The Asphalt Jungle

1950
Approved
1h 52m

IMDb RATING

7.8/10

31K

YOUR RATING

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1 Video

99+ Photos

Film Noir Heist Crime Drama Thriller

A major heist goes off as planned, but then double crosses, bad luck and solid police work cause everything to unravel.A major heist goes off as planned, but then double crosses, bad luck and solid police work cause everything to unravel.A major heist goes off as planned, but then double crosses, bad luck and solid police work cause everything to unravel.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.8/10

31K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 5 wins & 14 nominations total

Trivia
The poster showing Marilyn Monroe in a purple dress was created much later, after she became a household name. Monroe was basically unknown when the film was made in 1950 and only has a very small role. She certainly wouldn't have been given top billing at the time. In fact, she wasn't named on the original posters at all.

Goofs
When the police enter Gus's diner, he turns the volume of the music up, but oddly he does it by turning the dial counterclockwise, which would normally turn volume down. When they go, Gus turns the volume down, again turning the dial counterclockwise.

Quotes
Doc Riedenschneider: One way or another, we all work for our vice.

Alternate versions
Also available in a computer colorized version.

Connections
Edited into American Cinema: Film Noir (1995)

User reviews182

Review

Featured review

9/10

Fantastic Film-Noir

When the intelligent criminal Erwin "Doc" Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) is released from prison, he seeks a fifty thousand-dollar investment from the bookmaker Cobby (Marc Lawrence) to recruit a small gang of specialists for a million-dollar heist of jewels from a jewelry. Doc is introduced to the lawyer Alonzo D. Emmerich (Louis Calhern) that offers to finance the whole operation and buy the gems immediately after the burglary. Doc hires the safecracker Louis Ciavelli (Anthony Caruso), the driver Gus Minissi (James Whitmore)and the gunman Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden) to the heist. His plan works perfectly but bad luck and betrayals compromise the steps after the heist and the gangsters need to flee from the police.

"The Asphalt Jungle" is a fantastic film-noir by the legendary director John Huston and with magnificent performances. The brilliant story of bad luck and betrayal in a heist was nominated to four Oscars, three Golden Globes and nominated and winner of several other prizes. Marilyn Monroe is sexy and gorgeous in a minor but important role. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Segredo das Jóias" ("The Secret of the Jewels")

Note: On 30 September 2016, I saw this film again.