Review of The Asphalt Jungle (1950) by John W — 13 May 2015
Starring Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore and Sam Jaffe. Different kind of noir from director John Huston, this heist film eschews the claustrophobic environments of his earlier films "The Maltese Falcon" and "Key Largo" in favor of an open style of framing that incorporates the city as an important character in this story.
Of the story, it is the tale of a group of desperate criminals who botch a jewellery store robbery. This is also notable as among the first films of its type to tell its story completely from the perspective of the criminals.
This differentiates it from earlier crime films like "The Public Enemy" or "Scareface", whose criminals are typically compelling but one-dimensional cut-outs. Marilyn Monroe gets an early role as Louis Calhern's mistress.
This review of The Asphalt Jungle (1950) was written by John W on 13 May 2015.
The Asphalt Jungle has generally received very positive reviews.
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