- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
| Sterling Hayden | Dix Handley |
| Louis Calhern | Alonzo D. Emmerich |
| James Whitmore | Gus Ninissi |
| Jean Hagen | Doll Conovan |
| Sam Jaffe | Doc Erwin Riedenschneider |
| John McIntire | Police Commissioner Hardy |
| Marilyn Monroe | Angela Phinlay |
| Marc Lawrence | Cobby |
| Barry Kelley | Lt. Ditrich |
| Anthony Caruso | Louis Ciavelli |
| Teresa Celli | Maria Ciavelli |
| Wee Willie Davis | Timmons |
| Dorothy Tree | May Emmerich |
| Brad Dexter | Bob Brannen |
| John Maxwell | Dr. Swanson |
| Benny Burt | Driver |
| Frank Cady | Night Clerk |
| John Cliff | Policeman |
| Henry Corden | William Doldy |
| Ralph Dunn | Policeman |
| Pat Flaherty | Policeman |
| Alex Gerry | Maxwell |
| Sol (Saul) Gorss | Policeman |
| Fred Graham | Truck Driver |
| Don Haggerty | Detective Andrews |
| Eloise Hardt | Vivian |
| Tom Browne Henry | James X. Connery |
| Strother Martin | Karl Anton Smith |
| Patricia Miller | Girl |
| Howard Mitchell | Secretary |
| Alberto Morin | Eddie Donato |
| Kerry O'Day | Girl |
| Raymond Roe | Tallboy |
| Henry Rowland | Franz Schurz |
| Tim Ryan | Jack; Police Clerk |
| James Seay | Officer Janocek |
| Jack Shea | Policeman |
| Joseph Darr Smith | Reporter |
| Helene Stanley | Jeannie |
| Ray Teal | Policeman |
| Bill Washington | Suspect |
| Judith Wood | Woman |
| Wilson Wood | Man |
| John Huston | Director, Screenwriter |
| George Boemler | Editor |
| Jack Dawn | Makeup |
| Randall Duell | Art Director |
| Cedric Gibbons | Art Director |
| Arthur Hornblow Jr. | Producer |
| Ben Maddow | Screenwriter |
| Jack D. Moore | Set Decoration/Design |
| Harold Hal Rosson | Cinematographer |
| Miklós Rózsa | Score Composer |
| Douglas Shearer | Sound/Sound Designer |
| Edwin B. Willis | Set Decoration/Design |
Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
After watching The Asphalt Jungle, one can see that this kind of film noir is what inspired the modern great Pulp Fiction. Gritty, seedy realism in black and white, in a city where not everything, or everyone, is as it seems. Ominous and suffocating, The Asphalt Jungle is dark, ambigous, and an absolutely compelling film.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
The disquieting urban landscape and deeply disturbed motley crew of spurious characters that populate ¿The Asphalt Jungle¿ make the film one of the essential destinations for fans of film noir. The films artfully gritty atmosphere is perhaps its best selling feature, though, truth be told, there is nothing about the production that is second rate. Basically, it¿s a jewel heist caper gone horribly wrong but carried off with such panache and attention to detail by director, John Huston that one has to admire both the economy of plot and depth of characters fleshed out within the context of two hours. Huston¿s great knack for extolling unusual and breakthrough performances from his ensemble is working overtime on this occasion. While we might be used to seeing Sam Jaffe as a nefarious rogue (here, he¿s Doc, the criminal mastermind with a weakness for hoop earrings and tight skirts), the extraordinary off kilter performance of Louis Calhern ¿ as middle aged fencer, Ennrich/sugar daddy to Marilyn Monroe, is so menacing in its undertone, that one wishes the actor had been given the opportunity to play more such parts. There is nothing cartoonish or cliché about any of the characters in the film. Sterling Hayden¿s particularly powerful as Dix Handley, the tense enforcer of the group. This is a story about out of control people losing control of their lives. Huston captures the immediacy of these tragic lives and the overwhelming sense of doom. As one might expect, it ends badly for all concerned though, within the context of this review I won¿t say exactly how. The transfer on ¿The Asphalt Jungle¿ is better than average, though it¿s not perfect. The gray scale has a richly balanced look with deep solid blacks and clean whites. On occasion grain looks heavier than it should and contrast levels seem a tad low. Still, this DVD is considerable improvement over previously issued VHS tapes. Age related artifacts are present but do not terribly distract. The audio is mono but nicely balanced. The more intent listener will notice some hiss but nothing that will distract. Drew Casper provides the audio commentary here. There are a few inserts of audio from James Whitmore that will most surely enhance your appreciation for this film. All in all, another good disc to add to your library of classic film noir.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
John Huston does a great job. His direction is flawless. It cannot be topped. Sterling Hayden looked the part exactly. This was a great film with excellent potential.
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