director sam fuller have something of a cult follow and particularly in europe . yet the bulk of his film be more than forgettable . he do however direct one really terrific movie in pickup on south street . make pretty early on in his career and the movie that follow be vastly inferior . from the first to the last frame and pickup work on all level . it film with flawless fluidity and boast fine performance all round . richard widmark and thelma ritter both player with a fine record of top notch performance and be at their peak . widmark and who be no stranger at play villain and while truly mean to the core and still manage to reveal just the slight humanity which make his character fascinating as well a make jean peter character fall for him all the more credible . fuller hold no punch in this genuinely tough movie . there be a scene in which jean peter get rough up by widmark . it truly shock in it reality . this be not a case of carefully choreograph photography . less self conscious than many film noir of the period this remain a great example of the genre .