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A law-and-order thriller focusing on the international narcotics trade, Interpol (aka Pickup Alley) harks back to such dire warnings as Port of New York and To The Ends of the Earth. It looks forward, too. Courtesy of co-producer Albert (Cubby) Broccoli, who five years hence would issue the first film in the deathless 007 franchise, Dr. No, this British-made movie serves as a brief, black-and-white preview of the trans-global intrigues James Bond would soon be set to smashing.

The surly secret agent here is drug-enforcement officer Victor Mature, and his motives are not merely professional: Not only is his `kid sister' hopelessly hooked to the needle, but in the pre-credits opening scene, a female colleague ends up strangled with her own scarf by heroin kingpin Trevor Howard, an arch and urbane adversary who flourishes a cigarette holder, like Charles Grey's Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever. In pursuit, Mature jets from New York to London and thence to Lisbon, Rome, Athens, Naples and back to the States.

There's even an exotic Bondgirl (Anita Ekberg), shanghaied into working against her former boss, and an amusing local helpmate (Bonar Colleano) as an expatriate Yank peddling junk and souvenirs to tourists in the Eternal City. He first pops up before an excursion into the Catacombs, where death proves to be not always ancient. Similar set-pieces – chases across rooftops and up and down steep streets – enliven other ports of call.

But, like many of the Bond movies, Interpol comes at you in sections. We cool down from one diversion in anticipation of the next. But there's not much thought given to a determining plot-line or sustaining mood. And the major characters aren't given much in the way of, well, character; to make matters worse, they're barely allowed to interact. Most of what Interpol has to offer was already done earlier in the noir cycle (occasionally by Mature and even Howard), or would be done better in the splashier spectacles of the 1960s. And let's face it: Apart from her frolic in the fountain in La Dolce Vita, Ekberg would never amount to much of a fixture in film history.

This is quite an entertaining & energetic crime movie, which rattles along at a fairly brisk pace, but suffers somewhat from lack of character depth, and interaction between the characters. The leads all play their respective roles professionally and with a degree of panache, with the oily and sinister Trevor Howard particularly effective. Bonar Colleano also contributes a likable cameo as a fast-talking, quick-witted exiled American. In the central role, Victor Mature is dour and doesn't really get the opportunity to express more of his character's dual purpose of personal revenge and bringing an arch criminal to justice. Although there are many similar type films to this, I feel that it stands worthy comparison to many of them and is certainly deserving of release on DVD.

American British co-production, released as Picket Alley on USA and Interpol on UK, Mature plays Charles Sturgis an American policeman from US narcotics department, when his sister who works as informer, was killed before to reveal the identity of the smuggler's Boss in New York, now he got starts again from scratch, the new clue nothing less than the beauty Anita Ekberg as Gina Bolder a delivery girl, they track down his steps, a long journey through Lisbon, Rome, Greece and finally back to New York, this picture goes far beyond the standards known, Charles Sturgis tireless pursuit of his unknown target, the long waiting romance between he and Gina Bolder never Happens, actually she plays a cold women, pressure by his Boss, due she committed a murder of his former old partner, the highlights coming from of nowhere, the Italian character Amalio played by the big mouth Bonar Colleano brings some relief on the plot, also a bit humor neither, Trevor Howard was fabulous as the slippery man, moving each couple days, unknown face, a hard assignment really, interesting picture!!

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First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD-R / Rating: 7

This was an interesting film which starred Victor Mature, (Charles Sturgis) who was a US Narcotics Agent working with Interpol in order to catch a large dope smuggling operation. Gina Broger, (Anita Ekberg) played a young gal who was working with a big shot dope king, Frank McNally, (Trevor Howard) and was only working with him because he kept her against her will and would not let her go. There is plenty of travel into Lisbon, Greece and New York and it seemed at times that Charles Sturgis was running around in circles. Trevor Howard gave a great supporting role along with Anita Ekberg, but this film was definitely a low budget film and because this was a 1957 film, the gals all wore skirts down to their ankles.

This has got quite a field of recognisable talent, but the story is a bit thin. "Frank McNally" (Trevor Howard) is a ruthless drug dealer who makes a bit of a mockery of the efforts of Interpol to track him down. It's only when he kills the sister of US agent "Sturgis" (Victor Mature) that he finds a foe worthy of him. This fellow is much more determined, and quickly alights on the mule of the operation "Gina" (Anita Ekberg) trailing her all around Europe before finally honing in on his prey as "McNally" plots an huge job in New York. The format of the storyline takes a bit of a travelogue style and though that does give it some pace, it means we spend way too much time on planes, at airports and touring the sites rather than developing any characters of even a substantial plot. Neither Mature nor Howard really engage, Ekberg has practically no dialogue until the very end and the best effort comes from grifter Bonar Colleano's ("Amalio") who seems way more adept at tracking "McNally" than his policeman buddy. The ending is weak - it's more of a testament to the effectiveness of global policing and communications that it is to a thriller, and I felt the whole thing just lacked oomph.

