Rating: 
Summary: Say what?
Review: How is this rated NC-17? Must be a mistake. This was made in the '50s!
Rating:
Summary: "Let's have a small dose of straight talk."
Review: I saw that someone categorized this as a mystery, and after watching Pickup on South Street (1953) last night, and I wondered if we saw the same film. I certainly wouldn't classify this as a mystery but a hard-boiled (just like I like my eggs) thriller/caper populated by interesting characters caught up in a situations beyond their control. Well, as my sweet, old Gammy always said, opinions are like fecal orifices, in everyone has one (technically, fecal orifices wasn't the exact term she would use, but common decency and review guidelines prevent me from printing what she would use). Written and directed by the legendary Hollywood curmudgeon Samuel Fuller (I feel comfortable enough calling him a legend since his passing in '97), the film stars Richard Widmark (Halls of Montezuma) and Jean Peters (Viva Zapata!), who was once married to famously nutty billionaire recluse Howard Hughes. Also appearing is Thelma Ritter (Rear Window, Pillow Talk), Murvyn Vye (A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court), Richard Kiley (Blackboard Jungle), and Willis Bouchey (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Panic in Year Zero!).
Widmark plays Skip McCoy, a pickpocket (or cannon, as referred to in the film) and a three-time loser (meaning he was convicted and sent over three times, with a fourth conviction translating into life in prison) whose troubles began the day he picked the wrong pocket book on a crowded subway, one belonging to a comely muffin (seriously, the men kept calling her this in the film) named Candy (Peters). Seems Candy was enlisted by her ex-boyfriend Joey (Kiley) to deliver an envelope containing top-secret information (she was unaware of the contents of the envelope), and was being trailed by federal agents, interested in busting up a ring of suspect Reds (the Red Menace was everywhere in the 50's). Soon everyone wants Skip, including Candy (at least before she found out she was an unwitting dupe of the Reds), the bulls (that's cops to you and me), the feds, and the Reds...noticing all kinds of interest being developed in his relatively petty theft, Skip finally gets wise to what he has, and sees visions of a score of a lifetime, treading the line between two-bit hustler and vile, traitorous slime, that is if he can only keep from getting pinched by the cops or being killed by the Communists...
Of all the `noir' films I've seen (surprisingly not as many as one may think), Pickup on South Street rates very high (it's also my first Fuller film). The story is kept lean and mean, allowing for very little, if any, extraneous material to clutter up the proceedings. The pacing is brisk (the film has a running time of 80 minutes), and rarely lets up. All of the performances worked, but I especially liked Widmark, as he really brought his character to life, that of a slick, scheming, slightly misogynistic two-bit grifter looking at all the angles, trying to stay one step ahead of the law (and the commies). I know Skip was a criminal, and an extremely smarmy one at that, but I couldn't help liking him, as despite his seemingly noxious exterior, at his core he possessed some inherit, humanizing qualities that many of us strive for (specifically the scene where he made arrangements for Moe the stool pigeon, played by Thelma Ritter, even despite the knowledge that she was the one that fingered him, in a roundabout way, to the cops). But then this was buffeted by his apparent willingness not to be swayed by the patriotic meanderings of the law enforcement officials, his interest lying in his own potential gains, "So you're a Red, who cares? Your money's as good as anybody else's."...a complicated character, for sure. I also thought Thelma Ritter was wonderful, especially the scene where her character relates her deteriorating physical state to Candy's ex-boyfriend, as he searches for Skip. I could feel the extremity of her state, and understand her motivations of earning enough to die properly (she was deathly afraid of dying poor and having the state bury her in potter's field, a place the state interred those unknown or indigent peoples). The slang vernacular utilized by many of the characters in the film felt very natural, and presented me with the notion of not so much watching a movie but witnessing events as they transpired in a reality outside of my own (okay, okay, the whole microfilm/commie angle may seem a little jive, but required only a meager suspension of my disbelief as the movie was just so damn good). One thing I really noticed about this film was the usage of minimal sets (often confined to small rooms), along with peculiar and odd angles for various shots...extreme close ups, high and away, slightly skewed...I think the unconventional nature of said shots within the tight, limited spaces really served well to add to the atmosphere of the film, and tweak the tension inherit within the story, leading up to a violent and brutal all out brawl between Skip the Pickpocket and a member of the Order of the Profusely Sweaty (seriously, if you've seen the film, you know who I'm talking about...that guy was in a perpetual state of perspiration).
