The Pawnbroker
"Important, engrossing, Steiger is excellent." - Leonard Maltin
Rod Steiger gives a mesmerizing Oscar nominated performance as the embittered survivor of a Nazi death camp who can't escape the ghosts of his past or the powerful lesson that awaits him in the future. Now a Harlem pawnbroker, Sol Nazerman condemns the dregs of society who pass through his shop and ridicules his idealistic assistant, Ortiz. But when Ortiz, powerfully portrayed by Jaime Sanchez, puts his life on the line for Sol, only then does he learn the ultimate truth about hope and humanity. Under the brilliant direction of Sidney Lumet, Steiger's first starring role in the major leagues is among the finest of his career. Hugely controversial and denounced by everyone including the Catholic Legion of Decency for a taboo-breaking nude scene, this landmark film remains not just powerful entertainment, but a stunning example of how movies can alter our emotions and perceptions forever.
Member Reviews
Sad Commentary On Humanity - newdaysof
The pawnbroker is a man with a problem: he can't forget. He is a survivor of the Nazi prison camps where he witnessed and experienced many disturbing and horrific things.
He is now an elderly man living in New York City, but he constantly has flashbacks of those awful days. Everything seems to remind him of something bad that happened. Even the beautiful image of a nude women triggers negative flashbacks. To top it all off, he hates his job as a pawnbroker and the people he works for as well as his customers. His bad experiences has made him bitter and angry so he loathes his fellow man.
Even thought the film covers dark subjects, Rod Steiger's performance, the performances of the other actors and an excellent script make this compelling cinema. Shot on the gritty downtown streets of early 60's NYC, the film almost serves as a time capsule of urban culture. Add to that the excellent soundtrack by Quincy Jones. Rod Steiger shows his incredible and versatile acting talents playing a man much older than himself and with such depth and sorrow. Well worth watching despite it's dark contentGood Film, Great Performance - Gregg
We open upon an emotionally detached Sol Nazerman, an aging Jewish former professor who survived the concentration camps but lost his wife, children and seemingly his humanity.
Sol now operates a pawnshop in Harlem views the people that frequent his shop with disdain not because of race he say's but because they are scum. Despite this, people still try to connect with. The middle aged widow (Geraldine Fitzgerald) raising funds for the youth center, Jesus Ortiz his young shop assistant and an elderly man who wants to talk with someone about books and ideas. Even the local crime boss (Brock Peters) who uses the pawnshop to launder money wants to connect with Sol.
Rod Steiger despite his appearance in the movie was incredibly only 39 at the time the film was made. For his role Steiger would be nominated for his second Academy Award, his first had been for Supporting Actor in "On the Waterfront". Three years later he would win the Oscar for the film "In the Heat of the Night" a role which was again very different from either of his two previous nominations.
While this is amongst Steiger's best work I do not believe this was amongst Director Sidney Lumet's (12Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon) best. There are certainly some very powerful scenes particularly inside the pawnshop, and of course there is Steiger's wonderful performance, but some other aspects fall short. In particular there are some scenes that don't seem necessary to the central plot and while initially the flashbacks are powerful there effect decreases through overuse.
Some of the limitations in the film might also be the result of the script, while the central story and central character are fascinating some of the other aspects and characters seem to be more hastily sketched and even clichéd.
The film also features a wonderful dynamic score by music legend Quincy Jones. This score would be something of a breakthrough and Jones first of 33 major Hollywood scores.Stunning,, Overpowering - rd--
40 years after its appearance, The Pawnbroker remains a monument to the psychology of survival, and the effects of human brutality. Rod Steiger, an actor's actor, pushes the boundaries of emotional intensity, as a Nazi concentration camp survivor. His performance sears the mind with an indelible sense of his character's suffering. It makes us understand the consequences of past horrors. Let's hopes it serves to caution against future ones.
Don't miss this classic.
Member Reviews
Read All...
Sad Commentary On Humanity - newdaysof
The pawnbroker is a man with a problem: he can't forget. He is a survivor of the Nazi prison camps where he witnessed and experienced many disturbing and horrific things.
He is now an elderly man living in New York City, but he constantly has flashbacks ...Good Film, Great Performance - Gregg
We open upon an emotionally detached Sol Nazerman, an aging Jewish former professor who survived the concentration camps but lost his wife, children and seemingly his humanity.
Sol now operates a pawnshop in Harlem views the people that frequent his ...Stunning,, Overpowering - rd--
40 years after its appearance, The Pawnbroker remains a monument to the psychology of survival, and the effects of human brutality. Rod Steiger, an actor's actor, pushes the boundaries of emotional intensity, as a Nazi concentration camp survivor. His performance ...