Review of The Asphalt Jungle (1950) by Steve G — 07 Jul 2011

"Crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavour".

Quality Huston noir that centres around the workings of a jewel heist. While it has inevitably dated, it still remains an excellent example of how nicely constructed and rounded characters transcend time and place. What also stands out for me in the film is the thematic of the dark corrupted city - the 'grime' that Hayden's character so desperately wants to escape in order to return to his country roots. The film lacks a powerful female, which is a little unusual for noir, Jean Hagen and Marilyn Monroe (in her first noticeable role) doing their best to make an impact in this man's film. It's a movie sprinkled with excellent performances though, and the stand outs are Jaffe's turn as 'Doc', the brains of the outfit with his quick tongue and somewhat sinister fatal flaw for 'young girls', and of course the bubbling, verging on psychotic, brute force of 'Dix' - another unforgettable Sterling Hayden turn.