The Asphalt Jungle

Directed by: John Huston
Screenplay by: Ben Maddow, John Huston

Based on the book by: W.R. Burnett

Cinematography by: Harold Rosson

Editor: George Boemler

Cast: Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern and Jean Hagen

Year: 1950

Watching this for the first time, a little voice in the back of my head kept saying, "Wow, that spunky young blonde actress is such a Marilyn Monroe look-alike, it's just uncanny." Being the complete moron that I am, I never realized that it actually WAS in fact MARILYN MONROE in this film! (DUH!) In my defence, the rendering of her on the poster/DVD cover looks absolutely NOTHING like her and she is only about 24 at the time.

John Huston was a great director (and actor) and this film is very good despite the frequent moralizing and one dimensional characters who pop up every so often who prevent it from being a true classic like 'Treasure of the Sierra Madre'.

Anyhow, being the granddaddy of all the caper flicks ever made, I was willing to overlook all the clichés and enjoy it (although Stanley Kubrick's 'The Killing' is a much more artfully crafted film and Dassin's 'Rififi' has much more interesting cast of crooks.) One thing is for sure, Sterling Hayden sure is one bad mother.

P.S. I still can't get over it, that was Marilyn Monroe! I'm an idiot...

3.5 out of 5