There are trashy exploitation films and there are trashy exploitation films well done. Difference between the two might be seen if someone watches 52 Pick-Up, 1986 thriller directed by John Frankenheimer and example of the latter.
The film is based on the eponymous novel by Elmore Leonard which two years earlier had been very loosely adapted by The Cannon Group into The Ambassador, political thriller set in Israel. The same studio was behind new, much more faithful adaptation, co-written by Leonard and John Steppling, which is set in Los Angeles. Protagonist, played by Roy Scheider, is Harry Mitchell, successful industrialist who produces spare parts for NASA and lives in luxurious mansion with his middle-aged but still glamorous wife Barbara (played by Ann-Margaret) who is going to start political career by running for city councilwoman. Things start to go wrong for Mitchell one afternoon when he goes to meet Cynthia “Cini” Frazier (played by Kelly Preston), young model and his mistress, and instead encounters three masked men who present video evidence of his torrid affair and demand huge amount of money to keep quiet. After admitting infidelity to Barbara, Harry decides not to pay, which doesn’t sit well with blackmailers who escalate their scheme with murder and planting evidence that point to Harry as perpetrator. Harry is now forced to explain to them that his company is burdened with taxes and other financial woes and that he simply can’t afford to meet their demands. Three greedy criminals now must expect significantly smaller sum than they hoped for and Harry now sees this as way to turn them against each other.
When 52 Pick-Up appeared in cinemas, it was savaged by critics and this was mostly due to a mere fact of being produced by The Cannon Group, studio with reputation built on cheap exploitation films considered worthless by critics’ establishment . It isn’t hard to conclude why 52 Pick-Up was considered as such, namely due to large number of scenes featuring nudity. Kelly Preston again dutifully bares her impressive breasts, same as pop singer Vanity in the role of her stripper friend. By being partially set in sleazy underbelly of Los Angeles sex industry film uses opportunity for additional material of that nature, including scenes of wild parties that feature Ron Jeremy, Amber Lynn and many other big stars of 1980s American porn films in cameo roles. Yet, despite this amount of sleaze, 52 Pick-Up is actually works as well-made and effective thriller. This is mostly due to John Frankenheimer, director known for 1960s classic thrillers, who here shows great skill in handling plot and maintaining quick pace. Frankenheimer uses a lot of crane shots in order to make film grander than it actually is, but also makes great use of sharp contrast between light, shiny and respectable world of Mitchells and dark world of the blackmailers. Those who like to seek for the deeper content in this film might find some sort of social commentary on state of things in Reagan’s America and interpret its plot as class struggle between Haves (embodied by Mitchells and their lawyers and other powerful friends) and Have Nots (embodied by trio that tries to take away their wealth). Another interesting motive in the film is illusion – Mitchells, for all the external signs of wealth are actually not as rich as they purport to be; Cini, who presented herself as model and aspiring university student, is actually stripper and part-time prostitute; finally, the trio of seemingly menacing criminals are actually pathetic amateurs who fall prey to their own fears, greed and manipulation.
Great deal of success of this film lies in inspired cast. Roy Scheider, at that time very rarely in leading roles, plays rather unconventional protagonist who freely admits his imperfections and he is forced use his brains rather than brawn to escape from trouble. Ann-Margaret as his wife appears relatively briefly, but she is quite convincing in the scene that show effects of the affair on his marriage. But, like in all truly Hitchcockian thrillers, protagonist is ordinary and for the film to work it must have truly remarkable villain. John Glover completes this task by playing character who is intelligent, has his way with words and can charm unsuspecting victims, but also lacks any scruples and, when has opportunity to do so, can indulge in sadistic depravity. This memorable performance is accompanied by Clarence Williams III as his menacing henchman, as well as Robert Trebor (later best known for the role of Salmoneus in Xena: the Warrior Princess) in the role of gay owner of a strip parlour. Script have some minor issues in middle sectio that could have been tidied up. However, despite those shortcomings, 52 Pick-Up is a very good film way above the reputation of its studio and could be recommended even to those viewers that enjoy mainstream thrillers.
RATING: 7/10 (++)
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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/18588-52-pick-up Critic: AA
