The Pawnbroker (1964) / Pantelåneren (UK-import)
Sol Nazerman (Rod Steiger), a survivor of the Nazi death camps which took the lives of his wife and children is a man bereft of hope, instead taking refuge in misery and a bitter condemnation of humanity, while managing a Harlem pawnshop where he’s subjected to an endless parade of prostitutes, pimps and thieves. Seemingly only caring about money, he is continually haunted by vivid flashbacks of the concentration camp. Oscar-nominated for his performance, Steiger firmly established his credentials as an actor of international standing, wonderfully supported here by Geraldine Fitzgerald (Wuthering Heights) and Brock Peters (To Kill a Mockingbird). The film also boasts a score from then first-time film composer Quincy Jones.
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