User reviews

This is quite an entertaining & energetic crime movie, which rattles along at a fairly brisk pace, but suffers somewhat from lack of character depth, and interaction between the characters. The leads all play their respective roles professionally and with a degree of panache, with the oily and sinister Trevor Howard particularly effective. Bonar Colleano also contributes a likable cameo as a fast-talking, quick-witted exiled American. In the central role, Victor Mature is dour and doesn't really get the opportunity to express more of his character's dual purpose of personal revenge and bringing an arch criminal to justice. Although there are many similar type films to this, I feel that it stands worthy comparison to many of them and is certainly deserving of release on DVD.

A law-and-order thriller focusing on the international narcotics trade, Interpol (aka Pickup Alley) harks back to such dire warnings as Port of New York and To The Ends of the Earth. It looks forward, too. Courtesy of co-producer Albert (Cubby) Broccoli, who five years hence would issue the first film in the deathless 007 franchise, Dr. No, this British-made movie serves as a brief, black-and-white preview of the trans-global intrigues James Bond would soon be set to smashing.

The surly secret agent here is drug-enforcement officer Victor Mature, and his motives are not merely professional: Not only is his `kid sister' hopelessly hooked to the needle, but in the pre-credits opening scene, a female colleague ends up strangled with her own scarf by heroin kingpin Trevor Howard, an arch and urbane adversary who flourishes a cigarette holder, like Charles Grey's Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever. In pursuit, Mature jets from New York to London and thence to Lisbon, Rome, Athens, Naples and back to the States.

There's even an exotic Bondgirl (Anita Ekberg), shanghaied into working against her former boss, and an amusing local helpmate (Bonar Colleano) as an expatriate Yank peddling junk and souvenirs to tourists in the Eternal City. He first pops up before an excursion into the Catacombs, where death proves to be not always ancient. Similar set-pieces – chases across rooftops and up and down steep streets – enliven other ports of call.

But, like many of the Bond movies, Interpol comes at you in sections. We cool down from one diversion in anticipation of the next. But there's not much thought given to a determining plot-line or sustaining mood. And the major characters aren't given much in the way of, well, character; to make matters worse, they're barely allowed to interact. Most of what Interpol has to offer was already done earlier in the noir cycle (occasionally by Mature and even Howard), or would be done better in the splashier spectacles of the 1960s. And let's face it: Apart from her frolic in the fountain in La Dolce Vita, Ekberg would never amount to much of a fixture in film history.

American British co-production, released as Picket Alley on USA and Interpol on UK, Mature plays Charles Sturgis an American policeman from US narcotics department, when his sister who works as informer, was killed before to reveal the identity of the smuggler's Boss in New York, now he got starts again from scratch, the new clue nothing less than the beauty Anita Ekberg as Gina Bolder a delivery girl, they track down his steps, a long journey through Lisbon, Rome, Greece and finally back to New York, this picture goes far beyond the standards known, Charles Sturgis tireless pursuit of his unknown target, the long waiting romance between he and Gina Bolder never Happens, actually she plays a cold women, pressure by his Boss, due she committed a murder of his former old partner, the highlights coming from of nowhere, the Italian character Amalio played by the big mouth Bonar Colleano brings some relief on the plot, also a bit humor neither, Trevor Howard was fabulous as the slippery man, moving each couple days, unknown face, a hard assignment really, interesting picture!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD-R / Rating: 7

American narcotics agent Charles Sturgis (Victor Mature) is devastated by his sister's murder. He tracks the killer to be murderous international drug smuggler Frank McNally (Trevor Howard). He follows McNally and his mule girlfriend Gina Broger (Anita Ekberg) to Europe with Interpol's help.

The original British title is Interpol. This may be the earliest movie that I've seen with Interpol being mentioned. In fact, it may be so early that the American release had to change the title to Pickup Alley. I doubt the general public knew anything about Interpol. It's interesting.

I like this movie for all its peripherals. I like the shadow lighting, the cobble stone streets, the crumbling walls, the rooftop chase, the European locations, and the grimy dockyards. As for the story, there are moments but the story is rather flat. The characters are broadly drawn. It's a crime neo-noir B-movie. It has most of the parts, but the overall effect is less than the total.

Found in Noir Archive vol 3, this is a watchable English noir that has some perfunctory acting from Mature and Ekberg, along with enjoyable scene chewing from Howard--what a long way from The Third Man and Brief Encounter!--and a terrific cameo from Bonar Colleano, whom I don't recall seeing before.

You won't care about the plot--something to do with international heroin smuggling, a murky subject dealt with carelessly by John Gilling. The interest lies in the locales, which are beautifully shot by Ted Moore, who besides making a half dozen Bond films also won an Oscar for A Man For All Seasons. The catacombs scene might have come from an Orson Welles film, Othello say, it's that evocative.

Victor Mature stars in Pickup Alley as a drug enforcement officer who has his professional and personal life combined in this film. His sister Dorothy Alison is strangled by Trevor Howard who is a big drug syndicate kingpin that everyone knows about, but who has successfully kept a very low profile. All kinds of police agencies are looking for Howard and now Mature has a personal reason to get him.

