Such a frustrating disappointment

Good movie but grossly overrated

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Many reviewers of Rififi said it followed The Asphalt Jungle. True, in several ways. Somehow, TAJ wasn't as good as Rififi. Copies can be inferior, but not in this case. TAJ doesn't fully deserve the wild praise it's been getting from many reviewers on this site.Why is this ? Hard to say. Perhaps it's because the characters in Rififi are more focused and better developed, therefore easier to empathize with. The only really enjoyable actor in TAJ is Louis Calhern. His performance is genuinely subtle. Sam Jaffe isn't bad, but he's slightly one-note. His fixation on pin-ups is simplistic and basically unconvincing. Jules Dassin, as César "le Milanais", was more plausible. Sterling Hayden doesn't act in any of his films. He just is, and he's always the same, although with undoubted presence. The girls were over-the-top. The slangy dialogue is over-wrought, and sounds badly dated.Still, it's worth a watch. I watched it maybe 6 or 7 years ago, and again tonight. All I remembered was Doc's girl obsession, and Dix's final meeting with the horses in the paddock at the end. I was surprised by how good Calhern was, second time around.

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE is a film with extremely realistic description of the criminals (losers) in a successful enterprise. At the center of the story is a robbery carried out by a group of criminals who, regardless of social position and education essentially losers from the start. The film, which has a distinctly noir style seems natural in a vicious circle of crime in which criminals devour themselves. From the above it can be concluded that the characterization is very good. Taking into account characteristics such as loyalty or duplicity, this would be one of many good noir films.I can only conclude from the criminals in this film are not up, well-planned, robbery. In fact they are not explicitly negative characters. They are quite vulnerable. These are seen when things went wrong. Robbery in the film is on one hand a lifeline for criminals (who could not reach), and on the other side the redemption of the police. Fascinating is the way in which the director merged underground. Rogue and bully, rich and cheeky bookie, an ex-con with a brilliant plan of robbery and well-known lawyer who was left penniless. Each of the characters wants a sort of salvation.Sterling Hayden as Dix Handley is confident, fiery and arrogant bully who just wants to go home. Louis Calhern as Alonzo D. Emmerich is witty and resourceful lawyer, who used all means to get his hands on the spoils and with his mistress fled the country. Sam Jaffe as "Doc" Erwin Riedenschneider is a mastermind and a criminal who acts like he has all the cards up his sleeve. I have to mention Marilyn Monroe as a mistress. Well, beautiful and incredibly hot mistress.Everything seems pretty rotten but basically it is not. This movie is a balanced blend of action and reaction of the same character.

One quick look at director John Huston's career as a director would enable viewers to ascertain that "The Asphalt Jungle" was a minor work in his illustriously long cinematographic career.He is best remembered for two great successes with superstar Humphrey Bogart namely 'The Maltese Falcon' and 'The treasure of the Sierra Madre'.By virtue of being one of the most important American heist film, The Asphalt Jungle is one film which can neither be ignored nor neglected by both critics and viewers whenever one speaks about its association with John Huston.This was also the film with which legendary American actress Marilyn Monroe was associated.She plays an interesting albeit minor role as a young lady who lies in order to save her married lover from an impending prison sentence.'The Asphalt Jungle' provides simple viewing pleasure to its audiences as everything has been told in a prosaic manner.Its actors have done justice to their roles but it becomes an ordinary film as there is no scope for any intrigue. Lastly, "The Asphalt Jungle" may not be voted as the best heist film in the world but it can surely be considered best heist film ever produced by a Hollywood studio.There are not many who would protest when somebody reveals that Jules Dassin's Rififi can rightly be called one of the best heist film ever made in the world.

Sam Jaffe gets out of stir after having served his time and promptly has plans for another heist. But he needs the usual men of experience: the safe-cracker, the driver, etc. Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore, Jean Hagen, and Marilyn Monroe costar in this film noir, that has been hailed as one of the best of its kind. I saw it almost 20 years ago and for some reason I remember not liking it much. Normally any story of criminals on the run come to no good (end) and there's nothing to like about them and nothing (thank goodness) to relate to. Maybe that's why I didn't like it, and I was young… But seeing it today, I recognize all the elements that come together in this story of people gone bad. After all, it's the story of people that make any movie interesting and worth watching. Instead of just taking them at face value and shooting at each other, we are allowed into their private worlds. One man speaks of his wife and little girl. One man longs for his youth and his horse, wanting to go home again. Jean Hagen is a standout as she takes in Sterling Hayden and falls in love with him. She was Oscar-nominated for "Singin' in the Rain" but I think she's just as good if not better here. Marilyn Monroe is memorable in three short scenes and holds her own against real pros. And, Sam Jaffe and Sterling Hayden are good too, but perhaps the biggest impression on the viewers is Louis Calhern, who embodies and conveys his character's eccentricities so well. He's so subdued yet so intense and desperate. He always seems to be picture perfect – well dressed, in control, calm, when really it's bottled up. The whole production has the John Huston touch and it really packs a wallop. All the key parts are here to make this a must-see film noir. But in fact it's the story of people and choices and wrong turns that makes this transcend all other heist movies.