Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Pickup on South Street

Pickup on South Street is the definition of what noir should be. Dark settings, compelling characters and one hell of a MacGuffin. Seriously.

Like most great noirs, Pickup on South Street is set in the underbelly of New York City. Thanks to Leigh Harline's music and Joseph MacDonald's cinematography, they give the movie a true feeling for what noir should be.

The main performances are from Richard Widmark, Jean Peters and Thelma Ritter. All three are aware that what they do is dangerous, but they're willing to take the risk. Of the three, my favorite's Ritter. She merely sells out information in order to save up for when her information doesn't please certain people. Again, she knows it's a dangerous business but she's willing to take the risk.

Pickup on South Street, as said before, is one of the best noirs. I've seen. It's gritty and gripping at the same time. It also captures the politics of that time. Not one to miss.

My Rating: *****

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