The Asphalt Jungle
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Movie Reviews of The Asphalt Jungle
Movie Review: The Criminal Underworld as Mirror Image.
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Asphalt Jungle", based on the novel by W. R. Burnett, was director John Huston's farewell to film noir style. His first film noir, 1941's "The Maltese Falcon", also adapted from a novel, was arguably the first film in the noir style, making Huston an essential contributor to the movement. "The Asphalt Jungle"'s apt subtitle, "The City Under the City", pretty well describes what the film is about: the criminal underworld. "The Asphalt Jungle" explores the planning, execution, and aftermath of a great jewel heist by a diverse band of criminals. Doc Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) is a caper mastermind who has just been released from prison. Eager to execute a grand jewel heist, Doc immediately visits a bookmaker named Cobby (Marc Lawrence), whom he hopes can connect him to a financier for the project. Cobby introduces Doc to a crooked and apparently wealthy lawyer, Mr. Lon Emmerich (Louis Calhern), who jumps at the opportunity to finance the heist. They hire a boxman, or safecracker, Louis Ciavelli (Anthony Caruso), a driver, Gus (James Whitmore), and a hooligan, Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden) to pull the job. Things might go well if Emmerich were not actually broke and planning to double-cross his partners.
John Huston says in his introduction to the film, "You may not admire these people, but I think they'll fascinate you." In truth, the criminals of "The Asphalt Jungle" are more sympathetic than it's law enforcement agents, who number a corrupt bully and a self-righteous crusader. As Emmerich says in the film, "Crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavor." These characters have aspirations, hopes, and troubles similar to their law-abiding counterparts. And they are foiled by their obsessions. The underworld is a mirror image of the respectable world.
Louis Calhern and Sterling Hayden give memorable, complex performances as Emmerich, a corrupt lawyer whose extravagance and foolishness do everyone in, and as Dix, the farm boy turned stick-up man whose gambling stands in the way of his dreams. Marilyn Monroe has a small role as Emmerich's mistress, Angela. "The Asphalt Jungle" is great classic film noir with intriguing crooks and impressive character acting all around. The film was nominated for 4 Academy Awards in 1951, including best director, cinematography, and screenplay. W. R. Burnett's novel has since been adapted 3 more times (in 1958 as "The Badlanders", in 1963 as "Cairo", and in 1972 as "Cool Breeze"), but John Huston's "The Asphalt Jungle" is still the gold standard.
The DVD (Warner Home Video 2004 release): There is a 45-second introduction to the film by director John Huston, filmed around 1950. The sound quality is very poor, but you can make out what he's saying if you listen carefully. There is an audio commentary by film historian and USC School of Film and Television professor Drew Casper, with excerpts from an archival interview with actor James Whitmore. Dr. Casper is more a film historian than a noir specialist. He places the film in context by discussing the history of MGM studios in the decade preceding "The Asphalt Jungle". He talks about John Huston's directing style and the film's structure. Judging by this and other commentary that I've heard, Casper tends to think more in terms of genre than style. So he's looking at "The Asphalt Jungle" as a caper film more than a noir film. We don't get scene-by-scene or shot-by-shot analysis. Whitmore's interview is interjected where appropriate. He relates anecdotes about getting the job, director John Huston, and the film's cast. There is also a theatrical trailer (2 1/2 minutes). Subtitles for the film are available in English, French, and Spanish. Dubbing is available in French.
Movie Review: Huston Assembles the Perfect Crooks for the Almost Perfect Crime
Summary: 5 Stars
As stated in John Huston introduction to the film, this is a film about feeding vices. Each character has a vice that they need to feed. And this is what brings them together.
Doc (Sam Jaffe) has just been released from prison. Before he was nabbed, he had planned a million dollar diamond heist. But since he has been away, he needs to gather a new crew. Emmerich (Louis Calhern) is a sleazy lawyer who has is having an affair with a pretty young thing (Marilyn Monroe). He needs money to keep his doxie happy. Dix (Sterling Hayden) is a thug who has a pension for the horse and a dream to buy back the family horse farm. An ex-girlfriend (Jean Hagen) shows up on his doorstep and he agrees to let her stay awhile.
Everything comes together but on the night of the robbery, things go wrong. The blast from the safe cracking has set off every alarm on the street. The heist is complete but the police are crawling the streets. When one stumbles onto the crooks, Johnny knocks him out but his gun falls and shoots Louis, the safe cracker.
The guys escape but find that Emmerich does not have the money promised for the diamonds. They must wait a few days until Emmerich can gather the money. But the police are already on their tracks.
One by one, they are caught or die. Dix alludes the police but is shot. He goes to his pal Gus (James Whitmore) for help but it is his gal friend that comes through and finds him his means of escape and helps him elude the police.
This film defines film noir heist film. Huston is a master director and once again proves that adventure and thrills are his domain. This was Jaffe's best performance and his one starring role. Sterling Hayden gives a great performance as the tough guy Dix and would refine this character a few years later in Stanley Kubrick's The Killing. But the real finds in this film are Jean Hagen as Dix's girl. She is most famous for her performance as the obnoxious Lola Lamont in Singin' in the Rain. This film shows that she has great dramatic range and she is totally unrecognizable as her future film persona. The other great find is James Whitmore as the diner owner Gus. Whitmore always gives a textured performances but this is a stunning supporting performance. He should have received an Oscar nomination for this.
Films have tried to imitate this film in style and content but rarely come close.
DVD EXTRAS:
Commentary by James Whitmore and film historian Drew Casper
Introduction by John Huston - this is a film reel used to promote the film.
