The Pawnbroker (1964)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers:

Morton S. Fine (screenplay) &
David Friedkin (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 April 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The Most Talked About Picture!

Plot:

A Jewish pawnbroker, victim of Nazi persecution, loses all faith in his fellow man until he realizes too late the tragedy of his actions.

Plot Keywords:

Concentration Camp | Nazi | Jewish | Pawnbroker | Lawnmower

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Rod Steiger	...	Sol Nazerman
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Marilyn Birchfield
Brock Peters	...	Rodriguez
Jaime Sánchez	...	Jesus Ortiz (as Jaime Sanchez)
Thelma Oliver	...	Ortiz' Girl
Marketa Kimbrell	...	Tessie
Baruch Lumet	...	Mendel
Juano Hernandez	...	Mr. Smith
Linda Geiser	...	Ruth
Nancy R. Pollock	...	Bertha
Raymond St. Jacques	...	Tangee
John McCurry	...	Buck
Ed Morehouse	...	Robinson
Eusebia Cosme	...	Mrs. Ortiz
Warren Finnerty	...	Savarese
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Ader	...	Morton (uncredited)
Marc Alexander	...	Rubin (uncredited)
Charles Dierkop	...	Robinson (uncredited)
Morgan Freeman	...	Man on Street (uncredited)
Hilda Haynes	...	Woman (uncredited)
Marianne Kanter	...	Joan (uncredited)
E.M. Margolese	...	Papa (uncredited)
Donnie Melvin	...	Nazerman's Son (uncredited)
Reni Santoni	...	Junkie selling radio (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lumet

Writing credits
Morton S. Fine		(screenplay) (as Morton Fine) &
David Friedkin		(screenplay)
Edward Lewis Wallant		(novel)

Produced by
Philip Langner	....	producer
Roger Lewis	....	producer
Joseph Manduke	....	associate producer
Worthington Miner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Quincy Jones

Cinematography by
Boris Kaufman

Film Editing by
Ralph Rosenblum

Casting by
Jessica Levy

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone

Makeup Department
Ed Callaghan	....	hair stylist
Bill Herman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ulu Grosbard	....	unit manager
Mel Howard	....	assistant production manager
Al Markim	....	executive in charge of production (as Alfred Markim)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dan Eriksen	....	assistant director

Art Department
Albert Brenner	....	assistant art director (as Al Brenner)
Jack Flaherty	....	set dresser
Ken Thompson	....	construction chief
Thomas Wright	....	chief props (as Tom Wright)

Sound Department
Jack Fitzstephens	....	sound editor
James A. Gleason	....	sound mixer (as James Gleason)
Alan Heim	....	sound editor
Dennis Maitland	....	sound
James Perdue	....	sound (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Howard Fortune	....	chief electrician (as Buddy Fortune)
Edward Knott	....	chief grip (as Eddie Knott)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
George Newman	....	wardrobe
Marilyn Putnam	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Sheila Bakerman	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Billy Byers	....	orchestrator (as William Byers)
Quincy Jones	....	orchestrator
Jack Sheldon	....	musician: trumpet (uncredited)

Other crew
Belle Iacobellis	....	production secretary
Maggie James	....	script supervisor
Ely A. Landau	....	presenter (as Ely Landau)
Dana Steadley	....	production secretary
Herbert R. Steinmann	....	presenter
Harold Reidman	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Landau Company

Distributors

• Allied Artists Pictures (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• American International Pictures (AIP) (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Wivefilm (1966) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Artisan Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Planet (UK)

Special Effects

• Film Opticals (optical effects)

Other Companies

• Recording Studios  sound recording
• F. Hillsberg  titles

Also Known As:

Der Pfandleiher (West Germany) [de]
El prestamista (Spain) [es]
L'uomo del banco dei pegni (Italy) [it]
Le prêteur sur gages (France) [fr]
Lichwiarz (Poland) [pl]
O Agiota (Portugal) [pt]
O Homem do Prego (Brazil) [pt]
O enehyrodaneistis (Greece) [el]
Pantelåneren (Denmark) [da]
Pantlånaren (Sweden) [sv]
Panttilainaaja (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Norway:16 | UK:12 (1998) | UK:X (1965) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16 (bw) | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

116th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Landau Company

Trivia:

Morgan Freeman's first movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: Quantity and location of blood on the lip is inconsistent.

Quotes:

Sol Nazerman: I do not believe in God, or art, or science, or newspapers, or politics, or philosophy.
Jesus Ortiz: Then, Mr. Teacher, ain't there nothing you do believe in?
Sol Nazerman: Money.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Indie Sex: Censored (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Don't Wanna Be a Loser

Is Diane Arbus somewhere around here?

"The Pawnbroker" (1964): Directed by Sidney Lumet, scored by Quincy Jones, and starring Rod Steiger. This is one of the most powerful character studies in all of film history. It's up there with "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Taxi Driver". Shot in some of the most beautiful, gritty, black and white photography, set in Harlem, often using the real environment and passersby, this work has the feel of anti-Hollywood, which is completely appropriate for the story of a Jew tortured by the memories of the Holocaust, and the environment of pawn brokering. There's not a single moment of comedy, and many moments that feel like Diane Arbus could be seen lingering nearby. Steiger's ability to express withheld expression – anger and pain trying to burst from his impenetrable shell - is awe inspiring. When I first saw this film in the 60's, I knew I wanted to see everything this man did.