IMDb > The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
The Asphalt Jungle
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The Asphalt Jungle (1950) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

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7.9/10   12,724 votes »
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Down 65% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
John Huston
Writers:
Ben Maddow (screen play) and
John Huston (screen play) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Asphalt Jungle on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 May 1950 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Crime | Film-Noir | Drama See more »
Tagline:
The City Under the City
Plot:
A major heist goes off as planned, until bad luck and double crosses cause everything to unravel. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 8 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(47 articles)
‘The Big Sleep’ is saved from the depths of incomprehension by Bogart and Bacall
 (From SoundOnSight. 19 April 2013, 4:21 PM, PDT)
‘The Big Sleep’ is saved from the depths of incomprehension by Philip Marlowe
 (From SoundOnSight. 19 April 2013, 1:25 PM, PDT)
'The Wizard of Oz' - Paused
 (From Rope Of Silicon. 6 March 2013, 11:00 AM, PST)
User Reviews:
One of the very best heist films ever See more (107 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Sterling Hayden ... Dix Handley

Louis Calhern ... Alonzo D. Emmerich

Jean Hagen ... Doll Conovan

James Whitmore ... Gus Minissi

Sam Jaffe ... Doc Erwin Riedenschneider

John McIntire ... Police Commissioner Hardy

Marc Lawrence ... Cobby
Barry Kelley ... Lt. Ditrich

Anthony Caruso ... Louis Ciavelli
Teresa Celli ... Maria Ciavelli

Marilyn Monroe ... Angela Phinlay
William 'Wee Willie' Davis ... Timmons (as William Davis)
Dorothy Tree ... May Emmerich

Brad Dexter ... Bob Brannom
John Maxwell ... Dr. Swanson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Mary Anderson ... Police Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited)
Ray Bennett ... Detective in Hardy's Office (uncredited)
David Bond ... Father Sortine (uncredited)
Benny Burt ... Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Harry G. Butcher ... Police Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited)

Frank Cady ... Night Clerk (uncredited)
Jean Carter ... Woman (uncredited)
Mack Chandler ... Gambler (uncredited)

David Clarke ... Mr. Atkinson - Railroad Man (uncredited)
John Cliff ... Policeman (uncredited)
Harry Cody ... Gambler (uncredited)

Henry Corden ... Karl Anton Smith (uncredited)
Chuck Courtney ... Red - Boy in Diner (uncredited)
John Crawford ... Reporter (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn ... Policeman (uncredited)
Gene Evans ... Policeman at Ciavelli's Apartment (uncredited)

Pat Flaherty ... Policeman (uncredited)
Alex Gerry ... Maxwell (uncredited)
Sol Gorss ... Policeman (uncredited)
Fred Graham ... Truck Driver (uncredited)
William Haade ... Bill - Cop (uncredited)
Don Haggerty ... Det. Andrews (uncredited)
Eloise Hardt ... Vivian (uncredited)
Thomas Browne Henry ... James X. Connery (uncredited)
Wesley Hopper ... Policeman (uncredited)
George Lynn ... Detective at Ciavelli's Apartment (uncredited)
Ethel Lyons ... Police Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited)
Fred Marlow ... Reporter (uncredited)

Strother Martin ... William Doldy (uncredited)
Patricia Miller ... Girl (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell ... Secretary (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery ... Counterman (uncredited)
Alberto Morin ... Eddie Donato (uncredited)
Kerry O'Day ... Girl (uncredited)
Raymond Roe ... Tallboy (uncredited)
Henry Rowland ... Frank Schurz (uncredited)
Tim Ryan ... Jack - Police Clerk (uncredited)
James Seay ... Officer Janocek (uncredited)
Jack Shea ... Policeman (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock ... Gambler (uncredited)
J. Lewis Smith ... Gambler (uncredited)
J.J. Smith ... Police Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited)
Joseph Darr Smith ... Reporter (uncredited)
Helene Stanley ... Jeannie - Girl in Diner (uncredited)
Jack Stoney ... Policeman (uncredited)

