The classic TV series gets an auspicious sendoff in this simple yet distinctive opener. It's designed to set the scene for the central characters as well as providing an exciting standoff against the criminals.
I've recently been watching the complete series of both "Combat!" and "Route 66", and was surprised to see that "Naked City" was so influential. A young criminal is Puerto Rican and we're introduced to him and his family, speaking Spanish that is untranslated -just as "Combat!" years later featured German and French dialogue regularly, and without subtitles. First episode was written by Stirling Silliphant, creator of "Route 66:, and the filming on location in New York City preceded the later series groundbreaking travels all over America instead of shooting on the studio backlot, both series produced by Herbert Leonard.
Leonard also narrates, colorful in showing NYC. Setting is Columbus Circle, with a robbery of a small shop on West 58th St., and then a shootout in the NY Coliseum (then new, but since torn down and replaced with the Time-Warner Center a/k/a Deutsche Bank Center).
The location photography is excellent and Irish captain John McIntire and boyish newbie plainclothes detective James Franciscus are empathetic heroes, latter with a typically wholesome '50s family.
I've recently been watching the complete series of both "Combat!" and "Route 66", and was surprised to see that "Naked City" was so influential. A young criminal is Puerto Rican and we're introduced to him and his family, speaking Spanish that is untranslated -just as "Combat!" years later featured German and French dialogue regularly, and without subtitles. First episode was written by Stirling Silliphant, creator of "Route 66:, and the filming on location in New York City preceded the later series groundbreaking travels all over America instead of shooting on the studio backlot, both series produced by Herbert Leonard.
Leonard also narrates, colorful in showing NYC. Setting is Columbus Circle, with a robbery of a small shop on West 58th St., and then a shootout in the NY Coliseum (then new, but since torn down and replaced with the Time-Warner Center a/k/a Deutsche Bank Center).
The location photography is excellent and Irish captain John McIntire and boyish newbie plainclothes detective James Franciscus are empathetic heroes, latter with a typically wholesome '50s family.