The full screen (original aspect ratio 1:33.1) picture on this Criterion release looks beautiful, and the sound comes through crisp and clean (the case indicates both were restored). Criterion editions may cost a bit more, but I've never felt I wasn't getting my money's worth, and here is no different. Along with providing a superior print, there are literally scads of extras, including a 20-minute interview piece with writer director Sam Fuller, excerpts from Cinema Cinemas series, an illustrated biographical essay on Fuller, a complete Fuller poster filmography, theatrical trailers for 8 Fuller films, an informative 20-page booklet, and stills gallery of photos, lobby cards, and original paintings by artist Russell Christian.
Cookieman108
Rating:
Summary: Pure pre-cold war
Review: I saw this film long ago on television in my country, under the title of "El rata" (The rat) and, again, a couple of years ago in Paris under the absurd title of "Le port de la drogue" (The port of drugs). Now I have the video and see it every now and then. It is a very well elaborated movie typical of the pre-cold war times in the USA: the anti-communist paranoia, etcetera, along with a love story and, indeed, detectives, though guys and other fantasticaly well combined elements. The work of the Director is great, as well as the perfomances by Widmark and Jean Peters, extremely beautiful. Also, Thelma Ritter was awarded with an Oscar for the second feminine role. This is a must-see by all means and apart from the merits mentioned above, I recomend the superb music and, very particularly, the dialogue between Candy and Lightning Louie at the Chinese restaurant, unforgetable. Buyers will enjoy it very much.
Rating:
Summary: Pickup Today!
Review: If you are looking at this dvd you most likely have already seen the film and are thrilled it is finally available on this wonderful format, or you just like Samuel Fuller's work and are interested what this may be about. I just picked the dvd up today and I am extremely excited. Criterion has done it once again. The transfer is amazing and the film looks gorgeous. I have never seen the movie look so good, and the audio mix sounds great . Well done again Criterion! This is one of Fuller's best and anyone interested in his work should definitely pick this up. I was shocked to find out this was not one of Criterion's $35 dvds. To me, the extras alone are worth the $25.99. We get a 10min doc about the opening of the film in which Fuller himself explains the technical achievements and meanings he was trying to convey. We also get a 20min doc with Sam talking about the film, the studio, his fascination with his characters, and even J. Edgar Hoover. If you have never heard Sam speak, you are in for a real treat because he is at the top of his game here. I have Tigrero and The Typewriter, The Camera, and the Rifle and I feel these two new gems are a perfect fit into the limited collection of footage we have with Sam. Also Criterion throws in trailers for "Fixed Bayonets", "Pickup on South Street", "House of Bamboo", "China Gate", "Forty Guns", "Hell and High Water", "Hell and High Water" (teaser), "Shock Corridor", and "The Naked Kiss". This is one of Criterion's and Fuller's best. You should pick it up today. If you are interested in the plot read below or check out imdb.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Intro to the Films of Sam Fuller
Review: In the booklet that accompanies this DVD, Martin Scorsese writes, "if you don't like the films of Sam Fuller, then you just don't like cinema. Or at least you don't understand it." It's a bold statement-one that sums up the attitude of Fuller's movies. He was a filmmaker who could never be accused of being wishy-washy on any topic. His films take forceful stances on a specific issue, be it Communism or war or personal honour. They are stripped-down, straightforward masterpieces that pull no punches. Pickup On South Street was Fuller's unflinching take on the Cold War. Even though he made the majority of his films within the studio system, very few have been released on DVD (or on video for that matter). The Criterion Collection previously released Shock Corridor and The Naked Kiss with excellent transfers but only theatrical trailers as supplemental material. They've rectified the situation with this new release that features a solid collection of extras providing a fantastic introduction into the cinema of Sam Fuller. Aside from the movie there are some top notch extras included: "Sam Fuller on Pickup On South Street" is an interview with the filmmaker by film critic Richard Schickel (taken from an longer piece he did for Turner Classic Movies). It's great just to hear Fuller tell anecdotes in his trademark hardboiled delivery-a passionate, gravelly voice. "Cinema Cinemas: Fuller" is an interview with the man that originally aired on French television in 1982. The closest we get to an audio commentary on this DVD is footage of Fuller watching the opening reel of Pickup On South Street and gleefully talking over the footage. "Headlines and Hollywood" is a well-written essay of Fuller's life and career that provides excellent insight into his background as a tabloid journalist that informed his movies. "Recollections from Richard Widmark" is an interview with the film's star, taken from Lee Server's book, Sam Fuller: Film Is a Battleground. Also included are trailers for nine of Fuller's films. They all look fantastic and make you instantly want to see each and every one of them. Finally, there is a collection of stills from the movie, a poster Fuller filmography and illustrations by Russell Christian that accompanied the screenplay of the movie when it was published in Scenario magazine in 1998. The Criterion Collection has come through again with a stunning transfer that beautifully restores this film noir classic. For people who haven't had the opportunity to see any of Fuller's work, this is a great introduction into his hardboiled, un-sentimentalized world.
