Jules Dassin is principally known as the maker of Night and the City and Rififi – two of the most influential film noirs. The Naked City (made before he was subjected to witch-hunting for his Leftist leanings), though not as universally well-known as the other two, nevertheless ranks nearly at par with them. Memorably narrated by Mark Hellinger, also the movie’s producer, the film painted a simultaneously grim and lyrical picture of New York City through its chronicling of one of the eight million stories that play their parts in defining the concrete jungle aptly termed as the “naked city”. Shot completely on location using the then-novel cinema verite technique, this top class noir was, on one hand, a relentlessly compelling crime drama and police procedural that twists and turns and ends in a spectacular chase scene culminating at the Williamsburg Bridge, while on the other, it was a fascinating account of the kind of moral dubiousness and detachment that typified post-War American society. The film has at its centre a veteran cop, whose world-weary cynicism, sardonic wit, hard to please nature and razor-sharp mind, made him quite akin to the legendary gumshoes in hardboiled literature, as well as, the perfect spokesperson for the movie’s matter-of-fact themes and those sordid times.
Director: Jules Dassin
Genre: Crime Drama/Film Noir/Urban Drama
Language: English
Country: US
6 comments:
Hi Shubhajit, I've nominated you for the Happy 101 meme: http://www.top10films.co.uk/archives/2732
Thanks Dan. I'll do the necessary stuff soon :)
Never a big fan of this one. As I've previously stated elsewhere the dated voiceovers bother and distract me. I guess I would rate this above T-Men and The Street With No Name but slightly lower than He Walked By Night......M.Roca
Thanks for letting me know your reactions to this film. Though I loved the movie as well as the voiceover which I found quite unique and compelling, I can nevertheless appreciate your concerns.
"Shot completely on location using the then-novel cinema verite technique, this top class noir was, on one hand, a relentlessly compelling crime drama and police procedural that twists and turns and ends in a spectacular chase scene culminating at the Williamsburg Bridge, while on the other, it was a fascinating account of the kind of moral dubiousness and detachment that typified post-War American society."
Boy, yet another brilliant capsule here, Shubhajit, on a most worthy subject. I agree that it's among Dassin's 'Big Three' with NIGHT AND THE CITY and RIFIFI, and that it best illustrates the style that he brought to perfection with this and a few other brutal on-location dramas.
This inspired a well-revered television series (which I have on DVD) that utilized the focus of this seminal film. A number of teh episodes are first-rate.
Thanks a lot Sam. It seems Dassin's noirs, esp. Night & the City, & The Naked City, are really angry films, and contain dangerously cynical world view.
Yeah, I'm aware that the movie was the inspiration behind a TV series of the same name that employed similar techniques as used here. Looking forward to watching that series someday.
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