Pickup on South Street

A very good way of avoiding the blacklist was for liberal leaning actors like Richard Widmark to make anti-Communist films. Some of the films of this nature were pretty laughable, but not Pickup On South Street, which maybe could have been better if someone like Alfred Hitchcock directed it. Nevertheless Samuel Fuller did quite all right. Widmark is a pickpocket, if you believe stoolie Thelma Ritter, one of the best in his trade. One fine day on the subway he lifts Jean Peters purse and screws up everything for the Reds and for the FBI. Peters was duped into being a courier by Richard Kiley who was having her deliver a piece of microfilm. Peters thinks this is industrial espionage. And the FBI was already on to Kiley and Peters, they just wanted to catch their contact. Widmark made one holy mess of it. As the NYPD, the FBI, and the Reds start their hunt for Widmark, everyone starts going off on their own tangents. During the course of things, Peters and Widmark fall for each other. Sounds pretty improbable, but they actually make it work. Pickup on South Street is memorable for the performance of Thelma Ritter who lives on what she earns as a stoolie to whomever pays, underworld or cops. It's a comic/tragic performance of a poor soul just scratching for what she can live on. Her death scene is very haunting. Ritter got the film's sole Academy Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category, but lost to Donna Reed for From Here to Eternity. Murvyn Vye is very good as the cop who's made the apprehension of Richard Widmark his life's crusade. Willis Bouchey is as always the voice of moral authority as the FBI man. You'll like the ending as Widmark uses his professional skills on the side of the red, white, and blue. We all each serve in our different ways.

Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street is anomalous: A "Red Scare" movie devoid of hysteria, in which the Communist threat is nothing more than the McGuffin that ignites the plot. Pickpocket Richard Widmark relieves loose woman Jean Peters of her wallet containing a strip of microfilm; unbeknownst to either of them, it harbors secrets vital to the Cold War. Peters, as it happens, was under surveillance by FBI agents who are as nonplussed by the theft as the man who's running her, cowardly comsymp Richard Kiley. In trying to retrieve the precious film, both sides enlist the help of Thelma Ritter, a streetwise old jane who's always on the earie and willing to sell what she hears. Fuller draws from an opulent palette of tempos and tonalities in telling the story, which becomes a race against the clock of escalating brutality. From the subways to the waterfront, his midsummer Manhattan takes on a sweaty sheen that's almost pungent. The love scenes between Peters and Widmark become an unstable mixture of the tumultuous and the tender, and they're scored to "Again," a song introduced by Ida Lupino in Road House, also starring Widmark. The pace slackens for Ritter's beautifully written and played death scene -- among the most poignant vignettes in all noir, and a kind of mirage-oasis in a film parched of sentimentality. This is writer/director Fuller's only work in the strictest confines of the noir cycle; his later explorations of American pathology (The Crimson Kimono, The Naked Kiss, Underworld U.S.A.) never resulted in a synthesis as satisfying as Pickup on South Street.

It almost got there in being a great movie. It almost made me want to really enjoy it. But it got lost somewhere in between, with little great moments, a different story with almost nothing to be fully enjoyed. Samuel Fuller's "Pickup on South Street" (awfully translated here as "The Angel of Evil") could be more fun if it was more thrilling, and use less dialogs in that theater filmed way that was distractive in some points. Richard Widmark plays a thief who simply had to steal the wallet of a beautiful woman (Jean Peters) that was followed by the FBI in a case of espionage involving Communists who are looking for a secret film that was in the wallet (nature of it it's not revealed through the whole thing, what a mess!). Now everybody's after the film and someone's gotta give up of something and reveal what lies behind all these secrets, thefts and all. Helping all the characters, except the villain, there's Moe (Thelma Ritter, wonderful) an informant of the underground and criminal world who works for the police giving informations on burglar's in trade of money and sell some ties. The plot goes well until it slowed it down during the ending, very boring and with no excitement at all; and the most difficult task of all is to get really like the main characters, the tough thief and the girl who wants the film back trying to seduce this man, I couldn't care for both of them, both annoying and mean to each other. Now, on the other hand Thelma Ritter has the most brilliant role in the film, a very thankful and dignifying character that has the best lines and scenes (my favorite is her speech to the villain about how difficult is her life and how she's not gonna open her mouth and give up her friend, the thief). She was nominated for a Oscar for this role, and I really wish she should have won it, because she made this film watchable and cool. Fuller's "The Big Red One" said more, made more for his director and it was a better film than this one that doesn't have anything relevant to show and say. 4/10

This is yet another gritty and compelling film directed by Sam Fuller in the early 1950s. This minimalist and fast-working director has something unusual for his earlier films--a cast with some stars. Richard Widmark, Jean Peters and Richard Kiley star in this film about a group of Communist agents who are trying to sneak secrets out of America--and they'll stop at nothing to succeed. The film starts with Peters on a subway car being watched by federal agents. They know she is a link in a long espionage chain. Unknown to everyone is the wild card in the equation--a small-time pickpocket (Widmark) is also on the train and he manages to steal the secrets that Peters is carrying. Widmark thinks it's just another purse he's ransacked--only later does he realize the seriousness of what he's stolen. Now it's Widmark on his own--with Commies and the FBI hot on his trail. Widmark and the rest are exceptional and the film is gripping from start to finish. Although she didn't get top billing, a special mention should be made of Thelma Ritter. This supporting actress had perhaps the performance of her lifetime as a stool pigeon. Seldom was she given this much of a chance to act and I was impressed by her ability to play a broken down and sad old lady. As far as the script and directing go, they are very good--but with one small exception. At first, I loved the way Widmark and Peters interacted. It's one of the few times on film you'll see a woman punched square in the mouth! Now THAT'S tough. Later, inexplicably, they become amazingly close--too close to be believable. Still, with so much great drama and such an effective Noir-like film, this can be overlooked. See this film.