In the 1950s, American actors were in demand in European films. It seems that it was far cheaper to make movies there and by bringing in one or two big-name or semi-big name American actors the movie would have greater international appeal. So the likes of Richard Basehart, Anthony Quinn and many other mostly B-list actors made there way to Europe, though a few, such as Alan Ladd, were big name stars. Almost as big as Ladd at that time was Victor Mature and here he stars as, what else, an American in Europe!

The film finds American Cop, Charles Sturgis (Mature) in Europe to try to break up an international drug smuggling outfit. His part in the film was at best mildly interesting...as mostly he played the stereotypical angry, blustering American. What WAS interesting was the leader of the baddies. While you don't think of Trevor Howard in such a role, he was vicious and very exciting to watch...and sadly he was barely in the film! As a result of this and a mediocre script, the film has 'time-passer' written all over it and nothing more.

1957's Pickup Alley, or Interpol, directed by John Gilling, looks like a travelogue but evidently a lot of it was filmed in Naples. However, cinematographer Ted Moore did such a beautiful job - the locations are really the star.

The film begins with a woman calling "Charles" with urgent information; someone then enters and kills her.

She turns out to be the sister of an American narcotics agent Charles Sturgis (Victor Mature). The killer is international drug smuggler Frank McNally (Trevor Howard), and Sturgis is determined to bring him to justice.

With the aid of Interpol, he is able to track McNally and his girlfriend Gina (Anita Ekberg) to Europe.

Clearly a B movie using British and American actors, Pickup Alley is on the dull side without much in the way of characterization, except showing McNally's violence toward women. The old buildings, the streets, the docks, plus a chase on a roof make it interesting.

Ekberg is beautiful as McNally's drug mule but has been shown to much better advantage. She met Tyrone Power when she was an extra in Mississippi Gambler and embarked on a several year affair with him, even meeting his family in Cincinnati.

To avoid a lawsuit, wife Linda Christian's did not name her in her book, but she is clearly the woman for whom he wanted a divorce. He and Christian eventually reconciled. He liked blonds with accents.

Victor Mature stars in Pickup Alley as a drug enforcement officer who has his professional and personal life combined in this film. His sister Dorothy Alison is strangled by Trevor Howard who is a big drug syndicate kingpin that everyone knows about, but who has successfully kept a very low profile. All kinds of police agencies are looking for Howard and now Mature has a personal reason to get him.

Thinking she killed Howard's partner his moll Anita Ekberg is also on the run. She might be the one to lead Mature to Howard so he tails her across several international cities back to New York where the climax takes place.

This idea had already been tried and far more successfully in the Dick Powell noir classic To The Ends Of The Earth where Powell was the drug enforcement agent with no personal axe to grind who follows a drug shipment. We get to see several glimpses of major cities in Europe and of course New York. Nothing that really registers a decent impression.

Pickup Alley was an OK second feature, but will never be a classic. Fans of Mature, Ekberg, and Howard will be satisfied. Best in the film in a small role is Bonar Colleano, exiled American gangster who lives by his wits both as souvenir salesman in Rome and peddler of information to those with a price.

Found in Noir Archive vol 3, this is a watchable English noir that has some perfunctory acting from Mature and Ekberg, along with enjoyable scene chewing from Howard--what a long way from The Third Man and Brief Encounter!--and a terrific cameo from Bonar Colleano, whom I don't recall seeing before.

You won't care about the plot--something to do with international heroin smuggling, a murky subject dealt with carelessly by John Gilling. The interest lies in the locales, which are beautifully shot by Ted Moore, who besides making a half dozen Bond films also won an Oscar for A Man For All Seasons. The catacombs scene might have come from an Orson Welles film, Othello say, it's that evocative.

Paunchy and worn out Victor Mature basically sleep walks through the film. Trevor Howard steals the show, even though he overplays the psycho bit. If you are a fan of either man, which I am, you will enjoy this flick. If not, watch the French Connection, it is similar in theme, but a thousand times better.

After an over-heated and irritating opening this thriller hardly ever slows down its fast-action, Europe-wide criminal pursue to establish any characters or give enough room to explain its narrative; Trevor Howard, however, obviously enjoys his role as the diabolical villain.

American narcotics agent Charles Sturgis (Victor Mature) is devastated by his sister's murder. He tracks the killer to be murderous international drug smuggler Frank McNally (Trevor Howard). He follows McNally and his mule girlfriend Gina Broger (Anita Ekberg) to Europe with Interpol's help.

The original British title is Interpol. This may be the earliest movie that I've seen with Interpol being mentioned. In fact, it may be so early that the American release had to change the title to Pickup Alley. I doubt the general public knew anything about Interpol. It's interesting.

I like this movie for all its peripherals. I like the shadow lighting, the cobble stone streets, the crumbling walls, the rooftop chase, the European locations, and the grimy dockyards. As for the story, there are moments but the story is rather flat. The characters are broadly drawn. It's a crime neo-noir B-movie. It has most of the parts, but the overall effect is less than the total.

A film unconsistently complicated, which thing adds nothing to the plot, but rather deprives it of clearness and smoothness.

A film in which all the faces look the same (apart from V. Mature's and A. Ekberg's, the only woman among the characters), so you don't really know, at times, who is doing what.

