Recently I watched John Huston's final film, The Dead, at the end of the year, so I guess there's some sort of poetic logic that I watched a film from his earlier years at the turning of the season. The year 1950 is sometimes referred to as the year film noir reached its peak, or at least it's the year that produced the most films noir. In that year John Huston, who years earlier helped begin the genre with The Maltese Falcon, produced one of its shining lights, The Asphalt Jungle. While later posters would celebrate/promote Marilyn Monroe (it's one of her first roles), she actually plays a small role (although she's quite good). Sterling Hayden stars in what is probably his best performance. I'm sure that when I first saw The Godfather I had no idea who that police chief getting shot by Michael was (such was my ignorance). I often will show the first give minutes of the film in class, because they are just about perfect it setting the mood of the film beautifully. Highly recommended.
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