The Asphalt Jungle

Rating:
Summary: Good Caper Film
Review: The first time I saw "The Asphalt Jungle" was on a colorized print shown on TBS. I was so impressed by the acting and story that I purchased the black-and-white version on VHS. I went ecstatic over this edition because this was the version that was most aestetically true to Director John Huston's vision. Now I have revisited this film again after a number of years now that it is on DVD. My opinion of this film has waned a little bit. The ensemble acting here is superb and the direction by John Huston is solid. My problem comes with the story. The basic theme of this movie is that a group of criminals can devise the perfect crime only to be undone by their individual character flaws. That theme is made obvious early and the unraveling of their crime is telegraphed well in advance. The central heist here is nothing special. The police commisioner, who we are suppose to empathize with, comes off as some caricatured authority figure from some Jack Webb cop show. That said, this is an above average film and I recommend it despite these reservations.

Rating:
Summary: "One way or another we all work for our vice."
Review: When criminal mastermind, the physically unprepossessing Doc (Sam Jaffe) is released from jail, he has a plan for a crime caper. Unfortunately Doc doesn't have the necessary funds to fund the venture, so he approaches petty criminal and bookie Cobbie (Mark Lawrence) in his lair with the plan. Cobbie doesn't have the capital either, so he suggests they approach lawyer Alonzo Emmerich (Louis Calhern) for the $50,000. Emmerich is eager to join in the deal. He has a number of problems of his own. He's broke, has a bed-ridden bore of a wife, and a nubile young mistress (Marilyn Monroe).

The plan is to hire a hooligan, a driver and a box man for the robbery of a jeweler's shop. So the plan is immediately two-tiered--one level is composed of the men who actually take the risks (and get the smaller share of the loot), and the second level is composed of the men with the money and the connections. "The Asphalt Jungle" represents the world as a rotten place with layers of criminality, with the weak preying on the weaker. A crooked policeman, Lt. Ditrich, regularly leans on Cobbie. In turn, Ditrich's boss isn't fussy about getting results and considers beating people up an acceptable means of behaviour. None of the characters represent any sort of moral core. They survive, and sometimes they help each other out, but "The Asphalt Jungle" is an ugly, cruel and corrupt place.

"The Asphalt Jungle" succeeds so well due to strong characterizations. Lawyer Emmerich is corrupt and ready to bail out into a new life in Mexico. His Achilles' heel is the lovely and no doubt expensive Angela Phinlay (a very young Marilyn Monroe). Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden) is hired as the hooligan--he's a farm boy whose nasty little gambling habit is his weakness. Dix does have some sort of code of behaviour, but it's been corrupted along the way, and he's almost lost touch with that side of himself. He dreams of making the one big score that will allow him to go home again. Doc may be brilliant, but even he has his little weaknesses. "The Asphalt Jungle" is one of the best crime caper films ever made, and I recommend it highly to all film noir fans. If you like film noir to be gritty, and hard-boiled, then you really don't want to miss this one. DVD extras include the trailer, an introduction to the film from director John Huston, and comments from cast member, James Whitmore--displacedhuman



Rating:
Summary: Huston's Revenge
Review: When director John Huston was edged out of the production of The Killers, he was determined to create a landmark film that would define and embody professional crimminality. Huston exceeded his expectations. The Asphalt Jungle is the seminal "caper film" which inspired a host of similar pictures. Huston assembled a superb cast where each actor represented a character who possessed a special skill needed to complete a million dollar jewel heist. Sam Jaffe is Doc Reidenschneider-the mastermind, Anthony Caruso is Louie Ciavelli- the safe cracker, Marc Lawrence is Coby- the bookmaker who finances the operation, Sterling Hayden is Dix Handley- the enforcer, James Whitmore is Gus- the wheelman,and Louis Calhern is Emmerich- the corrupt attorney who acts as a fence. The characters, especially Doc, Louie, Dix, and Gus, are sketched with blatant realism. Each character is proud of their status and existence within the underworld. Their careers and reputations hinge on their acceptance by fellow professionals. Huston injects the virtues of trust, loyalty, and respect into their crimminal circle and simultaneously questions the code of honor among the rightousness. Emmerich sums up this dichotomy with a memorable line: "There's nothing so different about them (crimminals). Crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavor." Morality, an issue in most noir films becomes blurred as Emmerich and a graft accepting detective become viewed as figures more contemptable than the crimminals involved in the heist. Sterling Hayden as Dix delivers his most memorable performance. Dix is not just another tough henchman, but a troubled loner trying to ..."wash this city dirt off me". Huston allows viewers unabashed insight into each of his characters. Doc with his predilection for nubile young girls, Gus's conscious awareness of his physical deformity, Louie's familial responsibilities, and Emmerich's moral disintegration add to the film's realism. The Asphalt Jungle is one of the premier black and white films ever made. John Huston's creative energy is evident in every line and scene. Truely American film making at its best.

Rating:
Summary: Huston's Revenge
Review: When John Huston was edged out of the production of The Killlers, he was determined to create a landmark film that would define and embody professional criminality. Huston exceeded his expectations. The Asphalt Jungle is the seminal "caper film" that inspired a host of similar productions. Huston assembled a superb cast, where each actor represented a character that possessed special skills needed to complete a million dollar jewelry hiest. Sam Jaffe is Doc Reidenschneider- the mastermind, Anthony Caruso is Louie Ciavelli- the safecracker, Marc Lawrence is Cobby- the bookmaker who finances the operation, Sterling Hayden is Dix Handley- the enforcer, James Whitmore is Gus - the wheelman, and Louis Calhern is Emmerich- the fence. The characters, especially Doc, Louie, Dix and Gus, are sketched with blatant realism. Each character is defined by the skills that determine their existence within the underworld. The characters proceed with their assignments in workmanlike fashion. Huston's tightly wound script eliminated the pompous flambouancy associated with earlier crime films. Doc's hand picked criminal experts represent blue collar values and commitment. Huston injects virtues such as trust, loyalty, and respect into Doc's criminal circle and simultaneously questions the code of honor among the so called rightousness of society. Emmerich the crooked attorney sums up this dichotomy with a memorable line: ..."There's nothing so different about them (criminals). Crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavor". Morality, an issue in most noir films becomes blurred as Emmerich and a graft accepting detective ( Barry Kelley) become viewed as figures more contemptable than the jewel thieves. Sterling Hayden as Dix Handley delivers one of his most memorable performances. Dix is not just a tough, cardboard, heavy, but a loner trying to ..."Wash this city dirt off me". Huston allows viewers insights into each of the character's personas. The elderstatesman Doc has a queer predilection for nubile young girls. Gus is aware that his pysical deformity limits his access and acceptance into mainstream society. Louie's familial responsibilities and Emmerich's moral disintegration also add to the film's dark aesthetics. The Apsphalt Jungle is one of the premier black and white films ever made. John huston's creative energy is evident in every line and scene. The Asphalt Jungle is American noir film making at its best.