The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
- Starring:
- Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, (more)
- Director(s):
- John Huston
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NR
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The Asphalt Jungle is a brilliantly conceived and executed anatomy of a crime -- or, as director John Huston and scripter Ben Maddow put it, "a left-handed form of human endeavor." Recently paroled master criminal Erwin "Doc" Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe), with funding from crooked attorney Emmerich (Louis Calhern), gathers several crooks together in Cincinnati for a Big Caper. Among those involved are Dix (Sterling Hayden), an impoverished hood who sees the upcoming jewel heist as a means to finance his dream of owning a horse farm. Hunch-backed cafe owner (James Whitmore) is hired on to be the driver for the heist; professional safecracker Louis Ciavelli (Anthony Caruso) assembles the tools of his trade; and a bookie (Marc Lawrence) acts as Emmerich's go-between. The robbery is pulled off successfully, but an alert night watchman shoots Ciavelli. Corrupt cop (Barry Kelley), angry that his "patsy" (Lawrence) didn't let him in on the caper, beats the bookie into confessing and fingering the other criminals involved. From this point on, the meticulously planned crime falls apart with the inevitability of a Greek tragedy. Way down on the cast list is Marilyn Monroe in her star-making bit as Emmerich's sexy "niece"; whenever The Asphalt Jungle would be reissued, Monroe would figure prominently in the print ads as one of the stars. The Asphalt Jungle was based on a novel by the prolific W.R. Burnett, who also wrote Little Caesar and Saint Johnson (the fictionalized life story of Wyatt Earp). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 112 mins
Complete Cast:
- Sterling Hayden - Dix Handley
- James Whitmore - Gus Ninissi
- Sam Jaffe - Doc Erwin Riedenschneider
- John McIntire - Police Commissioner Hardy
- Barry Kelley - Lt. Ditrich
- Teresa Celli - Maria Ciavelli
- Dorothy Tree - May Emmerich
- John Maxwell - Dr. Swanson
- James Seay - Officer Janocek
- Kerry O'Day - Girl
- Bill Washington - Suspect
- Joseph Darr Smith - Reporter
- Pat Flaherty - Policeman
- Wilson Wood - Man
- Alex Gerry - Maxwell
- Strother Martin - Karl Anton Smith
- Howard Mitchell - Secretary
- Judith Wood - Woman
- Raymond Roe - Tallboy
- Sol (Saul) Gorss - Policeman
- Fred Graham - Truck Driver
- Henry Corden - William Doldy
- Louis Calhern - Alonzo D. Emmerich
- Jean Hagen - Doll Conovan
- Marilyn Monroe - Angela Phinlay
- Marc Lawrence - Cobby
- Anthony Caruso - Louis Ciavelli
- Wee Willie Davis - Timmons
- Brad Dexter - Bob Brannen
- Frank Cady - Night Clerk
- Ralph Dunn - Policeman
- Patricia Miller - Girl
- Henry Rowland - Franz Schurz
- Don Haggerty - Detective Andrews
- John Cliff - Policeman
- Tom Browne Henry - James X. Connery
- Tim Ryan - Jack; Police Clerk
- Ray Teal - Policeman
- Helene Stanley - Jeannie
- Alberto Morin - Eddie Donato
- Eloise Hardt - Vivian
- Benny Burt - Driver
- Jack Shea - Policeman
- Director(s):
- John Huston
- Writer(s):
- Ben Maddow, John Huston
- Producer(s):
- Arthur Hornblow, Jr.
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NR(Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Violence)
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1950 - The Asphalt Jungle - National Board of Review - Best Director
- 1950 - The Asphalt Jungle - Venice International Film Festival - International Prize for Best Actor
