Pickup on South Street

Two strangers - Skip McCoy and Candy - have a not so chance meeting on a crowded subway. Freshly out of jail, McCoy is back at work as a pickpocket, Candy's purse which is his current sight. What he manages to steal from Candy's purse is some microfilm with secret US government plans that Candy was about to deliver to the Communists for her ex-boyfriend, Joey. What she didn't know was the nature of her delivery, that Joey is a Communist agent, and that federal agents, who knew her destination, saw McCoy's move. The federal agents with the police on one side, and Candy, Joey and their associates on the other side, are all after McCoy. But McCoy also finds out the importance of his take, and instead of buckling under the pressure, holds onto the film ultimately to dispose of to whoever can come up with $25,000 sale price. Once she learns more about all the players involved, Candy changes her allegiances. But when one of the players becomes desperate, the proceedings turn to a violent nature. In the end, motivation for some turns from that of retrieving the microfilm and money to one of personal loyalty.