He hasn’t got enough blood left in him to keep a chicken alive.
Today’s movie is an essential Film-Noir The Asphalt Jungle (1950). This movie was directed by the illustrious John Huston. He also co-wrote the screenplay. iMBD.com has this movie rated at 7.9[1], and I am a little surprised it is so low. Rottentomatoes.com has it at 97 percent on the Tomatometer and 87 percent audience approval[2]. The Czar of Film-Noir Eddie Muller rates this movie as number 15 on his top 25 Film-Noirs[3].
This film was nominated for four Oscars; Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Sam Jaffe, Best Director – John Huston, Best Writing, Screenplay – Ben Maddow and John Huston, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White – Harold Rosson. Some of Rosson’s other cinematographic works include The Wizard of Oz (1939), Command Decision (1948), and the great Robert Mitchum submarine/destroyer battle – The Enemy Below (1957). The film did not win any of the four Oscars for which it was nominated.
This movie spawned a short-lived television show of the same name that featured Jack Warden and William Smith. New York Times Film Critic Bosley Crowther said on June 9, 1950[4]:
“Ever since W. R. Burnett’s “Little Caesar” muscled into films with a quality of arrogance and toughness such as the screen had not previously known, this writer and this type of story—about criminals in the higher realms of crime—have been popular and often imitated, but “Little Caesar” has yet to be surpassed. However, we’ve got to say one thing: a lot of pictures have come close—and one of them is “The Asphalt Jungle,” also from a novel by Mr. Burnett. …directed by Mr. Huston in brilliantly naturalistic style, gives such an electrifying picture of the whole vicious circle of a crime—such an absorbing illustration of the various characters involved, their loyalties and duplicities, and of the minutiae of crime techniques—that one finds it hard to tag the item of repulsive exhibition in itself.
We have a ton of returning actors and a couple of new ones to go over as well.
Actors – The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Returning
The main cast consisted of Sterling Hayden playing the role of a tough hood Dix Handley. Hayden was first covered in Crime of Passion (1957).
Sam Jaffe is pretty amazing as the meticulous planner and ex-con Doc Erwin Riedenschneider. Females are his only vice. Jaffe was first covered in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951).
Louis Calhern is sleaze as hell as Alonzo D. Emmerich or Uncle Lon, a corrupt lawyer. Calhern was briefly covered in Blackboard Jungle (1955).
James Whitmore was solid as hunchback Gus Minissi. Whitmore was covered in Battleground (1949).
Marc Lawrence played Cobby, a successful bookie that got in over his head. Pat Flaherty showed up as an uncredited policeman. Both he and Lawrence first appeared in another Film-Noir, Key Largo (1948).
Another Film-Noir favorite, Brad Dexter played semi-tough guy Bob Brannom. Dexter of The Magnificent Seven (1960) fame was covered in 99 River Street (1953).
Ray Teal covered in The Command (1954) was another uncredited policeman that got slugged by Dix.
Strother Martin was uncredited as William Doldy, a man in a lineup for a narcotics charge which echoes the movie where he was first covered, Hard Times (1975).
New
Jean Hagen played the role of Doll Conovan. She was born in Chicago, the home of the best gangsters, in 1923. Hagen graduated from high school in Indiana and graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in drama. Hagen began working in radio in the later 1940s, and she did a little work on Broadway. Her first film role was as a comical femme fatale in Adam’s Rib (1949) with Hepburn and Tracy. Her first leading role was in The Asphalt Jungle (1950).
One of Hagen’s most famous roles was in ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (1952). In this great musical with Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor, Hagen played an actress that couldn’t make the transition to talkies. In the movie, Debbie Reynold’s character sang for her. However, Reynold’s was really lip-syncing a track that Hagen recorded.
Hagen took a role in the television series “Make Room for Daddy” 1953-1956. She left the show after three years and spent the remainder of her career working mostly in television. She did have supporting roles in films such as Sunrise at Campobello (1960) and Dead Ringer (1964). She became ill in the late 1960s and finally died in 1977 at the very young age of 54.
