52 Pick-Up (1986) User Reviews

"C'mon, Slim!" Trashy but delightful guilty pleasure

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 21 May 2019]

And the moral of the story is... If you're an aging fairly well to do business-owner with a wife running for city council, might be a good idea to keep it in your pants. I mean, hey, thats what the porno theaters are for and all, right?

52 Pick Up is sleazy, practically X rated (I imagine it got edited down to an R) and would be an excessive neo noir, practically an exploitation flick with the grit it's spitting out, if not for Elmore Leonard being a cracker-jack master at s***bag sometimes-smart-but-also-stupid characters (you know, f-ups), and the delicious twists and turns this takes, which are ultimately all about how Mitchell (Scheider) manages to get the upper hand just enough to keep things moving his way.... Until it doesn't. And good God do John Glover and especially Clarence Williams III own their roles so complerely and make them equally terrifying and campy (Williams's squeaky voice, one for the ages, man).

There are some odd/off technical beats early on - maybe it was because I was seeing it on 35mm on a big screen, but certain tracking shots seemed ragged, and I dont know if that was by design or because Frankenheimer had a lax crew - and I can't shake that Ann-Margaret's character is too smart, or seems to be, to make some of the dumb choices she does at times. Like say, I dunno, leave the house for a while and don't stay where you know these dummy porn jackals will come by since they know where your husband lives - hell, he shouldve moved them out after the first video, but whatever, not a killer to the whole story. So moments like those where logic leaves for plot convenience aren't solid.

For all the illogic and flagrant disregard for good taste that this as (many real world porn stars appear, including Ron Jeremy), this is a helluva good movie because Frankenheimer understands what Leonard is going for: nobody here is exactly likeable, but it's more about watching how one guy will scheme with the other, and Scheider nearly becomes a Sanjuro among these three dangerous boobs. Not to mention on top of everything there is that 80s synth score that I believe is playing the Melodies of the Pile of Cocaine from Scarface. My only regret was not having a glass of scotch to go along with it.

(PS: .... Too bad we didnt get the denouemont where Ann-Margaret divorces his jazz-convertible self and takes him for everything he's got (I mean, you cheat on Ann friggin Margaret, youre lucky she doesnt beat you in the head with roller skates like Roller Girl in Boogie Nights, but I digress).

Sleazy and effective thriller

[rosscinema · 7/10 · 26 January 2003]

I've always liked this John Frankenheimer film. Good script by Elmore Leonard and the main reason this wasn't just another thriller is because of Frankenheimer. His taut direction and attention to little details make all the difference, he even hired porn star Ron Jeremy as a consultant! You can make a case that its the last good film Roy Scheider made. I've always said that Robert Trebor gave just a terrific performance. Clarence Williams III got all the publicity with his scary performance and he's excellent also but I really thought Trebor stood out. Frankenheimer may not be as proud of this film as others but it is an effective thriller full of blackmail, murder, sex, drugs, and real porno actors appear in sleazy parts. What can you say about a film that has Ann Margaret being shot up with drugs and raped? A guilty pleasure to say the least. Vanity has a real sleazy role and a very young Kelly Preston makes an early appearance. A classic exploitive thriller that shouldn't be forgotten.

Surprisingly Good For A Cannon Picture

[Tin_ear · 7/10 · 19 January 2015]

The acting, dialogue, and casting was about perfect for this material. The big Hollywood studios apparently wouldn't accept this script so Elmore Leonard had to go to Cannon (a.k.a., that company made all those horrible films in the Eighties). It has the feel of a low budget film, with a lot of rising stars, falling stars, people bumping into the camera by accident, and a director long past his prime, but it holds up pretty well. There's not one stereotypical L.A. landmark or establishing shot, the film is better than to try and look generic.

Clarence Williams is a believably scary murderer, and the other villains equally repulsive and hateable in their own unique ways. If any character is underwritten, it is the protagonist and his wife, who just seem boringly bland and familiar, but that is sort of inevitable in these types of movies where everything hinges our needing to identify with the victim.

The film is entertaining as any other genre piece of the era, by far one of the better crime dramas of the Eighties, and easily the best of Cannon's direct-to-video cheapos. I'd have liked it even better if it had stuck to its strong suit and went all in with its dark humor (as the film was flirting with the entire run-time but never committed to). The ending was kind of predictable, maybe other films have over-used the idea since but it doesn't date well. Seemed like a throwaway climax.

