“The Naked City” is an early movie by a lesser-known legend of film noir. Jules Dassin, an American director of Greek descent, is best known for his similar films “Rififi” and “Topkapi,” but those were both made after the genre’s height on the movie history timeline.
“Naked City” on the other hand was made in 1948, and like many A and B movies like it, it boasted that it was unlike any film you had ever seen before. It’s big selling point was that it was shot on location in New York, and the film practically makes the city it’s main character.
And for making such a bold claim upfront, the film rightfully won that year’s Oscar for best black and white cinematography. There is a chase that spirals through the Brooklyn Bridge at the film’s finale that must have been a groundbreaking visual for its time and still looks pretty impressive. Continue reading “Rapid Response: The Naked City”