Marilyn Monroe played girlfriend Angela Phinlay in her first major role. Monroe was born in Los Angeles in 1926. She was born in the charity ward, and her father had already abandoned the family. Her mother, who suffered from mental illness, was in and out of relationships and mental hospitals all through Monroe’s young life. The young Monroe lived in foster homes and orphanages. In 1942, at the age of 16, she married for the first time. Four years later, she was divorced and working as a model. She had already dyed her hair blonde.
Based on her looks, she was signed by 20th Century-Fox. The roles and the films she was given did little to launch her film career, and she returned to modeling. She did a few movies for other companies, but it didn’t amount to much.
In 1950, she made a big splash with appearances in The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and All About Eve (1950). She had a large role in Love Nest (1951) and tried to show her acting chops in Don’t Bother to Knock (1952) with Richard Widmark, but it was not well-liked. However, it is a very interesting movie. She received more credit of Monkey Business (1952) and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). In 1953, she posed nude for the cover of Playboy, and suddenly she could act.
She began playing a version of the same character in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954), River of No Return (1954), and The Seven Year Itch (1955). However, there is one notable exception. If anyone tells you that Marilyn Monroe couldn’t act, have them watch her as a femme fatale in Niagara (1953). She was under studio contract and only made scale wages for this film.
Around 1955, she began missing work and being hard to direct, and as a result, roles became harder to find. She redeemed herself with her performance in Bus Stop (1956), Some Like it Hot (1959), and The Misfits (1961). She wasn’t any easier to work with, and she suffered from bouts of depression and substance abuse. The Misfits (1961) turned out to be her and co-star Clark Gable’s last film.
On August 5, 1962, Monroe was found dead of sleeping pills and booze. She was 36 and had made only 30 movies.
If you haven’t hit the subscribe button yet, this would be a good time to do so.
Story – The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
The police are patrolling an unnamed midwestern town. Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden) is skulking through the city and trying to avoid John Law. The police get a radio call about an armed robber meeting his description. He makes it to a diner run by hunchback Gus Minissi (James Whitmore). Dix immediately hands his gun to Gus who puts it the register. The police come in right behind him and search him for the gun. One of the policemen is Pat Flaherty, who was uncredited. The older officer says they will book him on “vag” which is an old charge, especially down south, where you could pick someone up for not being able to prove that had a job. It was often used against African-Americans during the Jim Crow era.
Downtown they put Dix in a lineup with other two other criminals, Karl Anton Smith (Henry Cordon) and William Doldy (Strother Martin) the later of these on a narcotics charge. The night clerk victim (Frank Cady) of the armed robber was present with a slew of cops including Lt. Ditrich (Barry Kelly). Cady is commonly known as Sam Drucker from the Hooterville Store and Post Office on “Green Acres” 1963-1970. Dix stares down the night clerk, and he refused to ID the criminal.
Lt. Ditrich is called to see the commissioner (John McIntire). The Comish reads him the riot act for the high crime rate. Apparently, Dix is behind most of the crime spree. The Comish asks the location of recently paroled Doc Erwin Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe). The cops have no idea where the notorious criminal is located.
Doc is dropped off by a cab in a shady neighborhood. He knocks on a door and asks to see Cobby (Marc Lawrence). Cobby starts out cold, but when he finds out who Doc is, he is very accommodating. Doc has a heist plan that will bring in half a million, and he needs ten percent for operation. Cobby doesn’t have the money and Doc asks about Alonzo D. Emmerich (Louis Calhern). While Doc waits, he is very interested in the girly calendar on the wall. Dix comes in through the back door. Dix is asking for money to bet as he is already in the hole. Cobby insults Dix about the money. Cobby then tells Doc that Emmerich will meet them that night.
Dix goes back to the diner. Gus won’t give him gun back. Gus says he will cover Dix’s gambling debt. So, he tells Dix to go home. Gus calls and puts the touch on Louis Ciavelli (Anthony Caruso).