Underrated Film of 1986

[eibon09 · 7 September 2001]

Seems out of place in time where the main emphasis in American films were on action and horror. 52 Pick Up(1986) is a film that's more suited to the middle years of the film noir genre during the mid 1940s. Many old and modern themes are put together to create a gripping and well acted thriller. Its roots are deep in Film Noir traditions and notions.

The main villain is one of the most memorable heavies in thrillers of the last twenty years. What makes the film so compelling are the realistic behavior of the villains who are into to something that's way over their heads. The main villain, Alan Raimy is a cool talking but vicious blackmailer and murderer who goes into a war a nerves with nemesis, Harry Mitchell. He is truly a frightening villain unlike in many crime thriller who's can explode at anytime or any second.

52 Pick Up(1986) is based on a novel by Elmore Leonard whose work has been adapted into the big screen or television. In the 1980s most of the Elmore Leonard based features were noirish, serious, and violent films..I.E., 52 Pick Up(1986), Stick(1985), Glitz(1987), and Cat Chaser(1989). During the 1990s films based on Elmore Leonard's work tended to be more lighter and less sleezy and serious like for example, Get Shorty(1995), Jackie Brown(1997), Touch(1996), Out of Sight(1998), and the made for TV movie Pronto(1998). 52 Pick Up(1952) is one of my favorite films based on the crime novels of Elmore Leonard.

The snuff murder sequence involving the murder of Cini played by Kelly Preston is chilling presented. Similiar to the scenes of snuff that the main character sees in 8MM(1998). A disturbing moment as disturbing as the Family massacre and torture home video of Henry:Portrait of a Serial Killer(1986) from that same year. Realisticly directed with emotional impact by director, John Frankenheimer.

Filled with a good or excellent plot twist at every turn of the story. The Plot twists in 52 Pick Up(1986) unlike in Reindeer Games(2000) are more believable and well toned. Its the kind of plot twists shown in 52 Pick Up(1986) that shows Elmore Leonard's strengths as a writer and a master of surprising plot twists. My favorite plot twist ocurrs at the end of the motion picture.

Many of the actors of this motion picture give tight convincing performances that supplements the brilliantly crafted direction of John Frankenheimer. Roy Scheider gives his character of Harry Mitchell a combination of human vererability and mental toughness. Ann Margret pulls some surprises as the dissappointed but understanding wife, Barbara Mitchell. John Glover puts on a charismatic performance as the ruthless but suave Alain Raimy.

Carried by mood and attitude for the whole duration of the motion picture. Strong mood is what makes or breaks a Film Noir or crime thriller. 52 Pick Up(1986) has enough mood to last two films. The mood in here is so tense to the point of glass breaking and walls shaking.

There are no heroes in the world of 52 Pick Up, only Criminals and survivals. Harry Mitchell is the ultimate anti hero that is part of Film Noir lore. He is akin to many anti heroes played by Robert Mitchuim, Kirk Douglus, and other tough guys of the Film Noir period. The toughest of tough guys portrayed by Roy Scheider in his long career.

Clarence Williams 3 plays a character which he would do a varation of in the horrible Reindeer Games(2000). He was much better in 52 Pick Up(1986) than he is in Reindeer Games(2000). The blackmail aspect of 52 Pick Up(1986) appears in Reindeer Games with pathetic results. Directed with gritt and intensity by the talented but inconsistent John Frankenheimer.

Kelly Preston brings to her role a sense of naivity and tragedy all in one package. The final moments are nail biting in the tradition of nail biting crime thrillers. Overlooked film that is the type of film rarely made today in Hollywood in our PC world. 52 Pick Up(1986) shows that a crime thriller is more than action set pieces and flashy actors.

Rough love.

[lost-in-limbo · 7/10 · 17 January 2009]

Lean, mean and explosively dangerous sordid thriller (with a noir vibe) by director John Frankenheimer and penned by gritty crime writer Elmore Leonard who's details plaster in an authentic charge. Roy Scheider's head-strong performance is creditability good and Ann-Margret favourably so. Where they play a married couple Harry and Barbara Mitchell, as their work commitments seems to come first in their decaying 22 years old marriage. What comes to blows is that Harry is having an affair and soon finds himself being blackmailed for it. Instead of giving in to the blackmailer's demands, he sorts out to play their games which lead him and his wife in to uncertain turmoil.