A film with many guns shootings, in whose - as it happens in so many films of the same genre - rarely any man of some importance happens to be shot. Bulletts completely obey the filmmakers' will.

A film where the final chase brings no thrill whatsoever, as no thrills are to be expected from the whole movie. It's not really a whodunit: you know from the start who the villain is, you only have to be patient enough for him to get caught.

Locations range from New York, Paris, Lisbon, Rome, Athens. Curiously enough, when in Rome you can hear Italian phrases pronounced with a strong American accent, while when in Athens, the backround chatter is mostly in pure Italian, and repeatedly proposed in loops of a few seconds' duration. Sometimes the filmmakers get a little confused, and even signs and labels, when in Greece, are in Italian.

John Gilling was not only a horror film provider with for instance SHADOW OF THE CAT or PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES, but also an adventure films maker and, as here, also a crime film director. Victor Mature vs Trevor Howard in a villain role - I guess the only one of his whole career - absolutely stunning. The plot brings nothing much, compared to another noir yarn, but directing, photography and acting compensate the predictable plot. Anita Ekberg also paticipates to the atmosphere of this unavoidable crime film from over the Channel. Splendid production design in black and white makes this movie an unfortunately underrated gem from the fifties. The golden years - with also the sixties - of the British crime film period.

I saw this under the title PICKUP ALLEY. It's a typical British crime thriller of its era, perhaps more lavishly made and bigger budgeted than some, given that various European locations play out as a backdrop and that Victor Mature is a pretty big import to lead as the detective. This time around the authorities are on the hunt for a villain played, unusually, by Trevor Howard, who acquits himself very well when cast against type. The huge ensemble cast is packed with plenty of familiar faces including Sid James and Sydney Tafler, all of whom deliver the usual solid turns, although Mature is a little stiff as the protagonist, his star overshone by those below him. The exciting action includes rooftop chases that make this feel like a BOURNE film of its day.

In common with most of those made by Warwick Films this one is nothing much to write home about and is directed by the spectacularly undistinguished John Gilling.

Victor Mature's trademark expressions that range from glum to deadpan add little to this tepid thriller about international drug smuggling whilst statuesque Swede Anita Ekberg, surely one of the most splendid specimens of womanhood ever to walk on to a sound stage, is far less effective when called upon to emote.

By far the most fascinating character and the one with all the best lines is the deranged drug peddler played by the brilliant Trevor Howard who simply saunters away with the film.

This feeble opus serves to remind us, if indeed we need reminding, that in films of this type Britain is very much the poor relation to America and France, lacking the grittiness of the former and the stylishness of the latter.

AKA..."Interpol"

Even Mentioning "Dope" was a Risky Affair During the "Jack-Boot" Days of the "Motion Picture Code" and for the Most Part was Simply Avoided at All Costs.

But by the Late 50's "The Code" Began to Crack and there were Signs of its Inevitable Demise (it would take another 14 Years to completely give up the ghost).

This Euro-American Release wasn't Shy and the Movie-Poster Exclaims in Big-Bold-Letters "THIS PICTURE IS ABOUT DOPE!"

Turns Out, Except for a Couple of Dark and Edgy Scenes, it's More about Globe-Trotting than Exploring the World of Pushers and Users.

Victor Mature is a Dullard Agent Working with "Interpol" (the Films original title), after His Addict Sister is Killed by "Kingpin' Trevor Howard, and Anita Ekberg is the "Dame' in the Middle.

The Movie Moves to Many Locations that Adds to the Verisimilitude but what Happens is Pedestrian and Talky, Reducing the Lurid Subject to Mundane Matter of Fact, Rather than Cutting-Edge Sensationalism and the Film seems Drained of its Reason to Be.

Ekberg is Wasted and Doesn't Do Much More than Walk Around the Location-Shoot in Tight Dresses,

Trevor Howard Chews Scenery and Bullies Everyone Around, and Victor Mature just Goes through the Motions.

It Amounts to a Missed Opportunity with an Eye-Catching Travelogue Package with Not Much Inside for those Seekers of Film-Noir and the Dark Side with all the Hoopla About "Dope" is almost a Bait and Switch Come-'On.

But that was the "State of Play" at Work During those Woeful Days of "The Code", and its almost Surprising They Went this Far.

In Fact, this Movie was Hard to Find and TV Screenings were Non-Existent.

Worth a Watch.

This film suffers from a script which relies on cliches from other superior films of this genre.Trevor Howard makes an uninspiring and unconvincing villain.Anita Ekberg simply cannot act.Vincent Mature is at times lethargic at the fag end of his career. This was an A picture,at least in the UK.However it is directed by John Gilling as if it was one of his B features.

Drugs, Anita Eckberg and Victor Mature. and, at the first sigh, nothing more. because something missing to transform the film in more than ordinary crime. sure, few scenes are more than interesting. few performances are real inspired. but all seems be too well known. the girl, the bad guy, the detective. Victor Mature seems prisoner of a sort of sketch of his roles. Trevor Howard is the basic pillar of the film but in few scenes he is uninspired used. the film is out of emotion or real interest. nothing bad. if you ignore its potential.