Interpol [Pickup Alley] ** (1957, Victor Mature, Anita Ekberg, Trevor Howard, Bonar Colleano, Marne Maitland, Eric Pohlmann, Sydney Tafler, Sidney James, Lionel Murton, Danny Green, Yana) – Classic Movie Review 8013

Director John Gilling’s rather pedestrian and plodding 1957 British black and white action thriller Interpol [Pickup Alley] has few surprises and little atmosphere, but it is distinguished by the dominating presence of Trevor Howard, who impresses despite playing second fiddle to Victor Mature and Anita Ekberg.

[Spoiler alert] Victor Mature stars as Charles Sturgis, a US Interpol narcotics agent in Europe hunting a drug baron called Frank McNally (Trevor Howard), who, by chance, is the very villain who killed his sister. Ekberg plays McNally’s reluctant accomplice Gina Broger, who is arrested by Interpol and helps Sturgis trace McNally and his drugs.

It is not really the high quality work that Howard was accustomed to, though it is enlivened by a whole bunch of British reliables in support (Marne Maitland, Eric Pohlmann, Sydney Tafler, Sidney James, Lionel Murton, Danny Green) plus the sultry singer Yana, who performs ‘Anyone for Love’. It is one of several action thrillers made by Mature for British company Warwick Film Productions. John Paxton’s screenplay is based on A J Forrest’s book.

Also in the cast are Bonar Colleano, Dorothy Alison, André Morell, Martin Benson, Peter Illing, Marne Maitland, Alec Mango, Harold Kasker, Van Boolen, Brian Nissen, Peter Elliott, Charles Lloyd Pack, Al Mullock, Alfred Burke, Maurice Browning, Cyril Shaps, Paul Stassino, Gaylord Cavallaro, Yvonne Romain, Russell Waters, Brian Wilde, Richard Molinas and Wolfe Morris.

Interpol [Pickup Alley] is directed by John Gilling, runs 92 minutes, is made by Warwick Film Productions, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by John Paxton, based on A J Forrest’s book, is shot in black and white by Ted Moore and Stan Pavey (second unit director of photography), is produced by Irving Allen, Albert J Broccoli and Phil C Samuel (associate producer), is scored by Richard Rodney Bennett and is designed by Paul Sheriff.

It was released in the US as Pickup Alley in a double bill with The Brothers Rico (1957) starring Richard Conte in September 1957.

Mature and Ekberg also starred in the 1956 Zarak, which also features several of the same character actors too, as well as Yana.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 8013

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