52 Pick-Up
52 Pick-Up

Movie spotlight

52 Pick-Up

1986
Movie
110 min
English

Harry Mitchell is a successful Los Angeles manufacturer whose wife is running for city council. His life is turned upside down when three blackmailers confront him with a videotape of him with his young mistress and demand $100,000. Fearing that the story will hurt his wife's political campaign if he goes to the police, Harry pretends that he will pay the men, but does not follow through.

Insights

IMDb6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes60%
Google Users74%
Director: John FrankenheimerGenres: Crime, Thriller, Drama

Plot Summary

A wealthy and married businessman, Harry Mitchell, is lured into a compromising situation by a younger woman, Barbara, as part of a blackmail scheme. Barbara, along with her two accomplices, Cabbot and Alan, begin to extort money from Harry, threatening to reveal his infidelity to his wife. As the pressure mounts and the demands escalate, Harry finds himself in a desperate fight for survival against the manipulative and increasingly dangerous trio.

Critical Reception

52 Pick-Up received mixed to positive reviews, with many critics praising its taut direction, strong performances from its lead actors, and its effective suspense. Some found the plot somewhat contrived or predictable, but it was generally regarded as a well-crafted, if somewhat grim, thriller.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its intense atmosphere and the committed performances of Ann-Margret and Roy Scheider.

  • Acknowledged for John Frankenheimer's skilled direction in building suspense.

  • Some critics found the premise and plot progression to be less than entirely convincing.

Google audience: Audiences generally found the film to be a suspenseful and engaging thriller, appreciating the performances and the tense cat-and-mouse dynamic. Some viewers noted that the film's premise was somewhat disturbing but effective in its execution.

Fun Fact

The film's tense climax features a prolonged cat-and-mouse chase sequence through a supermarket, which was reportedly shot with minimal crew and a focus on spontaneous reactions from the actors.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
John Chard

John Chard

Our marriage has lasted 23 years. That’s longer than she’s been alive! 52 Pick-Up is directed by John Frankenheimer and written by Elmore Leonard (adapting from his own novel) and John Steppling. It stars Roy Scheider, Ann-Margret, John ...