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The Asphalt Jungle
(1950),
Director: John Huston, rated Approved
The City
Under The City!
  Starring:
Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore, Sam
Jaffe, John McIntire, Marc Lawrence, Barry Kelley, Anthony
Caruso, Teresa Celli, Marilyn Monroe
DML Rating:
★★★★★★★★☆☆
- great
"Frankly, I don't like
the guy, but I never saw a hooligan I did like. They're like
left-handed pitchers. They all have a screw loose somewhere." –
Louis Ciavelli referring to Dix Handley
Why watch this?
Dark, seedy, plans in smoky backrooms... this is noir
extraordinaire.
Plot Summary: A
recently paroled criminal mastermind orchestrates a meticulously
planned jewelry heist in a Midwestern city, securing funding
from a corrupt, debt-ridden lawyer. While the robbery is
initially a success, an unexpected complication causes the plan
to rapidly fall apart, triggering a desperate chain reaction. As
the thieves scatter to evade a massive police dragnet, a series
of betrayals and tragic circumstances ultimately seal their
fates.
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Dad's Preview:
Storied director John Huston gives a boldly unique spin
to the gangster film genre popularized in the 20's and
30's. Instead of evil villainous characters, he
populates our heist gang with men down on their luck,
loners with an unfair past, even a man with a sick boy
at home. They all hope this is their last job because
they're done with the stink of the city. The plan is
working smoothly, then one little thing goes wrong...
The direction and cast are excellent, with standout
performances by the calm Sam Jaffe, and the fiery
Sterling Hayden. Hayden plays a desperate thug better
than anyone (as he also does in 1956's
The
Killing). Marilyn Monroe shines in a small role,
too. This is a grim, gritty film that we know won't have
a happy ending, but that's the point... in the end,
crime doesn't pay. |
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Arthur
Hornblow Jr., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer;
Loew's Inc. |
