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THE PAWNBROKER (1964). Well made, albeit depressing film of a Holocaust survivor running a Harlem Pawn Shop where the vast majority of His customers are "Scum"-his words. Rod Steiger is fantastic as the Emotionally berefit former Professor, haunted by memories who has shut out just about everyone. The extremely powerful ending hints that there may be a change and He will able to move forward, but leaves things open to interpretation.
Early performances by Jaime Sanchez (THE WILD BUNCH), Reni Santoni (the partners to both DIRTY HARRY and COBRA) and I believe Morgan Freeman's first role as a Man in the street.
Lots of controversy here with both Jewish and African-Americans finding stereotypes in the story, one of the first openly Gay Characters on screen, the first American production to deal with The Holocaust and the first glimpse of Bare Breasts in a film when The Code was still enforced (albeit on its way out), although there is nothing erotic about either scenes. ***1/2
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