But in the end what makes the film are three prominent bad guys; John Glover (charismatically manipulative scumbag), Clarence Williams III (coldly intense) and Robert Trebor (seamlessly twitchy). Each adding their own distinguishable traits and clashing personalities that would go on to become their eventual downfalls, which Scheider's character perfectly sets out to achieve. As they soon turn on each other and watch as the tables are constantly turn in who's actually in control of the situation. Leonard's dedicated material is highly engrossing in its impulsive layout (no one is truly spared from its cruel and sleazy tone), and Frankenheimer's tough-as-nails direction is brisk, leering and intensely full-blooded in its conviction to the premise. Some set-pieces truly stand-out mixing morbidly uncomfortable humour with blaring violence.

Rounding off the cast you have a young Kelly Preston who's believably naïve and Vanity is palatable as one of the strippers working in the seedy LA backdrop. Also popping in are porn stars Ron Jeremy and Amber Lynn. Jost Vacano's burnish cinematography is on the spot, the editing is tidely spliced and Gary Chang's electrifying score packs a consuming rhythm.

Simply put this has got to be one of the best harrowing thrillers of the 80s (probably Cannon's most commendable production in its typical staples), that even harks back to the searing roughness of the benchmark 70s hard-boiled fodder.

Leonard's source material was used two years earlier in director J. Lee Thompson's middle east political thriller 'The Ambassador'.

Polished Leonard

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 20 November 2002]

I've only read one of Leonard's crime novels and it didn't impress me much with its style. The guy writes as if he's producing a technical manual with people instead of parts. But the plot was interesting and dense, as it is in this movie.

Roy Scheider never turns in a bad performance, and here his face is beginning to look comely and battered with time. He's also from Orange, New Jersey, which is a good place to start from. Scheider is Harry, a morally flawed businessman with a mechanical bent. Ann-Margaret is breathtakingly good looking, and her performance is exceptional. The same could be said of Vanity, but her part is rather small. The villains are all superb. John Glover is a delight to watch on screen -- and to listen to -- with that slimy smile and midlands Maryland accent that descends into working-class vulgar when the situation calls for it. He's the kind of villain who would enjoy pulling hooks out of fish. He and Scheider played well off one another in "The Last Embrace." Clarence Williams is a sort of doggedly cunning and brutal muscleman, done quietly but effectively.

There's something oddly amusing about Williams' villainy. After Scheider and Ann-Margaret have clobbered him following a botched murder attempt (a little hard to believe), he sits in a chair having his picture taken while Scheider implants in his mind a few seeds of doubt about the probity of his partners in crime. An expression of dumb comprehension creeps slowly over his face and his eyes squint over his bleeding nose.

Robert Trebor (terrific name, by the way, a palindrome) gives a nearly perfect imitation of a guy who is a sweating, shaking, desperately twitching nervous wreck, but still with his eye pinned on profit and, mostly, survival. What a trio of villains.

The plot is, as I say, dense, but not difficult to follow. The story is in a style that Northrop Frye called low mimetic: Scheider is no hero, and in fact no better than the rest of us. That's what makes his outwitting of the trio so interesting. Frankenheimer's direction is fine, no flashy shots or dazzling fireworks. The story pulls a viewer along on its own terms. Not a masterpiece, but a cleverly done genre piece, it's worth seeing. Can't imagine why people flock to schlock while a movie like this goes by mostly unnoticed.

dark ugly villains

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 5 April 2015]

Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) is a wealthy specialty manufacturer in L.A. with beautiful wife Barbara (Ann-Margret) running for city council. Hooded blackmailers with a video tape of Harry and his mistress Cini (Kelly Preston) want $105k. Harry has a cold relationship with his wife. Cini and her friend Doreen (Vanity) are porn strippers under the thumb of Alan Raimy (John Glover) and his underlings Bobby Shy (Clarence Williams III) and Leo Franks (Robert Trebor). Harry doesn't go to the cops but also refuses to pay. The situation escalates as Alan elevates the blackmail and demands. However Harry counters with negotiations and schemes which pitch the blackmailers against each other.

The three bad guys are terrific. There are some dark things going on in this movie. There is a snuff film of Cini. Vanity has a memorable stripper scene. She has a great line after Harry says her picture is a little dark. "That's me, honey." Roy Scheider is a little bit too cold and distant. He needs some more emotions. In a way, he is overpowered by the dark crazy villains because they are such compelling characters.

Low-end studio, high-end talent

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 5 November 2021]

By all accounts, 52 Pick-up is a nasty piece of cinema; a thriller that wholly benefits from Frankenheimer's direction, Elmore Leonard's characters and a hateful edge.

This is a movie that grabbed me fairly quickly and pulled me right in as Roy Scheider's industrialist had to outsmart his blackmailers. The players both behind and in front of the camera are expert, the plot turns are wicked and while the ending is ... unique ... this tawdry little crime movie delivers.

