skip mccoy be a three time loser pick pocket and unable to curb his instinct back on the street and he pick the purse of candy on a subway train . what he doesn not realise be that candy be carry top secret microfilm and microfilm that be of high interest to many many organisation . director samuel fuller have craft an exceptional drama set amongst the seedy underworld of new york city . communist spy and shady government operatives all blend together to make pickup on south street a rivet viewing from first minute to the last . base around a dwight taylor story call blaze of glory and fuller enthuse this adaptation with heavy set political agenda and something that many at the time felt be over do and but to only focus on it anti communist leaning be do it a big disservice . dig a little deep and you find character as intrigue a any that fuller have direct and the main protagonist for one be the hero of the piece and a crook and a shallow human be and his heroic be not bear out of love for his country and they be bear out of his sheer stubborn streak . it quite an achievement that fuller have craft one of the best anti hero of the 50 and and i be sure he be most grateful to the performance of richard widmark a mccoy and all grin and icy cold heart and his interplay with the wonderful jean peter a candy be excellent and and be the films heart . however it be the oscar nominate thelma ritter who take the acting honour and her moe be strong and as seedy a the surround character and but there be a tired warmth to her that ritter conveys majestically . it a b movie in texture but an a film in execution and pickup on south street be a real classy and entertaining film that be the best of it most intriguing director . positive .