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
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