Dix is at home when the buzzer rings. His part-time girlfriend, Doll Conovan (Jean Hagen) comes in with a suitcase. She looks like she wants to take the liquor out of his hands. She breaks down crying because she has lost her job at a clip joint. She is a hot mess. He lets her stay but makes it clear that they are not a couple.
Doc, Cobby, and Emmerich meet and go over the plan. Emmerich is a lawyer and not a regular criminal. The Doc needs a Box Man (safecracker), a driver, and a hooligan. Emmerich proposes that he handle getting rid of the loot, rather than going through a fence. After the two others leave, Emmerich creeps on his young girlfriend Angela Phinlay (Marilyn Monroe) who calls him Uncle Lon. Uhhh. Emmerich calls Bob Brannom (Brad Dexter) and says he wants him to collect some debts he has outstanding. So, he is hurting for money.
In the morning, Gus calls for Dix, and Doll takes the message. Dix has been dreaming about riding horses on his Kentucky childhood farm. When he wakes, he tells Doll about the farm and how they lost it after his father died. He tried to get it back but never could gamble or steal enough.
Later Dix pays off Cobby and needles him for calling him out in front of Doc. Doc comes in, and he likes Dix for the hooligan. Apparently, the hooker that Doc spent the night with told him that Emmerich is broke. While they are talking Lt. Ditrich comes in and sees the two. He walks out, and Cobby chases after him. Ditrich is on the take, and he is warning of a raid. Cobby pays him off.
Brannom comes to see Emmerich. Emmerich wife is ill. Brannom comes back without any money. Emmerich admits he is broke and has been living well beyond his means and spending a lot of money on Angela. Emmerich spills the whole plan to Brannom. Emmerich’s plan is to take all of the loot and rip off Doc and the others. He asks Brannom to be his partner for half the take. Brannom wants to get the $50,000 from Cobby.
Back at Cobby’s place, Doc is interviewing safecrackers. The man that gets hired is Louis Ciavelli. Louis recommends Gus from the diner as the wheelman. Doc wants Dix as the hooligan. Doc realizes that the money is not coming from Emmerich.
Doll finds a place and moves out. Dix has mixed feelings about her leaving. She wants to stay, as well. But they can’t commit. Cobby calls Dix to come in for the job.
Doc, Dix, Gus, and Louis meet to go over the plan. Doc has everything worked out. Doc keeps Dix behind to discuss Emmerich. Doc doesn’t trust Emmerich, and he says it is up to him and Dix to get the money after the loot is delivered.
Emmerich is getting ready to leave the country as soon as he steals the loot. His sick wife calls him in gives him the business. She has been sick for a long time and is lonely.
Dix and Louis begin the break-in. Doc and Gus come in another car. Louis drops into the underground, and Dix holds the nitro. Louis breaks through the wall and after turning off the alarm, lets Doc and Dix inside. Louis gets through the electronic eye and outer door before beginning to crack to safe. Doc watches Louis work. Louis says it will take a lot to blow the safe. When he blows the safe, alarms down the street, start ringing. Dix comes in, and they decide to continue on with the job.
Louis gets the safe open as police cars converge on the block. Doc gets the jewels, and the three men head out. When the watchman come through the back door, Dix slugs him. The watchman drops his gun, and it fires hitting Louis. They escape through the underground, taking the wounded man along. Louis wants to go home, but Gus wants to take him to a guy he knows.
Emmerich and Brannom are waiting for the robbers. Brannom is hitting the booze pretty good. Doc and Dix come in with the loot. Dix punches Brannom with his eyes. Emmerich wants a look at the jewels. Emmerich then drops the bomb that he doesn’t have the money. He asks for a few days to get the money. He wants Doc to leave the jewels with him. Brannom pulls a gun. When Doc throws the bag, Dix pulls a gun and shoots Brannom. Dix is hit.
