The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

Directed by John Huston

Starred Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore, Sam Jaffe, John McIntire, Marc Lawrence, Anthony Caruso, Teresa Celli, Marilyn Monroe, Jack Warden ...

1950, United States, English with some German dialogues, 112 minutes

 

Another influential heist classic from the director John Huston, which also directed The Maltese Falcon (1941) that you can also find in this blog.

In this beautiful 1950 black & white heist movie, the story goes smooth and suspenseful enough to succeed to capture audience attention until the end. The movie doesn`t ignore any expectation of all three principal acts of a heist movie: the planning, the stealing act, and the aftermath and is pretty satisfactory in each act, especially considering the time it was made. It explores all the main patterns of the genre. The success of the movie is also fed by the presence of a big star like Sterling Hayden, and great performances such as Sam Jaffee's. Add the legendary beauty Marilyn Monroe. 

The interesting note is that Monroe has a small part in the movie, and was an unknown actress back then. The poster showing her with purple dress (please see below) was created much later after Monroe gained the fame. She wasn`t even named on the original poster at all (the one you see on the upper-left hand of this page). Monroe regarded the movie as one of her best performances in her entire career.

Another interesting note is it is Jack Warden`s film debut.

The Asphalt Jungle was included among the `1001 Movie You Must See Before You Die`by Steven Schneider.
 
According to another classic heist movie director, Jean-Pierre Melville, this movie and 'Rififi' (1955 - directed by Jules Dassin, which is also available in this blog) pushed the release date of Melville`s 1956 movie 'Bob le flambeur' and of course influenced Melville.


Sam Jaffe, who I really enjoyed his acting, received a nod from Academy for Best Supporting Actor category (lost to George Sanders in All About Eve), while the movie was also nominated in 3 more categories in Oscars: John Huston for Best Director (lost to Joseph L. Mankiewicz for All About Eve), again John Hustom with Ben Maddow for Best Screenplay (again
lost to Joseph L. Mankiewicz for All About Eve), and Best Black & White Cinematography (lost to The Third Man).

The movie also was nominated in many other awards from Golden Globes to BAFTA, from Directors Guild of America Awards to Writers Guild of America Awards, from Venice Film Festival New York Film Critics Circle Awards, including National Film Preservation Board.

In brief, if you like classics or if you take cinema or heist movies seriously, then it is a must-see movie.

To see the whole blog, click here. 

 

 

If you look for;

a heist classic
a film classic
a heist with lots of award nominations 

an influential heist movie
  
 then this is your movie.

***

If you liked this movie, I believe you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Rififi / Du Rififi Chez Des Hommes (1955)

Seven Thieves (1960)

Bob le Flambeur (1956)

  

***  

Degree: Pure Theft Movie

Sub-Category: Jewel Heist

Excellence of Robbery Plan: 2/5

Originality of Robbery Plan: 2/5

Quality of Robbery Action Scenes: 2/5

Actors' Performances: 3/5

Excitement Level: 2/5

Surprise Level: 1/5

Humor Level: 1/5

Originality of the Story in General: 2/5

Rating As A Robbery/Heist Movie: 2/5

Rating the Movie As A Whole: 2/5

Important Reminder: Below trailer might contain important spoilers.

To Catch A Thief (1955)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Starred Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams, Charles Vanel, Brigitte Auber, Jean Martinelli, Georgette Anys ...

1955, United States, English with some French dialogues

 

A cat burglar is being framed by another cat burglar. The police is after wrong guy, thus the cat burglar chases after the other cat burglar to catch before the cops catches him. This is the main plot of Hitchcock movie `To Catch A Thief`.

Although I like Hitchcock cinema very much, and despite the big names in the cast like Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, I never enjoyed this movie much. I guess, I have seen it 2 or 3 times, and the movie had a hard time to keep my attention awake every time I have seen it.

This is the very last movie of Hitchcock - Grace Kelly collaboration. Cary Grant had been convinced that nobody wanted to see him in the movies any longer, but this movie had been kind of a turning point for him to continue his long career. A tragic note from the movie is Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly died in a car accident 27 years later from the movie supposedly on the very same road where her famous chase scene in this film takes place.

The movie won Best Cinematography in Oscars and was nominated for Best Art Direction & Set Decoration and Best Costume in color movies categories.

Alfred Hitchcock was nominated for Golden Lion in Venice Film Festival, while John Michael Hayes received a nomination for Best Written American Comedy in Writers Guild of America awards with this movie.

To see the whole blog, click here. 

 

If you look for;

a heist movie considered as classic
an award winner heist movie
a nostalgic robbery movie
a heist movie with a great cast

then this is your movie.

