''Interpol'' (USA title: ''Pickup Alley''; also known as ''International Police'') is a 1957 British-American

CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic format, anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its cr ...

crime

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

directed by

John Gilling John Gilling (29 May 1912 – 22 November 1984) was an English film director and screenwriter, born in London. He was known for his horror film, horror movies, especially those he made for Hammer Films, for whom he directed ''The Shadow of the ...

and starring Victor Mature, Anita Ekberg, Trevor Howard, Bonar Colleano and Sidney James. The screenplay was by John Paxton, based on the 1955 non-fiction book ''Interpol'', about the agency, by A.J. Forrest. The film was produced by Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli for Warwick Films. It concerns an

Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL (abbreviated as ICPO–INTERPOL), commonly known as Interpol ( , ; stylized in allcaps), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime cont ...

effort to stamp out a major drug-smuggling cartel in numerous countries. In the United States, the film was released as a

double feature The double feature is a Film, motion picture industry phenomenon in which theaters would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which the presentation of one feature film would be followed by various short subjec ...

with '' The Brothers Rico'' (1957).

Plot

Charles Sturgis is an

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

agent on the trail of a drug-smuggling operation run by crazed criminal mastermind Frank McNally, who has murdered Sturgis's sister. He travels to Europe to find McNally and destroy the organisation. In Rome he gets a tip that he can find McNally by following his mistress, Gina Broger. Sturgis is captured and beaten up, then rescued by an Interpol officer. Sturgess tails McNally to New York, where McNally falls to his death from a dockyard crane.

Cast

* Victor Mature as Charles Sturgis * Anita Ekberg as Gina Broger * Trevor Howard as Frank McNally * Bonar Colleano as Amalio * Dorothy Alison as Helen *

André Morell Cecil André Mesritz (20 August 1909 – 28 November 1978), known professionally as André Morell, was an English actor. He appeared frequently in theatre, film and on television from the 1930s to the 1970s. His best known screen roles were as ...

as Commissioner Breckner * Martin Benson as Captain Varolli *

Eric Pohlmann Eric Pohlmann (; born Erich Pollak; 18 July 1913 – 25 July 1979) was an Austrian theatre, film and television character actor who worked mostly in the United Kingdom. He is known for voicing Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the primary antagonist of t ...

as Etienne Fayala *

Peter Illing Peter Illing (4 March 1899 – 29 October 1966) was an Austrian-born British film and television actor. Selected TV series * '' The Four Just Men'' (1959) as Dr Mozek * '' Deadline Midnight'' (1961) as Captain Dnieprovsky * '' The Saint'' (1962 ...

as Captain Baris *

Sydney Tafler Sydney Tafler (31 July 1916 – 8 November 1979) was an English actor who after having started his career on stage, was best remembered for numerous appearances in films and television from the 1940s to the 1970s. Personal life Tafler was bor ...

as Curtis *

Lionel Murton William Lionel Murton (2 June 1915 – 26 September 2006) was an English character actor. Born in Wandsworth, London, he was resident at Little Orchard, Weston Road, Upton Grey, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, before his death at age 91. He was ...

as Murphy * Danny Green as second bartender *

Alec Mango Alec Mango (16 March 1911 – 7 November 1989) was an English actor. Best known for portraying El Supremo in the 1951 '' Captain Horatio Hornblower'', he also appeared in '' South of Algiers'' (1953), '' The Strange World of Planet X'' (1958), ...

as Salko * Sidney James as Joe as first bartender *

Marne Maitland James Marne Kumar Maitland (18 December 1914 – March 1992) was an Anglo-Indian actor and voice artist. He worked extensively in Britain, mainly in character roles, but also appeared in many Italian productions, after moving there in the 1 ...

as Guido Martinelli *

Harold Kasket Harold Kasket (26 July 1926 – 20 January 2002) was an English actor in theatre, films and later television from the 1940s. Kasket usually played Arabs or mainland European types in many films and TV programmes such as '' Maigret'', '' The Sai ...

as Kalish

Production

Michael Wilding was originally announced for the role later played by Trevor Howard. The story was based on the files of the International Criminal Police Commission. Filming began on 15 August 1956 and took place in New York, Paris, Rome, Genoa (Italy), Madrid, London and Athens.

Critical reception

'' The Monthly Film Bulletin'' wrote: "Despite extensive location shooting in London, Paris, Rome, Athens and New York, and an elaborate, elliptical sub- Welles plot, this film does not escape the common rut. It suffers from obvious and unresourceful type-casting, and badly fumbles its few climaxes. There is a superficial vitality about it – mainly achieved by noise; and Trevor Howard plays with jaded relish." British film critic Leslie Halliwell said: "Drearily routine thick ear electrified by one performance but not helped by wide screen." In ''British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959'' David Quinlan rated the film as "average", writing: "Howard dominates rather sloppy thriller." ''The

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

Guide to Films'' gave the film 1/5 stars, writing: "this feeble thriller about tracking down a dope-peddling syndicate by the international police force boasted that it was filmed in London, Paris, Athens, Naples, Rome, Lisbon and New York. It looks as though they sometimes forgot to take the script with them. Trevor Howard obviously relishes acting the master villain for a change, though co-stars Victor Mature and Anita Ekberg don't try to act at all."

Novelization

In advance of the film’s release, Avon Books in the US released a novelization of the screenplay under the film’s US title, ''Pickup Alley.'' It was the first such adaptation by veteran thriller and mystery author Edward S. Aarons as “Edward Ronns,” a frequent pseudonym he would also employ for most of his tie-in work to follow.

References

External links

* * * * {{Irving Allen 1957 films 1957 crime drama films Films shot at Associated British Studios Films directed by John Gilling Columbia Pictures films CinemaScope films British black-and-white films British crime drama films Films about the illegal drug trade Films scored by Richard Rodney Bennett Films set in Athens Films set in Lisbon Films set in Naples Films set in Rome British drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films English-language crime drama films