Pickup on South Street
“How the law took a chance on a B-girl … and won!”
Synopsis
In New York City, an insolent pickpocket, Skip McCoy, inadvertently sets off a chain of events when he targets ex-prostitute Candy and steals her wallet. Unaware that she has been making deliveries of highly classified information to the communists, Candy, who has been trailed by FBI agents for months in hopes of nabbing the spy ringleader, is sent by her ex-boyfriend, Joey, to find Skip and retrieve the valuable microfilm he now holds.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Pickup On South Street (1953) trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2017-03-04
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Richard Widmark
Skip McCoy
Jean Peters
Candy
Thelma Ritter
Moe Williams
Murvyn Vye
Captain Dan Tiger
Richard Kiley
Joey
Willis Bouchey
Zara
Milburn Stone
Detective Winoki
Parley Baer
Headquarters Communist in Chair (uncredited)
Chet Brandenburg
Fight Spectator (uncredited)
Frank Kumagai
Lum (uncredited)
Virginia Carroll
Nurse (uncredited)
Harry Carter
Detective Dietrich (uncredited)
Clancy Cooper
Detective Eddie (uncredited)
Henry Slate
Detective MacGregor (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin
Subway Passenger (uncredited)
George Eldredge
Fenton (uncredited)
John Gallaudet
Detective Lieutenant Campion (uncredited)
Alan Reed
Detective (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
May 27, 1953
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 30, 2005
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$780K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
Pending
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Samuel Fuller
- Screenplay & Story
- Samuel Fuller
- Original Score
- Leigh Harline
- Original Title
- Pickup on South Street
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 20m
- Production Budget
- $780K
- Production Studios
- 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Samuel Fuller
Samuel Fuller, Dwight Taylor
Leigh Harline
Joseph MacDonald
Nick DeMaggio
Jules Schermer
Department Leadership Roster
Samuel Fuller
Director
Samuel Fuller
Screenplay
Jules Schermer
Producer
Joseph MacDonald
Director of Photography
Nick DeMaggio
Editor
Travilla
Costume Design
Leigh Harline
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance Suggested.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Pickup on South Street.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Pickup on South Street.
My Movies
Master List In Progress
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
MNR
Spy-Thriller
Watchlist
Similar Titles to Pickup on South Street
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.5
7.7
8.1
7.9
7.6
6.4
7.2
7.4
7.2
6.0
6.1
6.8
7.1
7.2
6.1
4.8
5.7
6.9
6.1
More Like Pickup on South Street
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pickup on South Street
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Pickup on South Street about?
In New York City, an insolent pickpocket, Skip McCoy, inadvertently sets off a chain of events when he targets ex-prostitute Candy and steals her wallet. Unaware that she has been making deliveries of highly classified information to the communists, Candy, who has been trailed by FBI agents for months in hopes of nabbing the spy ringleader, is sent by her ex-boyfriend, Joey, to find Skip and retrieve the valuable microfilm he now holds.
Who directed Pickup on South Street?
Pickup on South Street was directed by Samuel Fuller.
Who stars in Pickup on South Street?
The principal cast of Pickup on South Street includes Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, Thelma Ritter, Murvyn Vye, Richard Kiley.
When was Pickup on South Street released and how long is it?
Pickup on South Street was released in 1953 with a total runtime of 1h 20m.
Who composed the musical score for Pickup on South Street?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Pickup on South Street was composed by Leigh Harline.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Pickup on South Street?
Pickup on South Street holds official age classifications: CA: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).