Thinking she killed Howard's partner his moll Anita Ekberg is also on the run. She might be the one to lead Mature to Howard so he tails her across several international cities back to New York where the climax takes place.

This idea had already been tried and far more successfully in the Dick Powell noir classic To The Ends Of The Earth where Powell was the drug enforcement agent with no personal axe to grind who follows a drug shipment. We get to see several glimpses of major cities in Europe and of course New York. Nothing that really registers a decent impression.

Pickup Alley was an OK second feature, but will never be a classic. Fans of Mature, Ekberg, and Howard will be satisfied. Best in the film in a small role is Bonar Colleano, exiled American gangster who lives by his wits both as souvenir salesman in Rome and peddler of information to those with a price.

This was an interesting film which starred Victor Mature, (Charles Sturgis) who was a US Narcotics Agent working with Interpol in order to catch a large dope smuggling operation. Gina Broger, (Anita Ekberg) played a young gal who was working with a big shot dope king, Frank McNally, (Trevor Howard) and was only working with him because he kept her against her will and would not let her go. There is plenty of travel into Lisbon, Greece and New York and it seemed at times that Charles Sturgis was running around in circles. Trevor Howard gave a great supporting role along with Anita Ekberg, but this film was definitely a low budget film and because this was a 1957 film, the gals all wore skirts down to their ankles.

After an over-heated and irritating opening this thriller hardly ever slows down its fast-action, Europe-wide criminal pursue to establish any characters or give enough room to explain its narrative; Trevor Howard, however, obviously enjoys his role as the diabolical villain.

In the 1950s, American actors were in demand in European films. It seems that it was far cheaper to make movies there and by bringing in one or two big-name or semi-big name American actors the movie would have greater international appeal. So the likes of Richard Basehart, Anthony Quinn and many other mostly B-list actors made there way to Europe, though a few, such as Alan Ladd, were big name stars. Almost as big as Ladd at that time was Victor Mature and here he stars as, what else, an American in Europe!

The film finds American Cop, Charles Sturgis (Mature) in Europe to try to break up an international drug smuggling outfit. His part in the film was at best mildly interesting...as mostly he played the stereotypical angry, blustering American. What WAS interesting was the leader of the baddies. While you don't think of Trevor Howard in such a role, he was vicious and very exciting to watch...and sadly he was barely in the film! As a result of this and a mediocre script, the film has 'time-passer' written all over it and nothing more.

Paunchy and worn out Victor Mature basically sleep walks through the film. Trevor Howard steals the show, even though he overplays the psycho bit. If you are a fan of either man, which I am, you will enjoy this flick. If not, watch the French Connection, it is similar in theme, but a thousand times better.

Drugs, Anita Eckberg and Victor Mature. and, at the first sigh, nothing more. because something missing to transform the film in more than ordinary crime. sure, few scenes are more than interesting. few performances are real inspired. but all seems be too well known. the girl, the bad guy, the detective. Victor Mature seems prisoner of a sort of sketch of his roles. Trevor Howard is the basic pillar of the film but in few scenes he is uninspired used. the film is out of emotion or real interest. nothing bad. if you ignore its potential.

This has got quite a field of recognisable talent, but the story is a bit thin. "Frank McNally" (Trevor Howard) is a ruthless drug dealer who makes a bit of a mockery of the efforts of Interpol to track him down. It's only when he kills the sister of US agent "Sturgis" (Victor Mature) that he finds a foe worthy of him. This fellow is much more determined, and quickly alights on the mule of the operation "Gina" (Anita Ekberg) trailing her all around Europe before finally honing in on his prey as he plots an huge job in New York. The format of the storyline takes a bit of a travelogue style and though that does give it some pace, it means we spend way too much time on planes, at airports and touring the sites rather than developing any characters of even a substantial plot. Neither Mature nor Howard really engage, Ekberg has practically no dialogue until the very end and the best effort comes from grifter Bonar Colleano's ("Amalio") who seems way more adept at tracking "McNally" than his policeman buddy. The ending is weak - it's more of a testament to the effectiveness of global policing and communications that it is to a thriller, and I felt the whole thing just lacked oomph.

A film unconsistently complicated, which thing adds nothing to the plot, but rather deprives it of clearness and smoothness.

A film in which all the faces look the same (apart from V. Mature's and A. Ekberg's, the only woman among the characters), so you don't really know, at times, who is doing what.

A film with many guns shootings, in whose - as it happens in so many films of the same genre - rarely any man of some importance happens to be shot. Bulletts completely obey the filmmakers' will.

A film where the final chase brings no thrill whatsoever, as no thrills are to be expected from the whole movie. It's not really a whodunit: you know from the start who the villain is, you only have to be patient enough for him to get caught.

Locations range from New York, Paris, Lisbon, Rome, Athens. Curiously enough, when in Rome you can hear Italian phrases pronounced with a strong American accent, while when in Athens, the backround chatter is mostly in pure Italian, and repeatedly proposed in loops of a few seconds' duration. Sometimes the filmmakers get a little confused, and even signs and labels, when in Greece, are in Italian.

