by Barb Lentz
The five movies Bob provided for me from which to choose were these:
Atlantic City (1981)
The Caine Mutiny (1954)
Dracula (1931)
Melvin and Howard (1980)
The Naked City (1948)
I chose The Naked City as our first classic of 2014 because it was one of the older titles and one of which I had never heard.
It is a black and white movie set in New York City. It focuses on the killers of a 26-year old dress model, and intends to show all the police leg work involved in tracking every lead, to find any pieces that might connect. It is all done very straightforwardly with no melodrama and some interesting small roles. Lt. Muldoon is rather wry with a twinkle of dry humor as he directs the detectives. He questions some suspects and tries to wrangle the truth from them.
There is smoking, and no handshakes after questioning friends of the victim. Most people are unemotional in the movie. It is kind of stark and to the point with no embellishment. I can see a similarity to “Dragnet,” a television show also about detectives solving cases. However I feel that Lt. Muldoon is much more likable than Sgt. Joe Friday — personable, and with a wry sense of humor that “Dragnet” lacks. The movie makes it seem that the police can solve every case in a matter of days by tracking every lead and piecing together the facts.
It was enjoyable, but the dialogue was often difficult to discern. I recommend The Naked City to anyone who has a fondness for police drama, and especially those who remember “Dragnet.”
My top five moments of the movie are:
1. When Lt. Muldoon displays his wry sense of humor by surreptitiously comparing a hair found at the murder scene to that of the housekeeper, telling her that he is admiring her hair.
2. When Lt. Muldoon adds a name of a “person of interest” to the case on his blackboard — one J. P. McGillicuddy — also known as “the unknown man.”
3. When an older woman stops by the precinct house and predicts that someone will confess to the murder within the next day or so. The woman is clearly a bit crazy, and the actress playing her is very believable and effective in the role. Plus, the crazy woman is right — someone does confess!
4. When Detective Halloran walks all over town to discover the origin of the black star sapphire ring. He has a hunch the ring is connected to the murder, and it is his hunch which breaks open the case.
5. When Detective Halloran walks all over town looking for the killer. He buys a root beer at a stand but leaves it there when its proprietor identifies the killer and tells the detective where he lives.
Is The Naked City a classic? Yes. It employed a new style of filmmaking, being filmed entirely on location in the city. It was very factual and stuck to the main story. It was later emulated in “Dragnet,” and other television crime shows that are so plentiful today.
BRL 5 January 2014.
The Naked City (March 4, 1948) Hellinger Productions / Universal International.
Directed by Jules Dassin. Produced by Mark Hellinger.
Screenplay by Malvin Wald and Albert Maltz, from a story by Malvin Wald.
Principal Cast (character, performer):
Lt. Dan Muldoon Barry Fitzgerald
Detective Jimmy Halloran Don Taylor
Frank Niles Howard Duff
Ruth Morrison Dorothy Hart
Captain Donahue Frank Conroy
Garzah Ted de Corsia
Dr. Stoneman House Jameson
Mrs. Halloran Anne Sargent
Mrs. Batory Adelaide Klein
Mr. Batory Grover Burgess
Detective Perelli Tom Pedi
Mrs. Hylton Enid Markey
narrated by Mark Hellinger.
96 minutes. B&W. Not Rated.
Bob and Barb —
I haven’t a personal affinity for your first choice here, so my only comment is to say “thanks” for the inaugural entry in this series and I look forward to the next installment.