Doc wants Emmerich left alive so he can go to the insurance company and make a deal. Doc and the wounded Dix leave.
Louis’ wife and Gus are trying to care for his wounds but are waiting for a real doctor to come.
Emmerich takes Brannom’s body and dumps it off a bridge.
Back a Cobby’s Dix and Doc are waiting. Cobby is freaking because he has laid out $30,000. Gus calls and tells Dix that they are combing the district looking for the robbers. He tells Dix to go see Eddie Donato by the river. The cops come and pick up Gus.
Dix and Doc hideout with Eddie for a bit. Emmerich has made a deal with the insurance company.
Emmerich is hanging out with sick wife when the police come to see him. They are questioning him about the body of Brannom they found in the river. Brannom had the collection list on Emmerich’s stationery. They ask him for his whereabouts, and he says he was with Angela. After the police leave, he calls Angela and tells her to say that he was with her.
When they put a picture of Doc in the paper, Eddie tries to throw them out. Dix won’t let him. They leave on their own time.
People are coming into the police station to report the location of the criminals.
Dix and Doc head across the rail yard and are stopped by a policeman (Ray Teal). When the cop challenges Doc, Dix beats him down, but not before Doc is hit.
Dix goes straight to Doll’s place. They treat Doc and Doll knows that he is wanted.
The original taxi driver that dropped off Doc comes in and tells that he dropped Doc off at Cobby’s. The Comish calls Lt. Ditrich to raid Cobby’s place. They also get a report about the patrol cop seeing Doc.
Lt. Ditrich tries to get info out of Cobby, but he is working both sides. Ditrich breaks Cobby down with threats of a beating. Cobby says he will rat out Ditrich. The cop gets mad and beats Cobby down until he is ready to fess up.
Emmerich goes to see Angela and says she should take a trip. She’s really happy about the idea. The Comish and a bunch of cops begin knocking on the door. Comish says he is going to arrest Emmerich. Cobby has signed a confession. A detective brings Angela into the main room. Under the threat of jail, Angela breaks Emmerich’s alibi. She asks Emmerich if she still gets her trip.
They let Emmerich make a call to his wife. He begins writing a suicide note but tears it up. He pulls a gun out of a drawer and kills himself.
They take Gus to jail, and he attacks Cobby, who is in another cell.
The police come to arrest Louis, but they are holding his funeral.
Doc is getting ready to leave, and he invites Dix along. Doc’s plan is to take a taxi to Cleveland. Dix gives him a $1,000, and Dix doesn’t want any of the diamonds. Doc gets a taxi, and they start speaking German. The man agrees to take him to Cleveland for a $50 tip.
Doll gets a car, and Dix tries to leave without her. She insists that she go with him and says she will drive. She forces him to take her along. He can’t figure out why she has a flame for him.
Doc and the taxi driver stop in a diner to eat. There is a girl who is dancing to the jukebox. When her dates won’t give her money for the jukebox, Doc gives her money. She dances a special dance for Doc. When she gets close to the window, two cops are looking in. They pick Doc up outside. When they find that his coat is full of diamonds, they know they have the right man.
Dix is slowly dying during the drive. He finally passes out. A railroad man helps her find a doctor and carry Dix inside. The doctor calls in the gunshot wound to the police. Dix gets up and escapes to the car with Doll in tow.
The Comish briefs the press and Lt. Ditrich is being prosecuted as well. He makes a speech about the police keeping the city from turning into a jungle.
Dix drives through the night and makes it to his beloved Kentucky. He is hallucinating and talking as he drives. They make it to the farm and Dix walks into the pasture followed by Doll. He drops dead, and the horses check him out.
World-Famous Short Summary – The best-laid plans of mice and men
Beware the moors
[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042208/
[2] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/asphalt_jungle
[3] http://www.eddiemuller.com/top25noir.html
[4] https://www.nytimes.com/1950/06/09/archives/the-screen-three-new-films-on-local-scene-british-movie-rocking.html
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.