Asphalt Jungle, The (1950)

Great film noir by director John Huston, this one featuring actor Sterling Hayden's best performance - his character leads the group of 'specialists' assembled for a heist (he would later play a similar role in director Stanley Kubrick's The Killing (1956)). The crime story is based on a novel by W.R. Burnett (Wake Island (1942)); Huston co-wrote the screenplay with Ben Maddow. The cast, which is outstanding, includes Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore, Sam Jaffe, and even an early appearance by Marilyn Monroe. Huston & Maddow earned an Oscar nomination for their Screenplay, as did Huston for his direction. Harold Rosson's B&W Cinematography was also nominated. Like screenwriter Maddow, actor Jaffe would earn his only Academy recognition for his work on this film; his Doc Riedenschneider character is the mastermind for the jewelry robbery that begins fine, but ends badly when their fence (Calhern) double crosses them.

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