Ray Teal ... Policeman (uncredited)
Leah Wakefield ... Girl (uncredited)
Harlan Warde ... Reporter (uncredited)

Jack Warden ... Bit Role (uncredited)
William Washington ... Suspect (uncredited)
Constance Weiler ... Woman (uncredited)
Judith Wood ... Woman (uncredited)
Victor Wood ... Evans (uncredited)
Wilson Wood ... Man (uncredited)
Jeff York ... Policeman (uncredited)
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Directed by
John Huston 
 
Writing credits
Ben Maddow (screen play) and
John Huston (screen play)

W.R. Burnett (from a novel by)

Produced by
Arthur Hornblow Jr. .... producer
 
Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa  (as Miklos Rozsa)
 
Cinematography by
Harold Rosson (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
George Boemler 
 
Art Direction by
Randall Duell 
Cedric Gibbons 
 
Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis 
 
Makeup Department
Jack Dawn .... makeup creator
Sydney Guilaroff .... hair styles designer
Lou LaCava .... makeup artist (uncredited)
Elaine Ramsey .... hair stylist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Lee Katz .... production manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Greenwood .... assistant director (uncredited)
Frank E. Myers .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Jack D. Moore .... associate set decorator
 
Sound Department
Douglas Shearer .... recording supervisor
Robert B. Lee .... sound recordist (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Lloyd Isbell .... grip (uncredited)
P.R. Keeler .... gaffer (uncredited)
S.C. Manatt .... still photographer (uncredited)
Robert Martin .... camera operator (uncredited)
Andrew J. McIntyre .... assistant camera (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff .... costume jeweller (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Eugene Zador .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Other crew
John Banse .... script supervisor (uncredited)
Leslie H. Martinson .... script supervisor (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
"The Asphalt Jungle (The City Under the City)" - USA (poster title)
See more »
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
112 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | German
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1950) | USA:Approved (PCA #14357) | West Germany:16 (nf) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Hungary:14 | Canada:PG (video rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1992) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Argentina:Atp
Filming Locations:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USASee more »
Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)See more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Film debut of Strother Martin.See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Mr. Ciavelli was inside of a long narrow tunnel. He chisels through the thin brick wall of the tunnel and goes inside of a room, and along that same wall is a door leading upstairs. On the other side of the wall, there was no evidence of a door.See more »
Quotes:
Angela Phinlay:I had the market send over some salt mackerel for you. I know how you love it for breakfast.
Alonzo D. Emmerich:[Looks at her approvingly] Some sweet kid.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Smash: Pilot (#1.1)" (2012)See more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
26 out of 37 people found the following review useful.
One of the very best heist films ever, 22 August 2005
Author: MisterWhiplash from United States

In one of John Huston's best told stories as a director, Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden) gets involved with a group of jewel thieves in on a deal to score half a million dollars in the Midwest. But things get complicated, as they usually do, but in some unexpected ways. This is a crime story that has 'film-noir' written all over it, with stark, striking cinematography (some great close-ups of Hayden in a few key moments), slick, bare-bones direction from Huston, and the best cast of character actors one could hope to see- Hayden is terrific as Handley, a kind of archetype for the tough guy in many hard-boiled crime stories; Jaffee and Calhern are perfect as the Doc Riedenschneider, quirky but smart mastermind behind the caper, and the scheming rich man Emmerich fronting the money for the caper. Marilyn Monroe, in her first scenes in any movie, is a highlight as well as the sort of ditsy dame of the story. The climax is a knockout, and the robbery scenes themselves are quite tense, but the details leading up to the robbery and the aftermath are the best parts.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Where does this movie take place? mreid1949
This movie is painful to watch ilikethemoneypit
Call Me Crazy but.... wilchbla-560-905547
Reminds Me of Two Other Movies wilchbla-560-905547
Who did gus try to strangle in jail? Turophile
Jack Warden? chermo11
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