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Truly outstanding performance by Roger Mosely as Leadbelly. A must-see for any music or blues fan. The film takes you back in time, shows the pain, suffering and hardship of the American Black experience, and the music that evolved from that suffering. Most interesting is the explanation for how Leadbelly got his nickname. The film is true to life and captures your attention right from the start - taking you right into Leadbelly's world - one not only filled with very hard times, but the best of American blues roots music. An outstanding biography with excellent acting, GREAT music - an all-in-all unforgettable biography.

After viewing this film I found myself later still riveted to the story of Steiger's impassioned performance as Sol Nazerman ... going over the various scenes in my head again and again. Most of the online reviews for this film either seem to serve as a vehicle for showing off the reviewer's vast film knowledge by obscure references to other lesser-known films, or discuss the plot in such detail that they give away all the surprise elements in this film - for despite it's gritty, low-key pace there are quite a few surprising and shocking revelations that will come your way in getting to know what has made and what fuels Sol Nazerman. I would not have enjoyed the movie half as much with most of the plot revealed to me prior to viewing.

One of the most glaring things left out of every single review I read about The Pawnbroker was the term Film Noir. While the actual subject matter of The Pawnbroker may not fit what one would describe as classic film noir (crime, romance, detective themes, etc.) This movie fits the genre in every other way: the dark, gritty and starkly contrasting black and white seedy depiction of New York's Spanish Harlem; dreary interior scenes of Nazerman's dusty, relic-filled pawnshop; dramatic close-ups of Steiger's character as he attempts to go through the movements of his day to day existence; and the creative and unique use of intense yet very brief flashbacks that show us what has made him the seemingly strange and very bitter man he is at the time of the filming. While The Pawnbroker's setting is in a crime-ridden neighborhood filled with pimps and criminals, they pale by comparison to Steiger's character's true demons.

The film has merit on so many different levels: Steiger's nearly silent suffering protagonist, who says more with his body language and facial expressions than one might believe any actor could muster; an intense 60s jazz soundtrack by the renowned Quincy Jones; Sidney Lumet's masterful direction; Boris Kaufman's brilliant black and white cinematography; and was one of the first American films to directly address a central character's Holocaust memories.

The Pawnbroker is nothing like Schindler's List, though the similarity in subject matter may be there, the resemblance also ends there, as well. The Pawnbroker is an intensely personal, one-on-one glimpse into Sol Wasserman's private life and psyche. The torments he suffers are shown to us through his eyes only, through his memories and not by anything on a larger scale. That larger scale comes in to play in the viewer's mind after the film ends - and is not neatly tied up with a large budget production ribbon that does the thinking for you. This film is a must-see for all true film lovers who appreciate the work of art that all the principals involved successfully created.

The characters in this simple little romantic film are so enchanting and true to life, one can't help but become quickly involved in its plot! The movie has a wonderful blend of light drama and comedy, and is truly a thoroughly enjoyable story.

This film shows what life was really like in 1969 for men and women trying to conform to their stereotypical roles, and what happens when those roles become ill defined and boundaries are crossed. Tovah Feldshuh does a tremendous job in her supporting role as the grandmother, and the cast is so true-to-life you feel as if you are a part of the story yourself. A wonderful tribute to a very special time in U.S. history, with lots of understated humor (make sure you listen to the public intercom announcements at the summer camp) with an excellent story, cast and plot make for a wonderful movie !