Film Review
It was in part down to the efforts of Samuel Fuller, a crime-reporter
turned filmmaker, that the film noir crime thriller acquired its
grimly realist edge in the mid-1950s, taking the genre into much darker
avenues than previously.
Pickup
on South Street exemplifies this trend and is one of Fuller's
more brutal crime films, a film that still manages to shock with its
stark depiction of underworld violence and cynical portrayal of human
nature.
At the time of its release, the film was interpreted as anti-Communist
propaganda, although Fuller was quick to dismiss this; certainly the
moral and political ambiguity of film's hero - skilfully portrayed by
Richard Widmark - would seem to belie this. Interestingly, all
references to espionage and Communism were removed in the French dub of
the film (re-titled
Le Port de la
drogue), through concerns that it might antagonise the French
Communists.
Pickup on South Street is a
superlative example of 1950s noir thriller that manages to sidestep the
obvious clichés whilst remaining true to a winning
formula. It retains the distinctive film noir look of the
previous decade (with effective use of chiaroscuro lighting and oblique
camera angles) but adds to this greater realism through use of real
locations and more convincing sets. Fuller's well-honed
screenplay (which is as good as anything Raymond Chandler wrote) also
gives the story depth and punch, with some twisted irony and black
comedy spicing up the customary B-movie dialogue.
The excellence of the film's scripting, design and direction are
matched by the calibre of the contributions from an impeccable
cast. Particularly noteworthy is the on-screen chemistry between
Richard Widmark and his co-star Jean Peters, a sizzling rapport
with more than a whiff of sado-masochism which
makes the film all the more enjoyable. (Interestingly, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and Ava Gardner
were considered for the lead female role but were rejected by Fuller. When
Grable was imposed on him Fuller threatened to walk away from the film.)
Thelma Ritter comes close
to stealing the show in her supporting role as an ageing police
informer. Her scenes bring an unexpected poignancy to the film
and it is not surprising that her performance should earn her an Oscar
nomination.
© James Travers 2008
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Film Synopsis
Pickpocket Skip McCoy finds himself in greater trouble than he could
ever have imagined when he steals a woman's purse containing microfilm of
government secrets. The film was to have been delivered to enemy
agents by Candy, the girlfriend of a Communist spy named Joey.
McCoy's intervention thwarts not only this scheme but an attempt by a
team of FBI agents led by Dan Tiger to unmask the traitors. By
engaging the services of informer Moe Williams, Dan Tiger manages to
track down McCoy and offers him a clean slate if he will hand over the
microfilm. Realising the value of what he has in his possession,
McCoy is reluctant to comply. Unfortunately for him, Joey also
knows who now has the microfilm and is prepared to do anything to
recover it...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.