John Huston directed this film that at the time of it's release flopped and yet has, over the years, garnered a cult following and is now recognized as a modern American classic.
Sterling Hayden stars as Dix Handley, a small time crook who is always in trouble with the law. A criminal mastermind named Erwin "Doc" Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) is released from jail and immediately seeks other for the largest criminal heist in history.
Dix is chosen as well as Gus Minissi (James Whitmore), Louis Ciavelli (Anthony Caruso). Crooked attorney Alonzo Emmerich (Louis Calhern) offers to hide the entire stash of diamonds and other jewelry and then dispose of it for everyone.
The heist goes off, but not as planned when Ciavelli is shot and Dix is wounded. From this point on, nothing seems to ge right as everything comes unraveled. Alonzo is planning to keep all the jewels with the help of his friend and private detective Bob Brannum (Brad Dexter). He needs the money because he is broke and yet must take care of his very young mistress, Angela (Marilyn Monroe).
There are a hell of a lot of double crosses and back stabbing in this film and we are shown a lot of the characters and their hangups. What I mean by this is Doc is arrested while watching a young woman dance in a bar,and that is Doc's one hangup...young women. Alonzo has a loving but sickly wife but he would rather pay attention to a beautiful young mistress named Angela. These are the kinds of faults that bring the characters to a violent end.
This is a film that shouldn't be missed and is also available on Blu-ray from Criterion. I haven't seen that version yet, but someday maybe. The rest of the cast includes Jean Hagen, John McIntire, Marc Lawrence and Barry Kelly.
The ending to the film is a bittersweet one of loneliness, despair and long harbored love. It's a classic all right. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
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