The Asphalt Jungle [1950 film]

Some criminals do a robbery.

2.5/4 (Okay)

The first half is good, up through the heist. The second half is an awkward mix of noir cynicism, and Appeasing The Hays Code: The Movie, with one (1) Marilyn Monroe scene as a consolation prize. (It's worth watching, if only for her delivery of the line "You banana head.")

(Oct. 2021)

Great cast and excellent cinematography, but doesn't quite rise to classic level. As usual in this type of thing, you'll have more sympathy for the criminals (all but one at least). It could do without the Police Commissioner's speech at the end, that's for sure.

Classic urban grittiness in the night.

A crook, Erwin Riemenschneider, often known as "the doctor" is released from prison. The cops see him, but only briefly. They're sure he's up to no good, but can't follow him. "The little doctor" gathers some other crooks around him and pull off an amazing jewel heist. It's almost a perfect crime, but there's a slip up, a gun goes off accidentally, people bleed all over the place,... and so forth. We have all the classic stuff of noir crime novels: corrupt cops, bookies, shyster lawyers, fancy gals, brute thugs, etc. W. R. Burnett's more famous novels were Little Caesar and High Sierra, but I found this movie version much better written and much more engaging than Mervin Leroys LC version and Raoul Walshs HS version.