Our marriage has lasted 23 years. That's longer than she's been alive!

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 13 July 2014]

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 Glover, Vanity, Clarence Williams III, Robert Trebor and Kelly Preston. Music is by Gary Chang and cinematography by Jost Vacano and Stephen Ramsey.

Successful business entrepreneur Harry Mitchell (Scheider) finds himself the victim of blackmail by three pornographers who have video evidence of his extramarital affair. With his wife about to embark on a new stage of her political career, the last thing Harry needs is a scandal, but when things take a turn for the worse Harry decides to use unorthodox methods to deal with the blackmailers.

A nifty neo-noir this, certainly deserving of being better known in neo- noir circles. The presence of Leonard at the writing table ensures that the story doesn't drift too far away from his own source material, though location is moved to L.A. as opposed to the Detroit of the novel. Thematic thrust centres around Mitchell being caught for his indiscretions and what the consequences of his actions means for all around him, quite often with devastating results.

Mitchell has to move about a seedy world of pornography, of cheap peekaboo bars, strip joints and snuff movies, he has to get to the level of his blackmailers so as to enact his plans with conviction. The three weasels played by Glover, Williams and Trebor are in turn slimy, menacing and a twitchy neurotic, an off-beat trio suitably framed by Frankenheimer's sleazy and cold world.

It may not be prime Frankenheimer but the director knows his noir onions, both in performances garnered from his strong cast and via his visual ticks. Characters are more often than not smoking or drinking liquor, sweating or looking pained as the camera gets up close and personal, the director even finds place for a bit of slatted shadow play in one sequence and menacing angled shards for another.

Some contrivances are more annoying than hindrances, it's a bit bloodless for a picture not lacking in action scenes, and although the finale is signposted without due care and attention, it is still sufficiently rewarding. Decadence, sleaze, greed, paranoia and moral decay come crashing together to create a sadly neglected piece of 1980s neo-noir. A yuppie revenger where there are no heroes, just sinners and victims. 7.5/10

Elmore Leonard, RIP

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 29 August 2013]

Elmore Leonard died recently, and so I decided to watch this movie based on one of his novels. John Frankenheimer directed Roy Scheider and Ann-Margret in "52 Pick-Up", about an industrialist whose affair leads to severe consequences. It seems that the movie is simultaneously testing your willingness to watch a lot of nasty stuff and making you feel as if you want to watch ever more of it. Gross as a lot of it is, Frankenheimer's slick direction keeps even the most unpleasant scene relevant to the story. Mired as the characters are in a world of sleaze, there's sort of no nice way for the story to progress.

"52 Pick-Up" continues the string of serious movies in which Ann-Margret started appearing in the '70s ("Carnal Knowledge", "Tommy", "Magic"). No doubt she realized that it was time to move away from her sex kitten image. A really different role for her was the 2006 suspense thriller "Memory". Above all, "52 Pick-Up" is a movie that I recommend. It's definitely not going to be for everyone, but I liked it.

Sleazebags vs. cold selfish people in implausible, pretentious pseudo-noir

[mbrachman · 3/10 · 18 July 2015]

First of all, how plausible is this? In 1986 L.A., the most jaded town in the world, we are asked to believe that a businessman who is not even running for office would be a credible candidate for blackmail because his proto-Hillary-esque wife IS running for office. The sleazeball blackmailers honey-trap him using a love-interest cohort and assume, rightly (this is unbelievable in my opinion), that he will want it covered up to protect his WIFE's political ambitions. Would the average voter in L.A. in 1986 have given a damn about a political candidate's spouse being caught in an extramarital affair? OK, so this piece of nonsense is the MacGuffin to set the plot of this full-of-itself, not-as-clever-as-it-thinks-it-is, self-consciously 'neo-noir' flick in motion.

Next, we get a full-bore tour of the world of L.A. porn (complete with cameos by many porn stars from the era), nudie peepshows, and dive bars, the world the sleazeballs (a smirking white pedophile sociopath, a scowling crackhead black sociopath, and a sweaty, cowardly, fat, gay alcoholic non-sociopath who realizes too late that the two other scumbags are heartless creeps who play for keeps and that he is in too deep) inhabit. Long sections of the movie revel in every gamy, seamy nuance of this tawdry subculture- cheap voyeurism dressed up as "realism."

