Review of The Asphalt Jungle (1950) by Danny R — 29 May 2016

John Huston's classic film noir masterpiece is one of the greatest crime films of all-time. It concerns the master jewel thief Ewin "Doc" Riedenschneider, played sensationally by Sam Jaffe who has just been released from prison, and has a brilliant plan for a heist of a million dollars in jewels.

Doc is introduced to a crooked rich lawyer named Alonzo Emmerich, played superbly by Louis Calhern who offers to finance the heist and immediately buy the stolen gems after the burglary, but Emmerich is broke and really does not have the money to buy the gems, he hopes to coerce the gems from Doc and his group under the false pretense that he will fence them, this of course will lead to a deadly conclusion.

Master direction by Huston, with brilliant supporting performances by Sterling Hayden as the tough, old school gunman, James Whitmore as the hunchback getaway driver, Anthony Caruso as the expert safe-cracker, Brad Dexter as Emmerich's seedy henchman, and Marilyn Monroe as Emmerich's young smoking hot squeeze.

An evocative score by Mikos Rosa, with stylishly stunning black & white cinematography by Harold Rosson. This cinematic classic has often been copied, but never equaled! Highly Recommended.