The Asphalt Jungle

film by Huston [1950]

Written by Lee Pfeiffer

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

The Asphalt Jungle, American film noir caper, released in 1950, that was adapted from W.R. Burnett’s novel about an ambitious jewel robbery orchestrated by a gang of eccentric criminals.

Immediately after being released from prison, “Doc” Riedenschneider (played by Sam Jaffe) teams with corrupt lawyer “Lon” Emmerich (Louis Calhern) to rob a jewelry store. They recruit several criminal experts to carry out the robbery, but, despite careful planning, things quickly go awry.

The film cemented John Huston’s already impressive reputation as a master writer and director. Huston understood that the most appropriate actors in an urban drama such as Asphalt Jungle were not necessarily those with box-office clout. Consequently, he bypassed major stars and utilized the talents of an eclectic group of actors. As with the best crime films, Asphalt Jungle benefitted from some surprising plot twists as well as crisp dialogue. Marilyn Monroe made a brief, early career appearance.