough neighborhood of Harlem begin to remind him of his losses, and slowly the emotional shield Sol has created comes crashing down. It's a haunting story of a tormented man and Rod Steiger does an amazing job in the lead role. Beautifully shot in black and white, director Sidney Lumet effectively creates a somber atmosphere for Sol's dark emotional journey. It's a terrific film that is too often overlooked by modern film enthusiasts.
This review of The Pawnbroker (1965) was written by Jon F on 26 Jan 2007.
The Pawnbroker has generally received very positive reviews.
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