All four guys on the job were decent fellows - The Asphalt Jungle (1950) Discussion

[–] jayrussell1993 10 years ago

Yes, this was REAL fiction. I only met one trustworthy felon in my life.

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[–] liscarkat-2 10 years ago

In the booming post-World War II U.S. economy it's hard to understand why a group of capable young men and a brilliant older man can't prosper in legitimate occupations.

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[–] MsELLERYqueen2 8 years ago

Oh, they could have, but they didn't want to.

~~~~~
Jim Hutton (1934-79) & Ellery Queen = 

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[–] Jonny_B_Lately 8 years ago

In the booming post-World War II U.S. economy it's hard to understand why a group of capable young men and a brilliant older man can't prosper in legitimate occupations.

I feel the same way these days...in this current time period.

But let me respond anyway. Each character had his or her own motivation. It may not have been a clearly stated motive, but by paying careful attention, you can figure it out. BTW, even film critics state that first viewings typical net the average audience member about 20% comprehension of the movie. This was Huston's genius; he could make a movie that you wanted to see over and over again.

Dix wanted to buy back his families horse farm, "Hickorywood Farm." Doc wanted to pull off one last caper and retire to [girls and music in] Mexico. Gus would do just about anything for his friends. Ciavelli wanted his wife and children set for life. Even Doll had a clear motivation; she loved Dix, though he didn't love her, and would do anything for him.

Watta ya lookn here for?

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[–] Noir-It-All 10 years ago

Maybe times were not booming for everyone? In the opening scenes, the town looked like time had passed it by.

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[–] liscarkat-2 10 years ago

It was a dark world, my friends.

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[–] liscarkat-2 10 years ago

Of course, things are never going to be great for everyone, but in general the economy was strong after World War II and there was plenty of opportunity for people who were willing to work and learn. The problem with these guys was in their own heads. They could not conform to the expectations and requirements of society, even to benefit themselves.

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[–] caribeno 10 years ago

Contrary to what we are led to believe, the postwar U. S. economy was in recession between 1946-1952. It took for the Marshall Plan in Europe to achieve full implementation (in the early 1950's) to really jumpstart the economy most Americans would like to remember. Especially, just before and during the Korean War, there was a recession. Many layoffs occurred. My father had been working competently as a machinist for a local pipe company in Los Angeles and when he moved to a position in Lockheed in 1951, he was laid off within six months of being hired. He was part of a massive layoff at Lockheed. There was no machinist work in Los Angeles. He, one of my uncles, and that uncle's brother-in-law were about to take jobs in the canneries in southern Alaska. He was there for two months but was laid off due to striking employees returning to their jobs. The milieu of "The Asphalt Jungle" when it was filmed.

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[–] hammer4 10 years ago

There is no way there was a recession for six consecutive years!! (1946-1952).

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[–] caribeno 10 years ago

Ken,

Google that period in postwar America. Also, what you're saying is tantamount to calling me either a liar or misguided. Mind you: I got my information not only from my father and others that lived through that era but from books and documentaries about the period. One of the key points of the 1948 presidential election was that Truman was too tied to the Roosevelt New Deal to hasten the reintegration of servicemen into the economy. From 1946-1952, there were labor strikes in many industries that we redressing many labor abuses that were suppressed during wartime, including reintegrating returning servicemen and the number of jobs available that could absorb those returnees and the current jobholders. Certainly, the economy during that period was not like it was either during the Great Depression or our economy of the last 7 years but it was a generally down economic time because it did take government and business a few years to retool the wartime boom economy into a boom peacetime economy. Late 1951, with the two Germanys established and the rebuilding of the Japanese economy, plus our undisputed economic domination of the global economy, really began the boom that existed in the U. S. until 1972, when Nixon eliminated price controls on staple foods that created the stagflation of the '70's that eventually brought in Ronald Reagan as the man "to turn things around".

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[–] hammer4 10 years ago

I simply stated (accurately) that the nation was not in a continuous recession from 1946-1952 as you've indicated (your 5-6-15 post "....the postwar U.S. economy was in recession between 1946-1952.

In fact there was only one recession during this time frame, which lasted 11 months (Nov 1948-Oct 1949. SOURCE:National bureau of economic research-NBER).

Of course this doesn't mean the economy was always strong during the other times.

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[–] hammer4 10 years ago

Looking at this thread as a whole some have made the point that in the U.S. during the time period of the movie since the economy was good there was no reason for the characters to become criminals.

My feeling is whether the economy is good or bad there are always going to be criminals and criminal activity. The movie doesn't take the position that the principals were forced into crime because of poor economic conditions.

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[–] caribeno 10 years ago

Ken,

I may have overreached in saying the U. S. was in continuous recession between 1946 and 1952 but, as your last statement to me indicates: "...this doesn't mean the economy was always strong during the other times." Since it was my father and other readily-available documented sources that confirm the not-usually smooth economic times of immediate postwar America, why the need to believe that most of immediate postwar America was prosperous and generated lots of jobs? Immediate postwar America might have been prosperous but that that prosperity generated a largely unabated surge in jobs is not true. Do check the sources of the time. I can well be wrong but your comments do go into "methinks thou doth protest too much" territory in wanting to believe that a period in history is what popular belief and media messages would lead one to believe instead of the memories, literature, art, and commentary of the period. Even the NBER documented the 11-month period between Nov. 1948-Oct. 1949. Check other creditable sources.

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[–] hammer4 10 years ago

Please note, I'm not the poster that stated the U.S. economy was booming and strong in the post World War Two era. As for myself, I don't know enough about this time period to voice an opinion at this time.

As I indicated in my last post, I don't feel the state of the economy during the time of the film is relevant to an examination of same.

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[–] kevin-bergin 10 years ago

... whether it was technically a recession, or not, there were a long period of shortages post WWII.

NOW, BACK TO MY POINT ABOUT THE FOUR GUYS ON THE JOB? Focus!

"It's the system, Lara. People will be different after the Revolution."

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[–] MsELLERYqueen2 8 years ago

Decent fellows? They did have some good qualities, but ultimately they were criminals and they got what was coming to them.

~~~~~
Jim Hutton (1934-79) & Ellery Queen = 

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[–] Noir-It-All 9 years ago

Beyond the 4 guys, much of the town was shabby and abandoned.

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