A great classic Hollywood film. An early movie for Marilyn Monroe. There was a heist that went wrong. It was a noir film with detectives. There was some romance.

OUTSTANDING FILM. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PLOT GIVEN BY RT IS COMPLETELY WRONG!! DIX IS A MARGINAL FIGURE IN THE CONCOCTION OF THE CRIME. A MERE THUG. SHAME ON RT!!!!

Great crime film noir. Great acting. Tense plot. No likable characters but great plot and directing.

The acting in the movie is done to prove a point as the movie reflects not only the time when it was released but also the time it can be viewed. The film in preventing the perpetual nature of crime as the theme into the movie. In learning not only from what can be observed into this film but many others in a society that does not use its own distinct/unique language for communication is that any country that decides to use another country's language in common sense such as the USA from Britain that it must invent words and have a dictionary of their own. The movie in reflection sequence is correct incorrect then correct in observing the perpetual nature of light for the country which means to never undo this collective framework of understanding that has countenance by God.

Gritty, moralistic tale with a fabulous cast.

I appreciate that almost no one here is all that likable (except for maybe Monroe) and this truly was the perfect role for Sterling Hayden.

Fantastic noir, definitely a top 10 list, Highly influenced the “Heist” film genre, Wonderful talent cast, early appearance of Marylin Monroe, Love Doc’s reason for being caught

This one bored me. A bunch of jerks do a jewel heist, and it all goes to hell. I didn't care about any of the characters, or the heist, or its' aftermath. Only merits, effective cinematography, and seeing Marilyn Monroe in a small role.

When you go back to watch a crime film made during the time of the Hays Code is that you know the bad guys are not going to be allowed to get away with it. That puts a lot of pressure on factors other than the ending the to keep the viewer interested. Huston's direction is superb and the acting is good enough. However, I didn't see anything especially innovative about the heist and its aftermath to recommend this one.

Not a particularly memorable film, but it was interesting to watch as a cultural relic of an age gone by. I particularly enjoyed the street scenes in what was apparently Cincinatti, although the outdoor urban scenes were way too few for my taste. The characters were interesting, too. I liked the relationship between the rich guy and his wife and the way he would honor her desire to play cards since that was pretty much the only entertainment she had. I also liked the scene in the diner where the cook angrily throws out an obnoxious customer who claims to run over cats in his car whenever he can.

As a heist film this is the superior Noir classic to Rififi. I can see why so many future films would draw inspiration from this one. Suspense,murder and betrayal run rampant in this feature presentation. The heightened sensation for confrontation over jewels and greed is never ending. In the end the culprits are exposed and reap their righteous rewards just the same. Its a must see for all Noir fans.

I appreciate that almost no one here is all that likable (except for maybe Monroe) and this truly was the perfect role for Sterling Hayden.

John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle is one of the greatest crime films, and one of the greatest noir films, ever made. Its screenplay, cast, score and cinematography would by themselves make it an outstanding film. But what puts it in film royalty is the director's unwavering focus on the details of the people, drawing deeply etched character portraits and never giving in to the temptation of dabbling with comedy, romance, action or special effects i any of the scenes. One for the ages.

One of the best openings in movie history.

Sam Jaffe is an odd choice for a crook, but he plays a German guy in a German town, so maybe it makes sense. The way Dix treats Doll is painful to watch, not a critique but a warning. The safecracking isn't the one in Rififi, but that's the script and no deal. Sterling Hayden is Sterling Hayden. There are some continuity issues with cuts. But all the performances are excellent. It's hard to pick out a few, but I'd mention Louis Calhern, James Whitmore, Marc Lawrence, and Brad Dexter in his small role. Noirs are often set in NY or LA, so it's nice to see another city with a different profile. I can't give it 5 stars because of the howling error after the safecracker breaks through the wall and there's the indented stairwell to the left, after seeing a clear passage just before. And a less serious one but still, when Gus turns the music up at the start when Dix walks in, he turns the dial down, as he does again after the cops leave when he actually turns it down.

Marilyn Monroe is in The Asphalt Jungle about as much as the actual Maltese Falcon is in the 1941 film of the same name, (which oddly enough were both directed by the same man, John Huston) but her later fame has led this film to be rebranded as some sort of triumphant arrival on the scene instead of her first role substantial enough to warrant a credit. As a heist noir, the film is decent but far from pulse-pounding for most of the runtime and is particularly weak in establishing and maintaining some of its characters (the film lacks a central figure to orient around and instead focuses on the larger group) even though it is supposed to be heavily character-driven; Calhern's Emmerich is meant to be complex but comes off as inconsistent, at times effortlessly suave in the face of tangible danger but then reduced to a stuttering wreck at the thought of a double-cross. I am really not a fan of Hayden in this role, he plays like a caricature of the prototypical tough hood in classic Hollywood, even considering his humanist final conclusion. But it's not all rough-and-tumble; Jaffe's mastermind 'Doc', wielding a heavy Teutonic accent, is a competent and composed mentor figure, and his final scene paying forward a jukebox run, getting lost in the moment before being collared as a result of his nostalgic benevolence, is one of the highlights of the production. There are moments when the film seems solid and can create suspense or emotional involvement (there are some interesting close-proximity shots that are well-integrated, and notable neorealist elements as well), but for the large segments this can't help but feel like it's a bit lackluster and iffy for Huston, where the high points end up highlighting the flaws. (3.5/)

A good heist movie, some say the best.

One great commentary on the vagaries of human nature.

Solidly constructed character driven study of the main players on all sides of a jewel heist, from inception to getaway. I may have appreciated this more had I not recently seen other heist films that I can't now avoid comparing this too. 7.5/10

Good, solid crime thriller. Love Sterling Hayden. Neat to see a young Marilyn Monroe.