***

If you liked this movie, I believe you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Pink Panther (1963)
Rififi / Du Rififi Chez des Hommes (1955)
Seven Thieves (1960)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)

If you liked this movie, IMDb believes you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Rififi / Du Rififi Chez Des Hommes (1955)

*** 

Degree: Alternative Theft Movie

Sub-Category: Jewelry Robbery, Character Study / Thieves

Excellence of Robbery Plan: 1/5

Originality of Robbery Plan: 2/5

Quality of Robbery Action Scenes: 2/5

Actors' Performances: 2/5

Excitement Level: 2/5

Surprise Level: 2/5

Humor Level: 2/5

Originality of the Story in General: 3/5

Rating As A Robbery/Heist Movie: 2/5

Rating the Movie As A Whole: 2/5

Important Reminder: Below trailer might contain important spoilers.

Le Cercle Rouge (1970)

Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
Starred Alain Delon, Bourvil, Gian Maria Volonte, Yves Montand, Paul Crauhcet,  ...

1970, France & Italy, French.

A European classic by Melville with great French actor Alain Delon. Another Melville's heist movie, Bob La Flambeur, often is compared with this one and there is a huge debate over which one is better.

Le Cercle Rouge  means 'The Red Circle', however the movie has been always released with its original French title in US and many other countries.

The movie is often listed as one of the best heist from World Cinema. According to the director, the movie was already written but had to wait to be shot because of then's big heist hit movie, Asphalt Jungle, and then had to wait again because of Rififi this time. If all of these movies are in your favorites list, then don't wait any longer to see Le Cercle Rouge.

The famous heist scene lasts full 25 minutes without a single word being spoken. Enjoy!

To see the whole blog, click here.

If you look for;

a slow pace heist
nostalgia
a European classic
a famous heist movie

then this is your movie.

***
If you liked this movie, I believe you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Rififi (1955)
The Score (2001)
Bob Le Flambeur (1956)
To Catch A Thief (1955)

***

If you liked this movie, IMDb believes you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Rififi (1955)
Bob Le Flambeur (1956)
  
***
 

Degree: Pure Theft Movie

Sub-Category: Jewelry Robbery
Excellence of Robbery Plan: 3/5

Originality of Robbery Plan: 3/5

Quality of Robbery Action Scenes: 3/5

Actors' Performances: 3/5

Excitement Level: 2/5

Surprise Level: 2/5

Humor Level: 0/5

Originality of the Story in General: 2/5

Rating As A Robbery/Heist Movie: 3/5

Rating the Movie As A Whole: 3/5

Important Reminder: Below trailer might contain important spoilers.

Man on a Ledge (2012)

Directed by Asger Leth

Starred Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, William Sadler, Anthony Mackie, Genesis Rodriguez, Edward Burns, Ed Harris ...

2012, United States, English.

'We have a man on a ledge'. He is about to throw himself from a Manhattan hotel rooftop. How can this story be linked to one of the biggest diamond heist is about to be pulled in the same hours somewhere else? Well, watch and discover for yourself.

A very new heist movie, pure adrenaline, with a modest but good cast. Yes, maybe it doesn't offer something new. At least not much. But it will capture your attention from start to the end. It won't disappoint you.

Although the movie is brand new, it has already won a nomination: Genesis Rodriguez, breathtakingly beautiful Latina, was nominated for Favorite Movie Actress in a Supporting Role in ALMA Awards.

To see the whole blog, click here.

If you look for;

a heist packed with adrenaline
a nice team work heist
a modern and up to date heist

then this is your movie.

***

If you liked this movie, I believe you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Inside Man (2006)
The Score (2001)
 
If you liked this movie, imdb believes you might like also:
(available in the blog)

 Now You See Me (2013)

***
 

Degree: Pure Theft Movie

Sub-Category: Diamond Theft
Excellence of Robbery Plan: 4/5

Originality of Robbery Plan: 3/5

Quality of Robbery Action Scenes: 5/5

Actors' Performances: 3/5

Excitement Level: 3/5

Surprise Level: 3/5

Humor Level: 2/5

Originality of the Story in General: 3/5

Rating As A Robbery/Heist Movie: 3/5

Rating the Movie As A Whole: 3/5

Important Reminder: Below trailer might contain important spoilers.

Rififi / Du Rififi Chez Des Hommes (1955)

Directed by Jules Dassin

Starred Jean Servais, Carl Mochner, Robert Manuel, Janine Darcey, Pierre Grasset, Magali Noel, Marie Sabouret, Claude Sylvain, Jules Dassin ...

1955, France, French with some Italian and English dialogues.

Here is a movie accepted one of the heist classics. You can see Rififi as the best robbery movie ever made in many listings.

Du Rififi Chez Des Hommes, also known as Rififi is a French production by black listed director Jules Dassin. It is a heist movie with flavor of film-noire for many critics. Although I like the movie, it didn't really hit me. My most favorite character was Italian safe specialist without knowing he is nobody else than director himself, Jules Dassin.

The heist sequence lasts 32 minutes and although the scene contains not even a single dialogue or music, it is memorable.

It is a simple heist movie with a quality for sure. The movie fans who like old movies wouldn't be disappointed at all, but can't guarantee for the ones mainly interested in new movies.