Movie Review: "Asphalt Jungle (1950) ... Sterling Hayden ... John Huston (Director) (2004)"
Summary: 5 Stars
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) presents "ASPHALT JUNGLE" (1950) (112 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Starring Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore, Sam Jaffe & Marilyn Munroe
Directed by John Huston
'Doc' Riedenschneider, legendary crime 'brain' just out of prison, has a brilliant plan for a million-dollar burglary. To pull it off, he recruits safe cracker Louis, driver Gus, financial backer Emmerich, and strong-arm man Dix Handley. At first the plan goes like clockwork, but little accidents accumulate and each partner proves to have his own fatal weakness. In the background is a pervasive, grimy urban malaise. This film is a model of its kind, frequently copied and remade no less than 3 times.
Hayden is the star of the film but Sam Jaffe and Louis Calhern are not far behind. In fact, the more I watch this film, the more I see the latter two as the real stars here, and I especially have begun to appreciate the great acting by Calhern in here.
Academy Award nominations for Director, Supporting Actor, Screenplay, Cinematography.
Sterling Hayden: ever the maverick, ever the individual - he preferred to sail his yacht around the world rather than act in movies. Yet despite his lack of interest in film, he was lauded and chased by the very finest directors: John Huston, Robert Altman, Francis Ford Coppola & Stanley Kubrick. In each of his roles, Hayden's individuality showed forth whatever the genre of film: noir, adventure, western & swashbuckler -- right up to his final film.
BIOS:
1. John Huston [Director]
Date of Birth: 5 August 1906 - Nevada, Missouri
Date of Death: 28 August 1987 - Middletown, Rhode Island
2. Sterling Hayden [aka: Sterling Relyea Walter]
Date of Birth: 26 March 1916- Upper Montclair, New Jersey
Date of Death: 23 May 1986 - Sausalito, California
3. Louis Calhern
Date of Birth: 19 February 1895, Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: 12 May 1956, Tokyo, Japan
4. Sam Jaffe
Date of Birth: 10 March 1891, New York City, New York
Date of Death: 24 March 1984, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California
Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]
Total Time: 112 min on DVD ~ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) ~ (07/06/2004)
Movie Review: A Film Noir Masterpiece!
Summary: 5 Stars
This review is for the 2004 Warner Brothers DVD.
The basic plot of the movie is that a highly educated convict Doc Erwin Riedenschneider (Sam Jeffe) is just released from prison. He then organizes a team of dubious characters to rob a million dollars worth of diamonds and precious metals from a highly secured jewelry store. Riedenschneider decides he needs some muscle or a "hooligan", so he hires a big countryboy named Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden). Also, they include the financial and "fencing" services of a wealthy criminal attorney named Lon Emmerich (Louis Calhern). From that point on there is plenty of suspense and drama as the big heist unfolds.
This movie was directed by Hollywood legend John Huston. The story itself isn't the greatest in my opinion, but the look of the movie captures the full artistry of noir film making. The movie was filmed in the seedier part of urban Los Angeles. The use of shadows and local lighting in dingy inner city settings make this movie a cinematic masterpiece. My only personal criticism of the film is that Sterling Hayden character was miscast. He played the role of the tough guy but seemed to be too easygoing and lacked ruthlessness. The Doc Riedenschneider and Lon Emmerich characters carried this movie into the upper echelon of noir crime films with their intelligent, yet immorally criminal schemes. We also get to see some limited viewing of a young and very beautiful Marilyn Monroe.
The DVD transfer is excellent overall and very sharp. On occasion some very minor film deterioration can be observed. The picture quality is razor sharp. The look of the movie (just about all it was filmed at night ) is gorgeous. There is bonus commentary by author and noir expert Drew Casper and actor James Whitmore.
PLEASE NOTE: Before buying this DVD, consider buying the Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 1 which contains this movie plus four other highly recommended movies at a very reasonable price.
Movie: A-
DVD Quality: B+
Movie Review: One Of The All-Time Best Film Noirs
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a fan of film noir, owning many of them, and this one is right about at the top of the list and climbing each time I view it. It might even have passed Double Indemnity for the number one spot. It's that good.
For anyone who has not seen it: the poster art and the video or DVD cover can both misleading. They usually feature Marilyn Monroe in publicizing this movie, but she only has a small role. Many times they feature Monroe, Jean Hagen and Sterling Hayden all together....and those three are never on screen at the same time. My point being: what you see on the outside is not what's on the inside.
Hayden is the star of the film but Sam Jaffe and Louis Calhern are not far behind. In fact, the more I watch this film, the more I see the latter two as the real stars here, and I especially have begun to appreciate the great acting by Calhern in here.
Actually, everyone performs at a very high level. The diverse and interesting characters are really fun to watch, one of the big reasons I rate this film so high. Hayden, with his big body and tough demeanor, was perfect for film noir. He is a legitimate tough guy, nobody to fool with. Jaffe was fascinating as the little German "doctor" but until I got the DVD and put on the English subtitles, I never understood all his dialog, which is terrific, and "Doc" is my favorite character in this film. Kudos also go to James Whitmore and Marc Lawrence for great supporting role performances.
The two women, Hagen and Monroe, also do their bits nicely. I never understood people who criticized Monroe's acting. I thought she was pretty good right from the start, with this film as an example. I also liked seeing her thin and in shape.
This movie is a gritty, tough, no-nonsense crime story concerning a jewel robbery where things go wrong and eventually does everybody in. Actually, it isn't just a botched robbery that ruins some of them - it's character weakness, from greed to sexual lust.
"You reap what you sow" could be a moral of this story.