The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

Our rating:

John Huston

Screenplay by Ben Maddow and John Huston; adapted from the novel by W.R. Burnett

Sterling Hayden (Dix Handley)
Louis Calhern (Alonzo Emmerich)
Jean Hagen (Doll Conovan)
James Whitmore (Gus Minissi)
Sam Jaffe (Doc Erwin Riedenschneider)
John McIntire (Commissioner Hardy)
Marc Lawrence (Cobby)
Barry Kelley (Lieutenant Ditrich)
Anthony Caruo (Louis Ciavelli)
Teresa Celli (Maria Ciavelli)
Marilyn Monroe (Angela Phinlay)
William Davis (Timmons)
Dorothy Tree (May Emmerich)
Brad Dexter (Bob Brannom)
John Maxwell (Dr. Swanson)


Sleeping on the job--Marilyn Monroe in action	Nights of the round table--Riedenschneider briefs Dix, Louis and Gus on the heist plan	Dix puts the nightwatchman to sleep

Dix foregrounds Riedenschneider and Emmerich	Doll pressures Dix to let her go with him	Doll and Dix in search of a Happy Meal

Doll, Dix and a helpful passerby compete in a four-legged race

RIEDENSCHNEIDER
One way or another we all work for our vice.

COBBY
I've seen Mister Emmerich operate for twenty years! He handles only the biggest cases He's got two houses, four cars, a half dozen servants--
RIEDENSCHNEIDER
--and one blonde.

RIEDENSCHNEIDER
Experience has taught me never to trust a policeman. Just when you think one's alright he turns legit.

EMMERICH
Crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavour.

COMMISSIONER HARDY
But suppose we had no police force, good or bad? Suppose we had--
(turns off police radios)
--just silence? Nobody to listen, nobody to answer. The battle's finished. The jungle wins. The predatory beasts take over.