This film suffers from a script which relies on cliches from other superior films of this genre.Trevor Howard makes an uninspiring and unconvincing villain.Anita Ekberg simply cannot act.Vincent Mature is at times lethargic at the fag end of his career. This was an A picture,at least in the UK.However it is directed by John Gilling as if it was one of his B features.

What a surprise! Launched with no publicity, that I saw, just watched this new Arrow Blue-ray and it is an absolute gem. Anglo-American production from Warwick Films, a company set up in part by fledgling producer, Albert A Broccoli and starring Victor Mature as a not so gentle gentleman and Anita Ekberg, on the cusp of stardom. Both are great, Mature letting fly with his fists at the slightest provocation and Ekberg holding her own well enough and looking marvellous. The noirish narcotics drama moves incredibly fast and covers much ground with fabulous views of New York, London, Rome and the Greek port of Piraeus. Trevor Howard is ever present and the best I've seen him, relishing his role as chief baddie and we even get a raft of smaller parts played by familiar faces including Sid James bookending the film as barman. Excellent.

In common with most of those made by Warwick Films this one is nothing much to write home about and is directed by the spectacularly undistinguished John Gilling.

Victor Mature's trademark expressions that range from glum to deadpan add little to this tepid thriller about international drug smuggling whilst statuesque Swede Anita Ekberg, surely one of the most splendid specimens of womanhood ever to walk on to a sound stage, is far less effective when called upon to emote.

By far the most fascinating character and the one with all the best lines is the deranged drug peddler played by the brilliant Trevor Howard who simply saunters away with the film.

This feeble opus serves to remind us, if indeed we need reminding, that in films of this type Britain is very much the poor relation to America and France, lacking the grittiness of the former and the stylishness of the latter.

The enticingly pulpy moniker promises lurid, noir-tinged thrills. And while there's sordid doings aplenty (including one furniture-smashing heroin withdrawal), PICKUP ALLEY turns out to be less hard-boiled than half-baked. Still, there are sundry points of interest, particularly for devotees of James Bond history.

Co-produced by Albert Broccoli, the film feels like a dry run for 007 travel itineraries to come, what with Interpol narc Victor Mature ("The name's Sturgis...Charles Sturgis") globe-trotting from New York to Rome to Istanbul in pursuit of slippery international dope peddler Trevor Howard.

PICKUP's other idiosyncratic virtues include the urbane, ever-grinning Howard as a Bizarro World Harry Lime, dodging coppers via rooftops rather than sewers, sexy drug mule Anita Ekberg sashaying past the Trevi Fountain, site of her famous skinny-dip in LA DOLCE VITA, Alec Mango (7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD's caliph of Baghdad) making like Michael Gough in hormonal overdrive as he tries to force himself on La Ekberg, Andre Morell and Martin Benson (the mobster taken for a ride by Oddjob in GOLDFINGER) as British and Italian Interpol agents respectively, Sid James and Danny Green yapping like East Side Kids as Big Apple barkeeps, Eric (voice of Blofeld) Pohlmann as a fez-wearing nogoodnik, Hammer's all-purpose exotic Marne Maitland as a knife-wielding henchman, Brian Wilde (NIGHT OF THE DEMON's Rand Hobart) as a monk conducting guided tours of the Roman catacombs, and the oddball spectacle of Al Mulock (perhaps the plug-ugliest cast member of THE GOOD, BAD AND THE UGLY) as a natty New York narcotics detective.

Long story short: Die-hard Bond fans will have a feast with this Broccoli Cheese Soufflé. But cholesterol watchers, beware: it's heavy on the cheese.

• Bad acting
• Bad writing
• Badly shooted scenes.

All around shamefull display of a movie if you can even call it such.

This is something you want to turn off after minutes and you cant make it half way.

Sometimes those anti-drug, jazz-soaked neo noirs feature shaky method actors shadowing their shaky guru James Dean, and for a reason... they're coming off heroin... and preachy melodrama ensues...

But this British import starring American Victor Mature only begins that way along with a few jarring murders and noisy nightclubs... And what everything narrows down to is Mature, a U. S. drug enforcement agent, has a vengeful edge since his sister died, and goes after classy drug-smuggling kingpin Trevor Howard, himself after an eventual load of heroin in a port somewhere between all the various countries, from England to Greece to France, yet this was all filmed in Italy while making terrific use of their Roman ruins...

Each place where the trailing Mature winds up has terrific fist-fights and chase sequences manned skillfully by British director John Gilling. Alec Mango plays Howard's scar-faced thug and is a menacing scene-stealer, but only thinks he's tougher than tough-as-nails Anita Ekberg, who Mature is actually following since she's following Howard: And while of course a beautiful creature, Ekberg wears far too much makeup, and really doesn't provide the femme tatale role as advertised...

PICKUP is really Mature vs Howard, and one of them is desperate, cuts corners, makes shady deals while the practically unscathed villain takes his sweet time.