Review of The Naked City (1948) by Matt D — 20 Oct 2014

There's something fascinatingly detached about Jules Dassin's 'The Naked City'. In many ways there is no real "lead character" that we follow through the film and get to know. Instead we have our ominous narrator merely putting us through the paces. We see the police do their job but don't really learn anything about them other than their steadfast devotion to that job.

In the context of today's screenwriting expectations this would be a total failure but when considering the 1940s period that this was made, it is understood that the real star here is the PROCESS of solving the murder rather than any one man doing it.

This is fascinating in terms of film history but doesn't particularly make for entertaining viewing by today's standards.

Gotta love those great shots of NYC scattered throughout though!