Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Iseerphia All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

Catherina If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

silasmrner Sorry, but this is as good as noir gets. Gritty, beautifully shot on location. Crisp and dead level-written dialogue. Not a dead spot in the fast moving story. And Huston's direction underlines this classic.

JohnHowardReid Almost any movie with Marilyn Monroe is a must-see movie and this legendary film noir directed by John Huston is no exception. True, a little bit of astute editing would help the pace no end. Some tedious reminiscences about his early life in Kentucky by not-so Sterling Hayden could go for a start, even though this is tied in with the way overlong, drawn-out concluding scenes. They need trimming too. Script and director also let us down earlier in the movie in an exactly similar fashion when they telegraph how Sam Jaffe will be captured and then proceed to show us what they've already told us. Credibility is also strained when McIntyre's police commissioner emerges as a comic figure. This was no doubt intentional, but it's a distraction nonetheless. Fortunately, Monroe's role though not over-large, is certainly memorable. Back in 1950, M-G-M didn't consider Marilyn important enough to even mention in the Press Book or on the poster art. When the film was re-issued in 1954, however, Marilyn was suddenly promoted to above-the-title billing. In fact, the film took twice as much money on re-issue than it did on original release.

gavin6942 A major heist goes off as planned, until bad luck and double crosses cause everything to unravel.This is everything you want in a film noir. Crooks, cops, a bit of police procedural, the heist... and from John Huston, who has to be one of the best directors of his era.What is particularly interesting about this film is that although it is among the greatest noir films ever made (possibly the best ever), it has no real stars to speak of. Marilyn Monroe has a smaller part, but no big stars like Robert Mitchum or Rita Hayworth carrying the picture.If you have not seen this, see it. I am amazed I made it this long without having it on my list.

JLRMovieReviews 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.