Finally, we have our protagonists: Harry ("Mitch") Mitchell (a Korean War vet, tough as nails, etc.- so tough he has not one but two nicknames; you can imagine all the other clichés that attach to this character) who we are asked to believe is really a good-hearted, honest businessman who made one mistake, played with by-the-numbers machismo by Roy Scheider, previously so good in "The French Connection," "Jaws," and "All That Jazz." And his wife, who, when Harry finally tells her about the affair (he has to- the blackmailers have upped the ante in a horrible way that implicates him in things far worse than adultery- to say more would be a spoiler), doesn't care about the human cost or potential victims but only about how it may affect her political ambitions. This character is played by Ann-Margret. She too is supposed to be tough as nails, but her early scenes are simply by-the-numbers wronged-wife haranguing and in her later scenes she is a drugged, submissive, moaning victim- a cliché of female subordination rescued by the macho man in her life. Neither character expresses a whit of compassion, empathy, or love toward each other or toward the third-party victims of their actions or those of the blackmailers.

In other words, there are no sympathetic characters in this film, apparently something all the positive reviewers on this thread find commensurate with noir. Maybe they should take another look at classic noir, whether 1946's "The Big Sleep" or 1974's "Chinatown" or 1941's "The Maltese Falcon." All have sleaze and human ignobility galore, but all also have sympathetic protagonists whom we root for in spite of their flaws.

The redeeming features of this film are the performances of John Glover, Clarence Williams III, and Robert Trebor as the three blackmailers. All eventually get their comeuppance. There is also one terrific scene of a car and its occupant being blown to smithereens in a satisfying act of vengeance. But otherwise this movie is an over- long, over-blown, full-of-itself, unpleasant waste of time. If this is indicative of Leonard and his literary and cinematic view of noir, then the genre is degraded and devoid of wit since the days of Chandler and Hammett. But then there are people who think that Stephen King's hyperventilated "horror" is fine art and entertainment, and that Joyce Carol Oates is a novelist and essayist who can actually write. There is no accounting for taste and critical judgment.

Something about your face makes me want to slap the sh*t out of it!

[TOMASBBloodhound · 9/10 · 30 November 2003]

Spoilers!

From the very moment I saw a local film critic trash this movie in a review on the 10:00 news, I wanted to see it. I don't remember who it was, or which local Omaha newscast carried the review, but the critic was very insistent that this film was way too sleazy for the average church-going Nebraskan. They showed a snippet from the scene where John Glover is about to kidnap Ann-Margret when she's swimming in the pool. Glover's character is commending her on how nice her body is and so forth, using many words that the local station felt necessary to edit out. I was hooked. There was one problem, though. I was only 13 years old at the time, and I had to wait a year until it came out on cable. Let's just say, it was worth the wait!

If ever there was a guilty pleasure of mine, this movie is it. To call this film sleazy would be a huge understatement. The film centers around a successful businessman who is blackmailed by three small time scumbags after an affair with a young woman. Roy Scheider, who is as effective as ever, plays the poor guy who just wanted a little fling and now finds himself at the mercy of three terrific villains. John Glover's character is one of the most memorable scumbags of all time. He's sleazy, funny at times, and always on the brink of doing something crazy. Then there's Robert Trebor's (nice name, by the way!) character Leo who is clearly in over his head with this blackmail scheme. He is a whimpering, sweating, coward who runs a peep show place with live nude models. Then, you have Clarence Williams III as Bobby Shy, a brooding sociopath who everyone is afraid of with good reason. Who could forget the wake-up call he gives Vanity with the giant teddy bear?

After dealing with the initial shock of realizing what he's up against, Scheider turns the tables on these creeps and takes control of the situation, that is until Glover goes after his wife! The conflict is played out brutally, with virtually the entire cast getting shot, raped, or blown up.

I don't know why I love this movie so much. It really should creep me out, but it doesn't. Maybe it's because these characters are all interesting, and the story takes plenty of chances that most films today would never try. It's scary to think that the adult film industry probably has more than a few characters like Glover's running around out in L.A. looking for trouble. Just thinking about his voice is enough to make me chuckle. "Hey sport, have a nice day!"

This film has plenty of shootouts, cool cars, great dialog (like the line in my opening statement), and decent acting. Plenty of cameos by real life porno stars. Look for Ron Jeremy frolicking around in a hot tub with two chicks in a party scene at Glover's place.

Another thing I must add: How hot are the women in this film??? Wow! Travolta did right by marrying Kelly Preston. Yum! We also see Vanity get nude in a time before she became a born again Christian. And Ann-Margret. What else could you say about her except that she is the quintessential American Beauty.

9 of 10 stars.

So sayeth the Hound.

Added Feb 14, 2008: RIP Roy Scheider!

"Hey Sport!"

