pickup on south street be one of the most brilliant movie ever make . an example of the direct represent when candy ( jean peter ) start go through her purse and notice her wallet be miss and an alarm go off in the background in the building she in a if it an alarm go off in her head . it not cartoon like it subtly weave into the background in a way that strike you on a subconscious level until you have see the film a few time and it just click that there an alarm bell go off when she start frantically go through her bag . richard widmark be way on top of his game a a smart alec he really great but the highlight performance of the film be the first scene for moe and the street peddler or informer and play by thelma ritter . later and in her apartment and you be not see a movie youre see a real person . i have never see anyone act so real i felt like i be look into a real room until ritter performance right down to the way her hair stick out a bit when she remove her hat . about a million other thing just work and from the way lightning louie pick up money with his chopstick to the way candy jewelry click when she flick moe hand away from her brooch and to the way moe get the dollar and change from the police captain across the fbi guy chest and even the way the captain open his filing cabinet and like he be do it in that way in that room for many year . pickup on south street be detailed move ( direct ) with consummate performance ( act ) and superb now nostalgic visuals of the day and such a the panel truck and the board lead to the shack out on the water and the dumbwaiter and and the unforgettable place skip stash his pocket picking . wonderful stuff . pickup on south street be also one of the few movie where and even though the character aren not perfect and you do care about them perhaps because they have be somewhat brand by their past in way that be hard to escape represent skip a a three time loser and candy a a youngish woman who have knock around a lot . when these people behave a little more badly than you would expect and it in sort of novel way that make it seem youre look in at people you would never otherwise imagine and yet you know that they be possible because the actor make them so recognizably human .