Recommended Noirs

Behold a real cracker of a caper flick! The Asphalt Jungle (MGM, 1950) like The Maltese Falcon was directed by John Huston and based on a story by the hardboiled W.R. Burnett. It involves a group of disperate and desperate men's attempt at a big time jewlery heist. The action starts when "Doc," a legendary burglar gets out of jail with a foolproof plan for a heist. He gains financial backing and assembles a group of career criminals to pull off the job. That's all you need to know, plotwise. The cast, featuring the great Sterling Hayden, Sam Jaffe, Louie Calhern, a young James Whitmore and a curvy Marilyn Monroe. The cinematography, by Harold Rosson, is fantastically moody and pure noir. You'll notice that many of the things you see in this flick were later borrowed by other movies. That I suppose is the greatest compliment a film can receive. Check it out!