[PredragReviews · 7/10 · 12 October 2016]

This movie is about making the wrong decision(s) after making the wrong moves with the wrong people, almost a classical Hollywood theme. But it does just that in an artistic and stylish way with excellent actors and I have to add that it's a very good and entertaining movie that kept me glued to the screen then. At the time this movie came out, Roy Scheider already looked an old man - especially seeing him now, starts me wondering what's his age now, anyway. Still, his acting performance is almost a classic one and Ann Margret is cast excellently as his wife that he betrayed. Frankenheimer directs how the best do: so seamless and subtle and unobtrusive, you never notice him tightening the screws right up until a white-knuckle climax.

The film reminds me of "The Desperate Hours" (Wyler) in that higher reasoning and sound judgment triumph over the corruption and stupidity of criminal behavior, so it delivers the powerful message concerning societal morality that "crime does not pay", and proceeds to demonstrate that contention with riveting precision. There is a provocative synergy at work here because the mind-numbing stupidity and criminal thought process of the extortionist contrasts so well against the Scheider character's higher intellect, resourcefulness and self-confidence. These proceedings remind us of how difficult it is to stay on the top in our competitive society. Certainly hard work and innovation can get you to the top, but then you become a moving target for greedy miscreants looking for a quick buck. The film has brief interludes of normality, punctuated by explosive violence and debauchery, somewhat like "Frenzy" (Hitchcock). Frankenhiemer was a disciple of Hitchcock and this harrowing film really shows it.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

The 52nd Review

[Bighead55555 · 1/10 · 20 August 2017]

This is the kind of movie where you want to take a shower afterwards. So much degradation, slimy characters, and dirty-looking locations. Scheider does what Scheider always does, Glover does what Glover always does, Williams does what Williams always does. You see a pattern? The musical score must have been performed on a Commodore 64, and cost $1.98 to produce. While the production is competently lensed, whatever production "value" is overwhelmed by the sordid plot and predictable execution. Tiresome, pedantic, and shopworn, this thing is a pass.

Sleazy, dirty, and all around solid thriller

[jellyneckr · 14 August 2007]

Despite being an Elmore Leonard fan, I hadn't heard of this film version of 52 Pick-Up until earlier this year when it came to DVD, which is quite since now that I have viewed the movie, I can safely say that it is the best Leonard adaptation ever made. Part of the reason for that may be due to the fact that Leonard had a hand in writing the screenplay. However, I think most of the credit must go to director John Frankenheimer (may he rest in peace), a man who knew how to deliver action and suspense like few directors ever could. Frankenheimer brought together an amazing cast with great performances by Roy Scheider as the hero of the story, Ann-Margret as his wife, John Glover as one of the villains, and Kelly Preston as Scheider's mistress. Preston's performance is most surprising given that she hasn't been given a real character to work in well over a decade. Her scenes are also amongst the most disturbing. The only flaw in the picture is that sometimes the disturbing images are given too much time on screen instead of the hero's reactions to what is going on around him. Even for a 21-year-old film, there are plenty of shocking moments that work better than those compared to the trashy horror flicks and thrillers released today. Viewing 52 Pick Up will require a shower afterwards for most people. It's sleazy and dirty, though it's also all around solid throughout. Highly recommended. 9/10

Good casting of Leonard's characters.

[mattenglish · 7/10 · 25 May 2018]

Perhaps worth the watch but as usual does the novel no justice. However, the casting of the 6 primary characters was excellent relative to Leonard's depiction of them.

Fifty Two and Out

[sol-kay · 6/10 · 16 April 2004]

****SPOILERS**** Ridicules film about blackmail murder and kidnapping that's so unconvincing due to the uneven plot and unbelievably bad acting of the three jerks involved in, or trying to pull off, the "Perfect Crime" that's about as "Perfect" as a baseball player going 0 for 100 at the plate and batting .000.

Successful businessman Harry Mitchell, Roy Scheider, is being blackmailed by the three hoods, Alan Leo & Bobby, John Glover Robert Trebor & Clarence Williams III, for cheating on his wife Barbara, Ann-Margaret,who's running for city councilwomen in LA on the Mark Arveson, Doug McClure ticket for DA. Harry is shown by the trio a video tape of him and his girlfriend Cini, Kelly Preston,in and out of the beach and swimming pool as well as their clothes. The hoods tell Harry that if he doesn't pay up they'll make his affair public and destroy his marriage as well as his wife, Barbara, political career.