Jules Dassin won the Best Director Award in Cannes Film Festival with Rififi, also nominated for Palme D'Or.

As an interesting note, it is said that Mexican authorities pulled Rififi from theaters, since several burglaries were committed by applying similar methods shown in the movie.

To see the whole blog, click here.

If you look for;

a heist movie with flavor of film-noire
a heist movie from world cinema
a heist movie with cinematically challenging heist sequence
an organized heist
a heist movie accepted as classic

then this is your movie.

***

If you liked this movie, I believe you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Seven Thieves (1960) 
I soliti ignori / Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958)
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) 
The First Great Train Robbery (1978) 

***


If you liked this movie, IMDb believes you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Bob le flambeur (1956)
To Catch A Thief (1955)

***

Degree: Pure Theft Movie

Sub-Category: Jewelry Robbery

Excellence of Robbery Plan: 4/5

Originality of Robbery Plan: 3/5

Quality of Robbery Action Scenes: 4/5

Actors' Performances: 3/5

Excitement Level: 3/5

Surprise Level: 3/5

Humor Level: 1/5

Originality of the Story in General: 3/5

Rating As A Robbery/Heist Movie: 3/5

Rating the Movie As A Whole: 3/5

Important Reminder: Below trailer might contain important spoilers.

 

The Score (2001)

Directed by Frank Oz

Starred Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando, Angela Bassett,

2001, United States & Germany, English

Another pure robbery treat. 3 giants like De Niro, Norton and Brando in the same movie.But it was Angela Bassett won Image Awards and was nominated for BET Awards with her performance with this movie.
We have very well acting as we can expect from this cast, but I have to say despite to a lot of twists, the movie is somehow cliché.

Still enjoyable as long at it lasts. I can define as a well-done movie, which follows closely its genre pattern.

To see the whole blog, please click here.

If you look for;

well organized robbery

surprises

good acting

a serious robbery movie

a movie mainly focused on the robbery

then this is your movie.

***

If you liked this movie, I believe you might also like:
(available in the blog)

  Heat (1995)
Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Man on A Ledge (2012)
Entrapment (1999) 
Le Dernier Tunnel (2004)

***

If you liked this movie, IMDb believes you might also like:
(available in the blog)

  Ronin (1998)
The Italian Job (2003)
Entrapment (1999)

***

Degree: Pure Theft Movie

Sub-Category: Jewelry Robbery

Excellence of Robbery Plan: 4/5

Originality of Robbery Plan: 3/5

Quality of Robbery Action Scenes: 3/5

Actors' Performances: 4/5

Excitement Level: 3/5

Surprise Level: 2/5

Comedy Level: 1/5

Originality of the Story in General: 2/5

Rating As A Robbery/Heist Movie: 4/5

Rating the Movie As A Whole: 3/5

Important Reminder: Below trailer might contain important spoilers.

 

Snatch (2000)

Directed by Guy Ritchie

Starred Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Farina, Vinnie Jones, Brad Pitt, Rade Serbedzija, Jason Statham, Alan Ford, Mike Reid, Robbie Gee, Lennie James, Ewen Bremner, Ade, William Beck, Andy Beckwith,  Jason Flemyng, Elwin 'Chopper' David ...

1998, United Kingdom & United States, English

Well, here is another cult movie in caper category, again from British director, Guy Ritchie. It was a big hit in box office, thanks to Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro who joined the great ensemble British cast of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Since one of the most important thing to me is originality, and I take this as kind of remake of Lock, although Snatch was pretty enjoyable caper, but just forgettable.

Snatch was made after a limited success of Lock only two year later by internationalizing Lock with big names to reach a box office success the the other one couldn't. The ones who have seen this one before Lock, like Snatch better and the vice versa. It is natural, cause you have a strong feeling that you are seeing the same movie. If you haven't seen neither of them yet, see them in chronological order and get ready for a great caper feast.
 

A special mention to Brad Pitt's acting. Isn't he great once again?

The movie won Best British Actor Award with Vinnie Jones, who won Best Debut only two years ago with Lock in Empire Awards. t also won Best Directing (Ritchie) in the same award and nominated for Best Picture category.

To see the whole blog, please click here.

If you look for;

a heist movie with a high dose of comedy
twists and turns

tons of original characters
heist over heist

then this is your movie.

***

If you liked this movie, I believe you might like also :
(available in the blog)

Flypaper (2011)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

If you liked this movie, IMDb believes you might like also:
(available in the blog)

Firewall (2006)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Heat (1995)

*** 

Degree: Caper Movie

Sub-Category: Jewelry Robbery

Excellence of Robbery Plan: 3/5

Originality of Robbery Plan: 3/5

Quality of Robbery Action Scenes: 5/5

Actors' Performances: 5/5

Excitement Level: 4/5

Surprise Level: 4/5

Humor Level: 4/5

Originality of the Story in General: 4/5

Rating As A Robbery/Heist Movie: 4/5

Rating the Movie As A Whole: 4/5

Important Reminder: Below trailer might contain important spoilers.