9/10
Fantastic Film-Noir
19 December 2013
When the intelligent criminal Erwin "Doc" Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) is released from prison, he seeks a fifty thousand-dollar investment from the bookmaker Cobby (Marc Lawrence) to recruit a small gang of specialists for a million-dollar heist of jewels from a jewelry. Doc is introduced to the lawyer Alonzo D. Emmerich (Louis Calhern) that offers to finance the whole operation and buy the gems immediately after the burglary. Doc hires the safecracker Louis Ciavelli (Anthony Caruso), the driver Gus Minissi (James Whitmore)and the gunman Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden) to the heist. His plan works perfectly but bad luck and betrayals compromise the steps after the heist and the gangsters need to flee from the police.

"The Asphalt Jungle" is a fantastic film-noir by the legendary director John Huston and with magnificent performances. The brilliant story of bad luck and betrayal in a heist was nominated to four Oscars, three Golden Globes and nominated and winner of several other prizes. Marilyn Monroe is sexy and gorgeous in a minor but important role. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Segredo das Jóias" ("The Secret of the Jewels")

Note: On 30 September 2016, I saw this film again.
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