Right away there's something wrong by seeing the girl that Harry's fooling around with his girlfriend, Cini Eaah So So, to the woman that he's cheating on his wife, Barbara WoW!,it should in all likelihood have been the other way around.

Later Harry comes clean and tells Barbara what he was up to and she, after thinking it over, forgives him and Harry later tells the blackmailers to go blow. Instead they kidnap Harry and show him a video tape of them killing Cini with Harry's gun with his fingerprints on it which Alan stole from his house by breaking in and posing as a person who works for some accounting service, and threatening to give it to the police if Harry doesn't pay up. The only problem with that is that we later find out that these three bozo's threw the video tape and in all probability the gun away into the polluted city river.

Harry smartly plays the hoods off against each other by making them think that their cheating each other out of the $52,000.00 in blackmail money and has them cancel themselves out, except the top hood Alan who was saved for the movie's flaming ending, in the process.

The 52 grand is all that Harry could afford after the three blackmailers wanted $105,000.00 a year for life, what if they ever moved during their lifetime would they give Harry a forwarding address?

The hoods in the movie are so ridicules that it was hard to take them seriously for one moment. Alan is so cool that he seemed to not know what was going on most of the time he was on the screen and acted so uninformed to just what the movie was about it seemed as if he just stumbled on the set to get a fee cup of coffee from the casts refreshment stand.

Leo overacted so much as a wimp and crybaby that he almost drowned Harry and the movie audience with a flood of tears in his last and most overbearing scene before he was blasted away by the drugged out and almost unconscious Bobby who would have been lucky if, in the condition that he was in, didn't end up shooting himself. With Bobby who was so stoned during the entire film that, like Alan, seemed totally unaware to what was happening and what he was supposed to be doing in the movie.

The ending ripped off the Charles Bronson movie "The Mechanic" with Alan being blown apart when he turned on Harry's car engine and was told via the car radio that he had just ten seconds to live! The movie "52 pick-up" failed even in that, with Alan having 45 seconds left to live instead.

JUST OKAY - (6 stars out of 10)

[BJG-Reviews · 6/10 · 13 November 2019]

The stage curtains open ...

When I saw that this movie was based on an Elmore Leonard novel and that he had a part in the writing of the screenplay, I knew this was one I had to watch. Despite the appeal, the snazzy title, and the strong cast, "52 Pick-Up" doesn't quite measure up to expectations and leaves a little to be desired. The other problem with this film is that it really hasn't aged all that well.

Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) has a successful and innovative industry and his wife is well known in the community and is running for city council. Things are going well in his life ... until. One night, he comes home to find 3 masked men waiting for him and against his will he is forced to watch videos they've collected over time that is undeniable proof that he is having an affair. To keep things quiet and from ruining his wife's chances at office, he agrees to pay their fee of $105,000. But when he changes his mind and goes on the offensive, events are set into motion that will take them all past the point of no return.

I watched this one once years ago when it first came out and found it to be rather drawn out and boring. Now, over 30 years later, I decided to give it another chance. I'd forgotten most of what happened and thought that perhaps having the perspective of an older person, I might appreciate it more. After watching it again, I still found it to be rather drawn out and boring. Yet, I found I did appreciate it more. Had this film been made today using Elmore Leonard's script and forward acting, I think it would have been a much better film. Hence, why I feel it did not age well and seemed rather dated.

This wasn't a bad movie. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but I also wouldn't warn anyone against it. It is a decent crime film with good performances. It was fun to see Kelly Preston in an early role, and Vanity when she was at the peak of her popularity. I may or may not watch this one again. Perhaps if the mood strikes me.

"You've got good taste in broads."

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 24 November 2020]

Sleazy neo-noir with an excellent cast and arguably the last great directorial effort from John Frankenheimer. Great turns from John Glover and Clarence Williams III as the villains. Roy Scheider makes a character not that likable into someone you can root for. This is a story about unpleasant people who do unpleasant things. That the female characters get the worst of it is almost certainly the headline in most modern reviews. It's the kind of movie they would not make today in a number of ways. But if you have the stomach for it, it's an effective thriller.

Another Winner By The Great John Frankenheimer

[ed56 · 10/10 · 2 January 2005]

Based on Elmore Leonard, this is a violent and intelligent action film. The story: a business man is blackmailed by some 3 criminals. Roy Schieder does great job as the leading character and special credit's got to go to John Glover who plays sort of a naughty psychopath. I must mention that the villains characters are very complex and interesting - something that is very rare for an action film. also features some beautiful and sexy women - most notable are Kelly Preston as the young bate for Schieder's character. Vanity gives a very good performance and appearance as the hooker who is connected with the three blackmailers. I'm glad to say that Ann-Margaret still hasn't lost it - this lady is a true babe. Don't look at the rate of this film. I really don't know what the public and some critics have against this film but my suggestion is to ignore them and watch this truly gripping and under-rated film. You will enjoy it, that's a promise. Recommended A+.

