My experience has made me wary of trusting police officers; you can never be sure when one will turn out to be untrustworthy. Coming from MGM, The Asphalt Jungle is directed by John Huston and adapted from the novel of the same name by W.R. Burnett. It features Sterling Hayden, Jean Hagen, Sam Jaffe, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore, Teresa Celli, and Marilyn Monroe in a small but significant part. Miklós Rózsa composed the score, and Harold Rosson shot it in black and white. The story follows Erwin "Doc" Riedenschneider (Jaffe) as he’s released from prison and quickly puts together a team to carry out a long-planned jewelry robbery. However, with distrust running high and misfortune looming, their carefully planned operation begins to fall apart. John Huston favored tough stories, having helped launch film noir in America with The Maltese Falcon in 1941, and also adapted W.R. Burnett’s novel High Sierra that same year. Burnett was also responsible for other well-known crime stories like Little Caesar & Scarface, so it's understandable that Huston would be drawn to The Asphalt Jungle. It proved to be a perfect combination of elements. The Asphalt Jungle distinguished itself as one of the first crime films to deviate from tradition by telling the story from the perspective of the criminals themselves. Previously, law enforcement or private detectives usually drove the plot; now, under Huston's skilled direction, we get an examination of criminality and are challenged to feel some sympathy for a group of criminals, wrongdoers, and anti-heroes. The gang is made up of very different personalities, but they’re united by a shared desire for something better. It could be Hayden's Dix, who dreams of reclaiming his father’s horse ranch in Kentucky, or Doc (Jaffe), who wants to retire to Mexico with female companionship—greed and longing are what hold them together. Alienation and bleakness, hallmarks of film noir, become prominent as the plot (and the gang) unravels. With realistic dialogue and a naturalistic atmosphere, it’s no surprise that Huston's movie would go on to influence many similar films; some were good, others not so much, but few have managed to replicate the suspense of the actual heist sequence. It is remarkable in its authenticity, and afterward, establishes the film’s decaying mood. Although we are now immersed in the lives of the "gang," including their partners (Hagen, Monroe & Celli all performing well in what's a very masculine movie), it's clear that society outside their circle isn’t pleasant either! This is stark and brutalistic film noir—merciless to its characters and fueled by misfortune. It concludes with an ending as flawless as can be, making this a top-tier example of the genre. 9.5/10

Source on TMDB