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The Naked City (1948)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
4 March 1948 (USA)
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Tagline:
The Soul of a City - HER GLORY STRIPPED! HER PASSIONS BARED! (re-release print ad - many caps) more
Plot:
Amid a semi-documentary portrait of New York and its people, Jean Dexter, an attractive blonde model...
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| full synopsis
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars.
Another 1 win
&
4 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
There’s got to be a Fake Porno Title in There -- Dellamorte reviews The French Connection and French Connection II on Blu-ray
(From Collider.com. 4 March 2009)
Spring Preview: A Repertory Calendar for the Coasts
(From IFC. 18 February 2009, 2:17 PM, PST)
(From Collider.com. 4 March 2009)
Spring Preview: A Repertory Calendar for the Coasts
(From IFC. 18 February 2009, 2:17 PM, PST)
User Comments:
The merging of Film Noir with a realistic police drama
more (49 total)
Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Barry Fitzgerald | ... | Det. Lt. Dan Muldoon | |
| Howard Duff | ... | Frank Niles | |
| Dorothy Hart | ... | Ruth Morrison | |
| Don Taylor | ... | Det. Jimmy Halloran | |
| Frank Conroy | ... | Capt. Donahue | |
| Ted de Corsia | ... | Willie Garzah aka Willie the Harmonica | |
| House Jameson | ... | Dr. Stoneman | |
| Anne Sargent | ... | Mrs. Halloran | |
| Adelaide Klein | ... | Mrs. Paula Batory | |
| Grover Burgess | ... | Mr. Batory | |
| Tom Pedi | ... | Det. Perelli | |
| Enid Markey | ... | Mrs. Edgar Hylton | |
| Mark Hellinger | ... | Narrator (voice) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
96 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Both Paul Ford and John Randolph were working on the New York stage in the hit drama "Command Decision" (which itself would be produced by MGM as a Clark Gable vehicle) when they appeared in this film, which was shot on location in the city.
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Goofs:
Continuity: When Muldoon and Halloran first question Ruth Morrison's mom, there are 4 or 5 78 RPM records on the couch she is standing behind. When she and Holloran sit down, the records are no where in sight.
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Quotes:
Willie Garza:
Thought you were off the liquor. Liquor is bad. Weakens your character. How can a man like me trust a liar like you? I can't.
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Movie Connections:
References High Conquest (1947)
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FAQ
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This film is in many ways a good example of Film Noir--since it portrays a murder and its investigation, has a classic Noir-style ending and has some very "dark" story elements. However, unlike traditional Film Noir, the dialog and lighting are much more like a traditional film--less snappy dialog and more of an emphasis on conventional police work. This is NOT really a bad thing, as the film still was very entertaining but with a lighter and almost documentary feel to it and with a greater emphasis on the police work instead of on the sleazy Noir villains. In fact, since the film focused on the police and the day to day aspects of the investigation, it helped to usher in a style of film making that would be very popular in the 1950s on TV and in theaters (such as the show DRAGNET or the movie HE WALKED BY NIGHT).
The film itself stars Barry Fitzgerald. This is a VERY unusual casting decision but it did work very well. Normally, Fitzgerald is known for cute supporting roles, like the ones he played in GOING MY WAY and THE QUIET MAN. Here, however, he's a detective who coordinates the investigation. I liked it this way because he was far from the macho cop but more like a REAL policeman--experienced, smart and not about to resort to a fist fight with his foes--avoiding the usual movie clichés to say the least! In addition, the rest of the cast also seem more like real policemen when compared to other films of the time. The criminals, likewise, seem real and aren't obviously "bad" like they usually are in crime films--again a big plus.
So overall, this is a very realistic and engaging crime film with elements of Noir but certainly NOT the traditional style for the genre (the familiar Noir dialog, lighting, film angles, femme fatales, etc. are missing because they wouldn't be appropriate). It may disappoint some die-hard Noir fans, but for me it was quite acceptable and a good change of pace.