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Thursday, February 25, 2016

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE 1950 (TCM VIEWING)

John Huston directed this film noir gem.

Sterling Hayden stars as Dix Handley who has recently been released from prison. Dix is down on his luck so he is enlisted by another criminal named Erwin "Doc" Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) to be a gunman in a heist of a million dollars in jewels.

Everything goes well in the actual robbery, but too many small mistakes and double crosses and everything comes unraveled and falls apart. Everyone involved in the robbery is either arrested or killed.

Dix is wounded by a cop who recognizes him and he desparately tries to get back to the family farm he remembers so well as a child. This is a very good and tight film that John Huston handles like a pro his first time out.

The cast also includes Jean Hagen as Dix's former girlfriend who still loves him, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore as Gus, John McIntire as the Police Commissioner, Marc Lawrence and Marilyn Monroe.

Just a damn well made film and one that shouldn't be missed.

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