'The Asphalt Jungle' Is Strong Film-Noir

When I see a significant classic of the Film-Noir genre it just blows me away. Last night I watched 'The Asphalt Jungle,' a fascinating film directed by the great one, John Huston. This sterling work (released in 1950) is a good primer on what good caper cinematic material should be all about. A giant heist goes off kilter and the people of the story go more and more intensely psychological on us. The skill of the writers is sensational because this is not just another simple cops and tough guys movie. The cynics might not like some aspects because in a bizarre way the mean ones seem strongly full of soul. There is a lilting kind of profound Joycean stream-of-consciousness about 'Asphalt.' The performances of Sam Jaffe, Sterling Hayden, Jean Hagen and a very young Marilyn Monroe are vividly accomplished. Marilyn Monroe is a shiny, gorgeous woman in this story. Perhaps one of the more interesting guys in the film is the elegant and sophisticated Louis Calhern, who is a brittle, many levels kind of personality in his role as a money man, a banker sort of overpowering the screen when he comes into the action. The work of the visceral Sterling Hayden has always fascinated me. And the wily Sam Jaffe is so genuine in his conniving and arresting mannerisms. Of course when one adds the supremely sophisticated Louis Calhern to this grand mix of souls then it is easy to see why the director, Mr. John Huston gets his film to work so beautifully. But the most interesting person in this classic is Sterling Hayden (who did grand work in Kubrick's 'Strangelove' later on). Sterling Hayden has a high level of dramatic intensity that is overpowering. Great film art like 'The Asphalt Jungle' is a marvelous experience for it brings more meaning and true 'real' definition into our creative lives.