Pickup on South Street (1953)

Admirable film.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Arrogant smart aleck pickpocket Skip McCoy (Richard Widmark) really picks on the wrong purse when he snatches a wallet from Candy (Jean Peters). Both of them had no idea that the wallet consisted a microfilm with top-secret government secrets meant for communist spies.Screenplay is masterfully written, right on the point stuff without too much unnecessary fat, characters are well developed, story flows so naturally that none of the twists and turns take too much focus on one singular moment. I guess Samuel Fuller's journalist background has something to do with it. Smooth and detailed direction with nice nuances and touches almost unnoticeable - scene where Candy discovers that her wallet is gone from the purse, an alarm goes off in the background.Richard Widmark is in his usual top form as arrogant pickpocket with heart at right place and Jean Peters is wonderfully natural as punching bag, but never just as damsel in distress. Thelma Ritter gives warm and interesting performance as street stoolie Moe (no wonder she received six Academy Award nominations including one for this role). Rest of the supporting cast deserves high recognition also without pointing anyone particular.With 'Pickup on South Street' Samuel Fuller's potential and craftsmanship as a director really came together and the result is well written, masterfully directed and magnificently acted smooth film-noir.

Richard Widmark in his prime at his best as a pickpocket who does his job too well and picks a wallet with more than money in it, resulting in a chain reaction of awful events, turning a desperate man into a murderer with many casualties on the way both by bullets and fisticuffs. Thelma Ritter makes a deep impression as an old lady selling neckties. The thriller is very carefully filmed, the tempo is slow and a bit too detailed in close-ups and long shots, but you can endure it for the sake of the story. This is definitely Sam Fuller's best film and probably the only one that will be remembered. There are no flaws, nothing to criticise or find wrong with, and the logic is watertight, although the dialog is dreadful in its drawling vulgarity, and it's not a film for those who only want action if it is fast.

Pickup on South Street is directed by Samuel Fuller, is written by Fuller and Dwight Taylor and is based on Taylor's novel. The film stars Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, Richard Kiley and Thelma Ritter.This is one of my favourite Noir films. Widmark and Peters sizzle together and deliver superb performances as two tough characters realising they're falling for one another.On a crowded train, skilled pickpocket Skip McCoy(Richard Widmark)rummages through the handbag of Candy(Jean Peters), he steals some microfilm. Unbeknown to Skip the film contains top secret US government documents that Candy is delivering to a communist agent. Skip also doesn't know that he was seen taking the film by two agents who were following Candy.Skip hides the film but then finds himself questioned by the Police. He's soon wanted by Candy's boyfriend Joey(Richard Kiley), who wants the film back so he can deliver it to his fellow communists. Candy is sent to get the film back, she tries to charm him but Skip sees right through her, her admires her courage though and as time goes on the pair begin to fall for one another. Candy's association with Skip puts her in danger when Joey no longer trusts her.Widmark gives one of his best performances, he makes Skip clever, tough, cynical and a real survivor. You know this is a man you don't want to cross and although he's a thief he's not a bad man, he'll do the right thing in the end. Skip has seen and done plenty of bad things but he is still a good man, he hasn't crossed a moral line and become a bad guy.Jean Peters is an actress who I think should have become a much bigger star. She is at her best here as the tough, streetwise woman who falls for Skip and tries to do the right thing, even if that means risking her own life.Thelma Ritter is superb as stoolpigeon Moe. This lady is smart and doesn't miss anything. Moe's greatest fear is being buried in an unmarked grave. Throughout the film she is shown trying to collect money to put aside to ensure she can have a decent funeral, that is incredibly sad and Ritter makes your heart break for this woman and her situation.The three main characters in this are all down on their luck and all deserve to be happy. They all do things that they might not be proud of in order to survive, far from making us hate them this only humanises them, they aren't perfect and their characters are more developed than in some films like this and that all helps make the film as good as it is.In my opinion this is one of the best Noir films ever made.

On a crowded New York City subway, petty pickpocket Richard Widmark (as Skip McCoy) sneaks his fingers into the purse of pretty part-time prostitute Jean Peters (as Candy). He thinks he's got Ms. Peters' wallet, but Mr. Widmark has unknowingly stolen some top-secret microfilm Peters was delivering to her pimp-like ex-boyfriend Richard Kiley (as Joey). The police employ street-wise peddler Thelma Ritter (as Moe Williams) to help find Widmark and the microfilm, before it falls into the hands of Communists plotting against the USA. Fresh out of prison, Widmark wants to stay ahead of the law while committing his crimes. He also notices Peters is pretty enough to kiss, albeit with roughness. With the fate of the entire free world hanging in the balance, various and sundry characters must retrieve the microfilm before it falls into Communist hands...Samuel Fuller's weird mix of Damon Runyon characters in a Mickey Spillane setting almost works – the weakest part is the "Red Scare" element, involving Communists plotting something presumably earth-shattering in New York City. Secondarily, the occasional cuteness of the characters, who seem to operate in a cozy circle in New York City, doesn't always jive with their violent outbursts. Nevertheless, the role played by Ms. Ritter – peddling ties instead of apples – comes across the screen exceptionally well. Ritter breathes great life into Mr. Fuller's nicely developed character. As the sweaty spy, Mr. Kiley also impresses. Widmark is reliable and Peters vulnerable – but their parts are less appealing. Murvyn Vye and the others seem real, despite being directed to randomly pull and leaf through suspects' photos. Joe MacDonald's photography is stylish.******* Pickup on South Street (5/29/53) Samuel Fuller ~ Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, Thelma Ritter, Richard Kiley