The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Ben Maddow (screenplay) and
John Huston (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 May 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Drama

Tagline:

The City Under the City

Plot:

A major heist goes off as planned, until bad luck and double crosses cause everything to unravel.

Plot Keywords:

Heist | Caper | Police | Lawyer | Jail

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Sterling Hayden	...	Dix Handley
Louis Calhern	...	Alonzo D. Emmerich
Jean Hagen	...	Doll Conovan
James Whitmore	...	Gus Minissi
Sam Jaffe	...	Doc Erwin Riedenschneider
John McIntire	...	Police Commissioner Hardy
Marc Lawrence	...	Cobby
Barry Kelley	...	Lt. Ditrich
Anthony Caruso	...	Louis Ciavelli
Teresa Celli	...	Maria Ciavelli
Marilyn Monroe	...	Angela Phinlay
William 'Wee Willie' Davis	...	Timmons (as William Davis)
Dorothy Tree	...	May Emmerich
Brad Dexter	...	Bob Brannom
John Maxwell	...	Dr. Swanson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ray Bennett	...	Detective in Hardy's office (uncredited)
Benny Burt	...	Taxi driver (uncredited)
Frank Cady	...	Night clerk (uncredited)
Jean Carter	...	Woman (uncredited)
David Clarke	...	Mr. Atkinson, railroad man (uncredited)
John Cliff	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Henry Corden	...	Karl Anton Smith (uncredited)
Chuck Courtney	...	Red, boy in diner (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Gene Evans	...	Policeman at Ciavalli's apartment (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Alex Gerry	...	Maxwell (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Fred Graham	...	Truck driver (uncredited)
William Haade	...	Bill, cop (uncredited)
Don Haggerty	...	Det. Andrews (uncredited)
Eloise Hardt	...	Vivian (uncredited)
Thomas Browne Henry	...	James X. Connery (uncredited)
George Lynn	...	Detective at Ciavelli's apartment (uncredited)
Fred Marlow	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Strother Martin	...	William Doldy, second man in lineup (uncredited)
Patricia Miller	...	Girl (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	Eddie Donato, grocer (uncredited)
Kerry O'Day	...	Girl (uncredited)
Raymond Roe	...	Tallboy (uncredited)
Henry Rowland	...	Frank Schurz, taxi driver (uncredited)
Tim Ryan	...	Jack, police clerk (uncredited)
James Seay	...	Officer Janocek (uncredited)
Jack Shea	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Joseph Darr Smith	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Helene Stanley	...	Jeannie, girl in diner (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Leah Wakefield	...	Girl (uncredited)
Jack Warden	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
William Washington	...	Suspect (uncredited)
Constance Weiler	...	Woman (uncredited)
Judith Wood	...	Woman (uncredited)
Victor Wood	...	Evans (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Man (uncredited)
Jeff York	...	Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits
Ben Maddow		(screenplay) and
John Huston		(screenplay)
W.R. Burnett		(novel)

Produced by
Arthur Hornblow Jr.	....	producer

Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa		(as Miklos Rozsa)

Cinematography by
Harold Rosson

Film Editing by
George Boemler

Art Direction by
Randall Duell
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	makeup designer
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
Lou LaCava	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Elaine Ramsey	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Lee Katz	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Greenwood	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Jack D. Moore	....	associate set decorator

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor
Robert B. Lee	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Martin	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Andrew J. McIntyre	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
John Banse	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Leslie H. Martinson	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (as Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1963) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Silver Screen (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Hungary:14 | Canada:PG (video rating) | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1950) | USA:Approved (PCA #14357) | West Germany:16 | UK:PG (re-rating) (1992) | UK:A (original rating) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

John Huston originally intended the role of Angela Phinlay for Lola Albright.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: A publicity photo for the film showed Dix between Doll and Angela, who desperately tries to get him to turn away from Doll. Angela and Dix never meet in the film.

Quotes:

Doc Riedenschneider: That copper, he recognized me.
Cobby: How'd you know he was a copper?
Doc Riedenschneider: I can smell one a block off.
Cobby: Oh, don't worry about Ditrich. He's on my payroll. Practically a partner. Me and him, we're like that.
[Cobby holds up his index and middle finger]
Doc Riedenschneider: Experience has taught me never to trust a policeman. Just when you think one's all right, he turns legit.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend (1987)

"Crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavor"

"The Asphalt Jungle" is one of the greatest crime films. The movie has its roots in several great film noir projects, such as "Double Indemnity", "The Killers", "Criss Cross", and "Out of the Past". Its lasting impression over time is based upon its quality and its unprecedentedly brilliant use of the "caper" as a plot device. As stated in other comments, this film noir's influence can be seen in hundreds of disparate "caper" movies - "Rififi", "A Simple Plan", "The Guns of Navarone", "The Usual Suspects", and "How to Steal a Million", just to name a few.

I will not give away the results of the "caper", but the film is truly superior in how it explores relationships and deception. This is one of John Huston's greatest works, and the script lays down the tension from the first moment and doesn't let up. Huston uses multiple closeups to literally drain the emotion out of the characters. Hayden, Calhern, Lawrence, Hagen, and Whitmore turn in superb performances with many memorable moments, but Sam Jaffe steals the film in an Oscar-worthy performance as the brain behind the caper. Marilyn Monroe makes an indelible impression in a fairly brief but pivotal role.

Please do not miss this - an easy 10 out of 10.