Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Pigeon Toe-Tagged



The stoolie gets paid for her gab
To cops about crooks she will blab
But dropping a dime
on communist slime
this pigeon winds up on a slab



Stool pigeon Thelma Ritter is saving up for her tombstone in Pickup on South Street (1953). A tale of love and honor among thieves that would have been sentimental glop in the hands of a Damon Runyon, or flag-waving anti-commie propaganda by almost anyone else, Pickup is made tough and truly moving by writer and director Sam Fuller. Pics: top: Nighthawk News; above: My Life in Movies.

3 comments:

D Cairns said...

She wasn't on anyone's side,
But her last words before Thelma died,
Displayed that Ritter
Was never a quitter,
As she said, "Anyhow, I tried."

surly hack said...

Nice. Ritter is terrific, isn't she? That scene is sooo good.

D Cairns said...

I'll always watch Ritter in anything, and enjoy it.