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52 Pick-Up

Play trailer Poster for 52 Pick-Up R,  1986,  1h 49m,  Crime/ Drama/ Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 58% 19 Reviews Tomatometer 46% 500+ Ratings Popcornmeter
58% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, this gritty movie follows a plot to blackmail wealthy industrialist Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider). Married to an aspiring politician (Ann-Margret), Harry has been caught having an affair with Cini (Kelly Preston), a much younger woman. When Harry doesn't play by the rules of his blackmailers, they begin an escalating chain of violence that extends to murder. Undaunted, Harry decides to fight back against the criminals.

Critics Reviews

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Paul Attanasio Washington Post Jan 1, 2000
John Frankenheimer has directed "52 Pick-Up" in a style so devoid of nuance, the movie almost watches itself. Go to Full Review
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Jan 1, 2000
3.5/4
A movie is only as good as its villain. John Frankenheimer's 52 Pick-Up provides us with the best, most reprehensible villain of the year and uses his vile charm as the starting point for a surprisingly good film. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Aug 23, 2025
3/5
...John Frankenheimer’s 52 Pick-Up is a reasonably proficent if brutal revenge thriller; not a bad Elmore Leonard adaptation, and easily one of the best from the Cannon studio, which isn’t saying much given the awfulness of their output…. Go to Full Review
Sean Burns Crooked Marquee Apr 12, 2025
What sets it apart from countless other tawdry thrillers of its era are the film’s ruthless efficiency and astonishing cruelty. This movie has a mean streak a mile wide. Go to Full Review
Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid Aug 5, 2023
3.5/4
Frankenheimer holds everything together with determination, and keeps things firmly moving even when they turn ridiculous. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Jul 31, 2023
2.5/4
52 Pick-Up is about as sleazy as a mainstream movie can get -- the natural reaction after watching it is to take a shower -- but the movie features not one, not two, but three memorable villains. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Leia S Aug 10, 2017 Cool little noirish thriller. Clarence Williams and John Glover are great in it. I find it hard to feel for Scheider though, with his chosen infidelity. Still, his lashing back, and being proactive, rather than the typical rolling over response that's in these movies, was satisfying. See more
Finn S May 12, 2017 Intensely underrated return to form by John Frankenheimer. Excellently shot, precisely acted, and intriguing. My only flaw is how genuinely downbeat and perfectly emotional the movie starts and later turns into a typical 80's thriller. If you show interest in watching it, I, as a critic, totally approve. See more
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52 Pick-Up

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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John Frankenheimer

Director

Roy Scheider

Harry Mitchell

Ann-Margret

Barbara Mitchell

Vanity

Doreen

John Glover

Alan Raimy

Robert Trebor

Leo Franks

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52 Pick-Up

52 Pick-Up (1986) 52 Pick-Up (1986) 52 Pick-Up (1986) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, this gritty movie follows a plot to blackmail wealthy industrialist Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider). Married to an aspiring politician (Ann-Margret), Harry has been caught having an affair with Cini (Kelly Preston), a much younger woman. When Harry doesn't play by the rules of his blackmailers, they begin an escalating chain of violence that extends to murder. Undaunted, Harry decides to fight back against the criminals.
Director
John Frankenheimer
Producer
Yoram Globus, Menahem Golan
Screenwriter
Elmore Leonard, John Steppling
Distributor
Cannon
Production Co
Cannon Group, Golan-Globus Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 7, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.3M
Runtime
1h 49m
Sound Mix
Surround
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