52 Pick-Up

Roy Scheider was one of those actors who, in my opinion, never received his just praise. He did nab two Oscar nominations (All that Jazz, The French Connection) but starred in countless noteworthy films including Klute, Jaws, Marathon Man, Sorcerer, and Naked Lunch. Best known for his portrayal of Chief Martin Brody in Jaws, Scheider played several memorable characters in many underrated movies. One such movie is 52 Pick-Up, a taut extortion thriller featuring a variant collection of oddballs and sleazebags.

Harry Mitchell (Scheider) leads a successful life in Los Angeles. He owns his own company, drives deluxe sports cars, and has a beautiful wife named Barbara (Ann-Margret). On the surface, everything seems splendid. However, Harry’s clandestine activities, which involve an extramarital affair, land him in deep water with three creepy blackmailers. He is ordered to pay 100K or an incriminating tape will be released. Harry doesn’t take the thugs seriously until they resort to threats and murder. But rather than cooperate, Harry flips the script: Using $52,000 as bait he pits the terrible trio against one another. What ensues is a battle of wits between Harry and the lead blackmailer, a crazed menace named Alan, who will stop at nothing to collect the cash.

A world without morals. That’s what Director John Frankenheimer and writer Elmore Leonard have crafted in 52 Pick-Up. The only redeemable character is Barbara, but her motives are questionable when you consider her profession is in politics. Harry, in the role of hero, seems right at home mingling with low-rent criminals and their lawless nature. Are we meant to root for Harry, despite his lies and infidelity? Should we be sympathetic because he carries a heavy tax burden? He is the lesser of two evils, but arrogance and selfishness are to blame for his predicament. Alan and his pals live an unscrupulous existence; their behavior, while inexcusable, is befitting their place in society. Harry, on the other hand, is supposed to be an upstanding citizen and yet finds himself, through all fault of his own, embroiled with seedy criminals. The story unfolds as a cautionary tale: Playing in the devil’s playground even once will ultimately get you burned.

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Frankenheimer, known for action films, eschews elaborate car chases or prolonged shootouts and relies on character to steer the plot. We meet several disparate people, from a seductive stripper to a whacked-out killer, all of whom display the gamut of emotions that define the human condition: rage, fear, guilt and desperation. Scheider plays Harry as a clever, assured man who knows he holds an intellectual advantage over his enemy. Harry treads unfamiliar territory but does so confidently. John Glover steals the movie portraying Alan Raimy, an opportunistic hood with a Baltimore accent. Glover pulls off a difficult double-play; he’s funny and scary. Based on crime master Elmore Leonard’s best-selling novel, 52 Pick-Up deals with deranged people navigating a sea of corruption. It’s far from groundbreaking, but does a fine job of keeping your attention.              

The trailer for 52 Pick-Up:

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