A drama suspense film with blackmail, corruption, sex, greed, and an eye candy treat with Vanity!

[blanbrn · 6/10 · 9 April 2016]

Just watched 1986's little known drama film "52 Pick-Up" which is based on well known author Elmore Leonard's novel the film entertains well with suspense and action a good tale of corruption and greed which sets off a chain of events in a dirty game of blackmail and sex. Set in Los Angeles a well to do business man Harry Mitchell(Roy Scheider of "Jaws" fame)has it all money, big house an elegant socialite trophy wife(played by the classic Ann Margret). And plus Harry thinks about the city council then life takes a twist as ruthless bad guys show up with a video of Harry in bed with a mistress(Kelly Preston). So then it's a game of blackmail as the tension and drama mounts as a blood bath of murder and revenge is on the way. In a good supporting turn the now late Vanity strikes it up as a nude dance model who helps Harry along in his fight against the underworld subculture. And plenty of eye candy is present with the nude scenes of the hot sexy Vanity! Overall good B type action drama thriller to enjoy!

Yuck!

[AnnieLola · 2/10 · 9 May 2012]

This is definitely a Guy Flick, though the kind of guy who really enjoys this probably isn't somebody you'd feel good about trusting with your sister or daughter. Not being a guy myself, the appeal is elusive. Not that it isn't a well-crafted thriller; what points I gave it are an acknowledgment of that, but since it's my personal review I'm giving my subjective opinion. That can be pretty well summed up with a few adjectives: VIOLENT, SLEAZY, REPULSIVE. It probably made money, though, and in the film industry that counts for a lot. Age restrictions were created especially to spare impressionable young minds the kind of imagery presented here. Makes you yearn for good clean sex and violence... Definitely on my list of films to never see again.

Overlooked Gem!

[shuz · 8/10 · 24 January 2000]

52-Pick Up never got the respect it should have. It works on many levels, and has a complicated but followable plot. The actors involved give some of their finest performances. Ann-Margret, Roy Scheider, and John Glover are perfectly cast and provide deep character portrayals. Notable too are Vanity, who should have parlayed this into a serious acting career given the unexpected ability she shows, and Kelly Preston, who's character will haunt you for a few days. Anyone who likes action combined with a gritty complicated story will enjoy this.

Watch this movie before that extra-marital affair!

[bellhollow · 7/10 · 28 June 2004]

The villian in this movie is one mean sob and he seems to enjoy what he is doing, that is what I guess makes him so mean. I don't think most men will like this movie, especially if they ever cheated on their wife. This is one of those movies that pretty much stays pretty mean to the very end. But then, there you have it, a candy-bar ending that makes me look back and say, "HOKIE AS HELL." A pretty good movie until the end. Ending is the ending we would like to see but not the ending to such a mean beginning. And then there is the aftermath of what happened. Guess you can make up your own mind about the true ending. I'm left feeling that only one character should have survived at the end.

Toxic Masculinity 101

[PretentiousFilmCritic · 4/10 · 9 July 2018]

Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider) attracts three scumbags (John Glover, Robert Trebor, and Clarence Williams III) to blackmail him. Harry ignores their demands. The trio responds with extremely aberrant and abhorrent behavior and malice. What will Harry do when they start to threaten his wife?

The villainy between the three antagonists is believable and a visceral thrill. Roy Scheider makes the most out of a bland and passive main character. Cinematography feels naturalistic. Fans of Elmore Leonard novels may be impressed with "52 Pick-Up." Sadly, I am not impressed.

Typical of Cannon Films, the story wallows in sleaze and unintelligible character motivations. "52 Pick-Up" is sleazy because every actress is fetishized, beaten (Spoiler: Doreen portrayed by Vanity is suffocated for several nauseating minutes), or raped (Spoiler: The main villain injects heroin into Harry's wife and rapes her offscreen). The problem is that these scenes forget to provide meaning, context, and nuance. I hate the character motivations because the bad guys continuously show Harry that they mean business (they murder Harry's mistress and invade his house nonstop). What does Harry do? He holds a filibuster and berates these sociopathic criminals. Additionally, the film becomes overlong and the direction from John Frankenheimer lacks understanding. "52 Pick-Up" is enjoyable albeit completely disparaging.