The Asphalt Jungle

• Directed by John Huston
• May 12, 1950
• Based on the 1949 novel The Asphalt Jungle by W. R. Burnett

A jewel robbery in a nondescript Midwestern city happens as planned but double crosses and greed undo it all.

John Huston was perhaps one of the darkest directors of his time. He could era appropriate downbeat and dark in a way other directors then could not. He was a true artist able to make gripping and nuanced stories with shades of gray that rival what is done today.

In that spirit came The Asphalt Jungle. It is a movie that takes his time. Not in a boring way either. It is to build the story and make it matter. Huston little need to be flashy or stylized in this character study.

This focused on the criminals over the police. Jungle is study of the planning and execution of a crime and how it unravels presented in a realistic way. Mistakes by the crooks and internal betrayals wreck the perfect crime with the final blow being solid police work and the occasional lucky break in a taut script.

Sterling Hayden is probably my least favorite performer in this. As crook Dix Handley (sounds like a porn name) he is more irritated than dangerous. Hayden is a name I have long known but 9 to 5 aside, this is the second movie I recall seeing him in. His style was more suited for cop than thug.

This has a relatively decent number of characters and gives enough to major and minor ones to let them breathe and develop. It is character driven and not action or message driven though I did see hints of a message. For me it is unmistakable.

Two messages in fact-‘crime doesn’t pay’ and ‘be a good person.’ Each criminal or generally corrupt person gets their comeuppance. Lawyer Alonzo D. Emmerich (Louis Calhern) jumps out at me. He is a philandering scumbag that loves his wife May (Dorothy Tree) but has genuine affection for his mistress Angela played by Marilyn Monroe in a small yet scene-stealing part. What strikes me is the open disgust other characters have over him because he is involved with a woman young enough to be his granddaughter. Age gap first with his crimes second. I cannot fathom that happening today.

Another thief “Doc” Erwin Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) is well on his way to safety when he lingers just a little too long to ogle a girl he has given a bunch of nickels to play the jukebox. Pervert! And Dix Handley? He’s getting medical attention and leaves but succumbs to his wounds, while being nuzzled by a horse.

Sterling Hayden aside, performances are nuanced or understated. This is less a procedural and more a character study. Nothing outlandish but instead a look at those involved and what the crime does to those around them. We have corrupt cops and semi honorable thieves, and good cops and innocent civilians. It’s an interesting dramatic mix.

A few things may be noticeable to modern audiences like crimes committed in suits and the proliferation of hats or the general chain-smoking that could account for the occasional bit of haze. I found it a little laughable when the guy who had chiseled the wall got through a hole with his hat on. Seems like a cumbersome outfit for that.

I don’t think the Midwestern town this occurs in ever gets named and if it does, it is not name dropped frequently enough to be recalled. This allows the viewer to feel the story is happening near them. Or could. It becomes Anycity, USA.

Black and white noir can use light and shadow in a very effective way color films cannot. Huston highlights menace and danger with striking contrasts or the calmer moments with effective lighting. Moments of caring or concern or fear and so much more become greater by the stark contrast of light and shadow.

John Huston’s hand guided a quiet yet gripping film involving criminals in The Asphalt Jungle. A treat for classic film fans.