The Asphalt Jungle (1950) is a film noir directed by John Huston. The caper film is based on the novel of the same name by W.R. Burnett and stars an ensemble cast including Sterling Hayden, Jean Hagen, Sam Jaffe, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore, and Marilyn Monroe.[1]
The film tells the story of a group of men planning and executing a jewel robbery. It was nominated for four Academy Awards.
In 2008, The Asphalt Jungle was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Film writer David M. Meyer notes, "The robbery is among the best-staged heists in noir. The simple visual treatment, the precise movements of the actors, and the absence of music on the sound track raise the tension to a boiling point." [2]
French director Jean-Pierre Melville has cited this film as his favorite movie of all-time and a massive influence on his body of work.
Me, personally I think it is one of the great Film Noirs. The cinematography is simply superb, from the opening credits until the very last scene. The belak view of humanity, the spare interior of the bookie joint, the sermonizing by the Police Commissioner, it is all a tour de force.
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