Rating: 
Summary: missed opportunity
Review: Made during the height of the cold war hysteria,
this film gets sidetracked by mindless red baiting.
It also descends into cheesy melodrama on a couple of
occasions marring the pacing of the movie. It's too
bad but pickup doesn't live up to its reputation as
top notch noir.
Rating:
Summary: Pick up "Pickup" if you embrace film noir
Review: Reviewer displacedhuman has already provided a solid synopsis of our favorite Sam Fuller film, so I'll focus most of my comments on the quality of this DVD release. I wish all such releases of older films were this well-planned and well-executed. "Pickup On South Street" originally came out more than 50 years ago. If its modern-day distributor, Criterion, was -- like some of the characters in "Pickup" -- just looking to make a quick buck, it could have made a cheap transfer to DVD and released the disc to movie lovers like you and me who, let's face it, would have been grateful to even have this classic film noir on disc at all. But the Criterion team has instead gifted us with a superb transfer. The sound and picture are excellent, from opening credits to the final fade. Do you know what that says to all of us who love this film? It says, "We respect your high standards and we respect the filmmaker's vision and creation." But the good news doesn't stop there. There's some nifty bonus material on the disc itself; interviews with Sam Fuller, trailers for other Fuller films, stills galleries, and a text-only interview with Richard Widmark are among the special features. We also get a 20-page booklet that has excerpts from Fuller's autobiography (including filmmaker Martin Scorsese's introduction) and an essay by cultural historian Luc Sante. The whole booklet is a great read. And both the booklet and the disc's special features provide some wonderful anecdotal material that enhances one's enjoyment of the film and advances one's understanding of the sociopolitical atmosphere in which the film was made and initially released. The people who created the film -- Fuller, the actors, the production crew -- will always have my thanks and admiration. So too, will the people involved in the film's restoration and release on DVD. "Pickup On South Street" deserves its stature as one of the greats of the film noir genre and this DVD shows why. Criterion has gotten it right the first time. If you're unfamiliar with film noir and have no real interest in delving into it, if you think older movies are corny or boring, if you can't stand to watch films made in black and white, then don't bother with this DVD. It's not for you. It's for displacedhuman, for me, for Martin Scorsese, and for others who are passionate about films regardless of their genre or their vintage. We WANT to be transported to a different time, a different place. Yet I'm still struck, watching this film for the umpteenth time in my life, how Fuller so easily and quietly avoids stereotyping people or depicting our culture as "whites only." (Remember, this is the early 1950s we're talking about, and Hollywood's depiction of black Americans wasn't, for the most part, exactly enlightened.) But Fuller's world is populated by all kinds of people going about their daily lives. Dark-skinned and light-skinned, male and female, different ages and different styles of dress -- it's an everyday, workaday world that just happens to include some very unique individuals named Skip, Candy, Moe, Tiger and Joey moving among the crowd. (And I assume that the "1" on the shoulder patch of the soldier on the subway in the opening shot is an early film salute from Sam Fuller to his Army infantry unit in World War II.) All in all, a great film and a superb transfer.
Rating:
Summary: SUPERB NOIR CRIME DRAMA...