I'm stunned by all the great reviews on here. Did we watch the same film? The characters are so flat and boring. It's almost offensive how Candy so suddenly falls in love with Skip right after he punches her out (wtf?!). And like the government agents would actuallytell the bad guy exactly what they're after? Great now he knows he's got something super valuable so of course he isn't going to give it up (for less than 25k). And picking a gun out of someone's pocket and they don't notice? How much does a handgun weigh? Ridiculous.

The director and cast have got the noir style down. But...what ruined the movie for me, really ruined it, is the fact that the film ends up playing like an anti-communist propaganda piece. The communist boyfriend starts off as just a coward--he sends his naive ex-girlfriend to do /everything/, because it's too risky for him to do it. And he ends up as a monster, only good at bullying women and even then only with a gun. And the ending? We are supposed to believe that for the love of a woman, the pickpocket becomes a moral example compared to the red commie? For film students and the red-state-of-mind only (who must call it a crime drama, not "noir", which is a French word after all).

In New York, the pickpocket Skip McCoy (Richard Widmark) steals a wallet in the purse of a woman named Candy (Jean Peters) in the subway. His action is witnessed by FBI Agent Zara (Willis B. Bouchey) but Skip escapes from the wagon with the wallet. When Candy discovers that she was stolen, she returns to the house of her former lover Joey (Richard Kiley) that is worried about the incident. Meanwhile Zara goes to the police station and asks Captain Dan Tiger (Williams Murvyn Vye) to identify the pickpockets in that area. He explains that he was following Candy that would deliver a microfilm to the chief of a communist spy ring. Captain Tiger summons the old informer Moe (Thelma Ritter) that sells the identity and address of Skip. Candy also seeks out Moe trying to find the pickpocket that stole her wallet. Meanwhile Skip finds the microfilm and learns how valuable it is to the communists. Candy also discovers that Joey is communist and is using her in a treason act and she falls in love with Skip. Soon a cat and mouse game among Skip, the police department and the spies begins. "Pickup on South Street" is a dated film-noir with a espionage story directed by Samuel Fuller. Richard Widmark is perfect in the role of a scum and shows a wonderful chemistry with Jean Peters. The choreography of the fight between Skip and Joey is amazing. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): "Anjo do Mal" ("Evil Angel")

Skip McCoy is a three time loser pick pocket, unable to curb his instincts back on the street, he picks the purse of Candy on a subway train. What he doesn't realise is that Candy is carrying top secret microfilm, microfilm that is of high interest to many many organisations. Director Samuel Fuller has crafted an exceptional drama set amongst the seedy underworld of New York City. Communist spies and shady government operatives all blend together to make Pickup On South Street a riveting viewing from first minute to the last. Based around a Dwight Taylor story called "Blaze Of Glory", Fuller infused this adaptation with a heavy set political agenda, something that many at the time felt was over done, but to only focus on the anti communist leanings is doing it a big disservice. Digging a little deeper and you find characters as intriguing as any that Fuller has directed. The main protagonist for one is the hero of the piece, a crook and a shallow human being, his heroics are not born out of love for his country, they are born out of his sheer stubborn streak. It's quite an achievement that Fuller has crafted one of the best anti heroes of the 1950s, and I'm sure he was most grateful to the performance of Richard Widmark as McCoy. Widmark is all grin and icy cold heart, his interplay with the wonderful Jean Peters as Candy is excellent and is the film's heart. However, it is the Oscar nominated Thelma Ritter who takes the acting honours, her Moe is strong and as seedy as the surrounding characters, but there is a tired warmth to her that Ritter conveys majestically. It's a "B" movie in texture but an "A" film in execution, Pickup On South Street is a real classy and entertaining film that is one of the best from its most intriguing director. 9/10

This movie was such a disaster - how does Fuller sleep at night??? A dull and predictable plot mingled with appalling acting and choreography worthy of a Carry On skit!! Such a shame when actresses are chosen purely for looks rather than acting talent. I have never yet been truly bored by a film but this one takes the cake - shot in 20 days...and it shows!!! ( I have just mailed a list of continuity errors which I picked up while watching the film - goodness knows how many there'd be if I'd actually been looking!!! Be warned though, they DO contain spoilers.) Please do, however, watch this film yourself and make up your own mind - if you make it through to the end you have my admiration, I only just made it myself, but I will not be watching another Fuller film based on what I saw yesterday. Enjoy!

I watched this last night on TV (HBO). I have to admit, that the tension in this movie was unsurpassed by most other FN era movies. I loved the way Chip would be all calm one moment and then VIOLENT the very next moment. It was classic. Ahh yes. The dames, the villians, the cigars and thuggish cops! It has it all. This movie delivered all the goods to me. I especially loved the way they mixed communism into the plot, very common for this era of movie. Very daring also since blacklisting was popular in those days. I rate this movie one of the best I have seen in the FN genre!