The Pawnbroker

The Pawnbroker used to be a prestige movie, both when it came out in 1964 and for decades afterwards. It’s lost some of its sheen over the years, for a variety of reasons. Films referencing the Holocaust are no longer as scarce as they were when the Beatles were first conquering America. Rod Steiger’s star has also waned. Once seen as a rival to Brando, Steiger is now often regarded as a ham using Method techniques to disguise overacting. And the Method itself, of course, also no longer commands the respect it once did. There is still much to admire in the film though, and in Steiger’s performance, which he promised director Sidney … Read more