Review: Samuel Fuller's "Pickup on South Street" is easily one of his better films and as cynical and tough as crime dramas got in the 50's. Richard Widmark is excellent as a cocky pickpocket who swipes the wallet of sexy Jean Peters that contains microfilm of government secrets to be delivered to a Communist agency. Peters is unaware of the Communist angle and is only doing a "job" for her slimy ex-boyfriend Richard Kiley (who's also excellent). Getting mixed up in the mess to get back the microfilm is street peddler/police informant Thelma Ritter who sells information to whoever wants to buy it. The film is gritty and unsentimental and none of the characters are saints. New York City is depicted as a tough place to survive especially on the dirty waterfront where Skip McCoy (Widmark) lives and stashes his loot and Moe Williams (Ritter) plies her trade. Candy (Peters) is a girl who's been around due to a shady past and never known a decent man in her life. She's trying to survive too. Peters (who's miles away from her ingenue in "Niagara" also the same year} is sexy and streetsmart with the bad-girl swagger that only Gloria Grahame knew how to pull off. Ritter earned an Oscar nomination for her role as Moe and she is simply fantastic as a doomed fringe-dweller who's getting tired. The film is a good hard look at crime and the school of hard knocks. The Communist plot line is only that---a plot line. The film takes no political stand. It's a story of people doing what they do to survive and the understanding between them that "everybody's gotta eat". "Pickup on South Street" is a fine noir crime film and another excellent DVD package from Criterion with lots of good extras. THIS is a collector's item.
Rating: 
Summary: Fuller leaves a noteworthy cinematic experience...
Review: Samuel Fuller's background as a journalist shines through in Pickup on South Street as his story begins by bringing the audience directly to the point where a man pickpockets a woman's wallet out of her purse. Unknowingly the pickpocket, Skip McCoy (Richard Widmark), gets his hands on a microfilm containing government secrets as an undercover agent witness's the theft. Candy, the woman whose wallet was stolen, is swayed by her ex-boyfriend to try to retrieve the microfilm from the thief by using her connections in the underworld. At the same time the undercover agent attempts to find the pickpocket through the city's police force, and they use the local informant to discover the identity of the thief. Both Candy and the law use the same female informant, who supplies them with valuable information that leads them to Skip. Fuller's direction brings Skip's destiny onto the silver screen with suspense as his direction is forcefully straight forward without ambiguous intentions. It has been said, that what you see is what you get, and Fuller certainly knows how to put a scene together so the audience gets what he wants them to get. This leaves the audience with a noteworthy cinematic experience.
Rating:
Summary: Widmark At His Best
Review: Shot in just ten days on the mean streets of NYC, this Samuel Fuller film epitomizes the essence of noir. Grifters, detectives, and spies emerge as stark characters interwoven in a plot tainted with desperation, betrayal, and loneliness. Pick Up On South Street is the canvass that reveals urban realism painted in its most blackest and whitest. Every aspect of the film-from the gritty on site location shooting to the effective use of close up facial shots warrants uncompromising attention. Manhattan's apartments, streets, subways, and harbor are masterfully landscaped into a montage of darkened shadows highlighted by light grays and luminious whites. Richard Widmark has never been better as Skip McCoy the two-bit pickpocket whose multi-layered persona slowly unravels within this seventy minute thriller. Jean Peters is equally convincing as the street tough who conceals her vunerability with a tight dress and a loose mouth. Thelma Ritter steals every scene she appears in as the aging grifter who has the dope on every hood worthy of a police record. At the time of the film's release (1953) American loyalty and patriotism in society was being tested by the fervor caused by McCarthyism. A shift from the threat of gangsterism to Communism had engulfed the American psyche. The FBI had proclaimed that the most notorious gangsters from John Dillinger to Al Capone no longer roamed the country. Instead an even more menacing evil was threatening the sanctity and integrity of American morality and only a vigiliant public- be it cops or crimminals could combat this covert force. In the wake of the McCarthy hysteria, a pickpocket was frowned upon,a Red was condemned to purgatory. No film captured the triangle of forces- crime, Communism, and American justice as deftly as Pick Up On South Street. For all fans of noir classics, this is one to own and enjoy.
|
