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The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

 

Remake under the title "Cool Breeze" (1972).

 

Posters

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Johnny Hyde put a big pressure in order to obtain a part for Marilyn in this detective movie which marked the cinema history because it was the first movie telling the story from the criminal point of view.

Written and directed by John Huston, this movie was acclaimed by the critics and obtained 4 nominations to the Academy Awards.

Hyde was right to insist : this part was done for Marilyn. 

In the novel on which the movie is based on, the author W.R.Burnett described the character of Angela Phinlay like this : " A voluptuous body, with something in the walk, both nonchalant, carefree and with a insolent assurance, which can't be ignored".

Marilyn perfectly paid her part off in the three short scenes where she appeared, adding grace and assurance to the character of a sensual woman, vulnerable and childish. In the final scene, achieved in only 2 shots, she went through a whole range of feelings : while she was questionned by the police, her loyalty falls little by little and causes the tragic end of the movie.

Marilyn considered this part as her best performance, and it was certainly the first one to which she had the feeling she could be proud of.
At the end, after the last scene, she told Natasha Lytess : " I don't know what I've done, but I know that I've done it well".

 
Only one of her biographers thinks that she obtained the part neither thanks to her audition, nor thanks to Hyde's pressure, but because Huston had been the victim of a friendly "blackmail". Huston, excellent rider, had put his horses in livery in a ranch owned by John Carroll and Lucille Ryman. Those ones, during the previous year, had financially supported Marilyn and had helped her to manage her contracts. Because Huston owed important sums to Ryman, she threatened him to sell his stallions to make up his debt... unless he gave the part to Marilyn.

Shooting

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black dress 

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grey suit

Off set

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Publicity pictures

Black dress, earrings

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black dress, necklace 

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Velvet dress  

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grey suit -,,

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with other actors ;--;-;

 

CREDIT

MGM, black & white.

Runtime : 112 mn.

Release date : May 23, 1950.

 

Director : John Huston.

Producer : Arthur Hornblow Jr.

Screenplay : John Huston and Ben Maddow, based on a W.R.Burnett novel.

Director of photography : Harold Rosson.

Music : HaroFilm.

Film editing : George Boemler.

 

CAST

Sterling Hayden - Dix Handley

Louis Calhern - Alonzo D.Emmerich

Jean Hagen - Doll Conovan

James Whitmore - Gus Minissi

Sam Jaffe - Doc Riedenschneider

John McIntire - Police commissionner Hardy 

Marc Lawrence - "Cobby" Cobb

Barry Kelley - Lt Ditrich

Anthony Caruso - Louis Ciavelli

Teresa Celli - Maria Ciavelli

Marilyn Monroe - Angela Phinlay

Willima B.Davis - Timmons

Dorothy Tree - May Emmerich

Brad Dexter - Bob Brannom

John Maxwell - Dr Swanson

Benny Burt - taxi driver

Frank Cady - night clerk

Jean Carter - woman

John Cliff - policeman

Henry Corden - William Dodly

Charles Courtney - Red

Ralph Dunn - policeman

Pat Flaherty - policeman

Alex Gerry - Maxwell

Sol Gorss - policeman

Fred Graham - truck driver

Don Haggerty - Det. Andrews

Eloise Hardt - Vivian

Thomas Browne Henry - James X. Connery

David Hydes - Evans

Fred Marlow - reporter

Strother Martin - Karl Anton Smith

Patricia Miller - girl

Howard Mitchell - secretary

Alberto Morin - Eddie Donato

Kerry O'Day - girl

Raymond Roe - Tallboy

Henry Rowland - Frank Schurtz

Tim Ryan - Jack, police clerk

James Seay - officer Janocek

Jack Shea - policeman

Joseph Darr Smith - reporter

Helene Stanley - Jeannie

Ray Teal - policeman

Leah Wakefiled - girl

William Washington - suspect

Constance Weiler - woman

Judith Wood - woman

Wilson Wood - man.

 

TECHNICAL CREW

Jack Dawn - make-up

Randall Duell - art director 

Cedric Gibbons - art director 

Sidney Guilaroff - hairdresser

Jack D.Moore - set decorator

Douglas Shearer - sound

Edwin B. Willis - set decorator.

SYNOPSIS

Betrayal and lie make a meticulously organized heist faill.

Doc Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe), a burglar veteran, comes out of jail and immediately plans to rob a jewelry store with handpicked accomplices.

The operation is financed by a bookmaker named Cobby (Marc Lawrence).

The stolen jewels will be sell on to a known lawyer, above suspicion, Alonzo D. Emmerich (Louis Calhern), who will serve as a screen.

This last one manages to make the case plausible with the help of his mistress Angela Phinlay (Marilyn Monroe), he passes as her niece.

Actually they are preparing to pass the burglars.

The heist set very well until the alarm release. The gun of one of the guards falls on the ground, shots and injures one of the burglars.

At Emmerich's home, Doc realizes that the lawyer lies when he pretends not having any money for the jewels; a fight follows and Emmerich's henchman dies.

The police discovers the body which allows to find the rest of the gang.

In this moral story perfectly tied up, none of the bandit gets off... except Angels, who decides to redeem herself and precipitate the arrest of her sugar daddy.

NOMINATIONS

At the Academy Awards

- Best Cinematography Black and White : Harold Rosson

- Best Director : John Huston

- Best Actor in a Supporting Role : Sam Jaffe

- Best Screenplay : John Huston, Ben Maddow.

 

At the British Academy Awards

- Best Film.

 

AWARDS

At the Venice Film Festival

- Best Actor : Sam Jaffe.

 

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