The Naked City (1948)

Director:

Jules Dassin

Writers:

Malvin Wald (story) and
Albert Maltz (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 March 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The Soul of a City - HER GLORY STRIPPED! HER PASSIONS BARED! (re-release print ad - many caps)

Plot:

Amid a semi-documentary portrait of New York and its people, Jean Dexter, an attractive blonde model...

Plot Keywords:

New York | Detective | Murder | Police | Investigation

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

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)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (cut) | Norway:16 | West Germany:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

City Morgue, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Hellinger Productions

Trivia:

Most of the street scenes were shot on location in New York without the public's knowledge. Photographer William H. Daniels and his uncredited assistant Roy Tripp filmed people on the streets using a hidden camera from the back of an old moving van. A juggler was hired to distract the crowds.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where New York's East Side is being introduced, a set of headlights can be seen appearing and disappearing near the center of the shot.

Quotes:

Muldoon: What can you tell me about Mr. Niles' Business?
Perelli: He ain't got a business. It's a dodge. No credit rating. Dropped from his university club for non-payment of dues. Still owes a food and liquor bill of hundred and ten dollars and eighty three cents.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Munsters: Movie Star Munster (#1.28)" (1965)

Wears well after all these years

After a half century, Naked City still stands out as one of the best on-location movies filmed in New York City. It wasn't all that unique -- quite a few movies were filmed on location in the city back then. (A 1950 movie called "Side Street," which actually has a more interesting plot, also was filmed entirely on location and aped the narration bookends.) What makes this one different is the use of locations, which has never been better. Also this one had very strong performances, particularly from Barry Fitzgerald. Dig the way he steals every scene he's in.