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IMDbPro

The Naked City

  • 19481948
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
14K
YOUR RATING
The Naked City (1948)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Film-Noir
A step-by-step look at a murder investigation on the streets of New York.A step-by-step look at a murder investigation on the streets of New York.A step-by-step look at a murder investigation on the streets of New York.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jules Dassin
  • Writers
    • Albert Maltz(screenplay)
    • Malvin Wald(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Barry Fitzgerald
    • Howard Duff
    • Dorothy Hart
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jules Dassin
  • Writers
    • Albert Maltz(screenplay)
    • Malvin Wald(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Barry Fitzgerald
    • Howard Duff
    • Dorothy Hart
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 108User reviews
    • 80Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations total

    Photos194

    Howard Duff, Barry Fitzgerald, Dorothy Hart, and Don Taylor in The Naked City (1948)
    The Naked City (1948)
    The Naked City (1948)
    The Naked City (1948)
    The Naked City (1948)
    The Naked City (1948)
    The Naked City (1948)
    The Naked City (1948)
    Howard Duff and Dorothy Hart in The Naked City (1948)
    Walter Burke and Ted de Corsia in The Naked City (1948)
    Walter Burke and Ted de Corsia in The Naked City (1948)
    Ted de Corsia in The Naked City (1948)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Barry Fitzgerald
    Barry Fitzgerald
    • Lt. Dan Muldoonas Lt. Dan Muldoon
    Howard Duff
    Howard Duff
    • Frank Nilesas Frank Niles
    Dorothy Hart
    Dorothy Hart
    • Ruth Morrisonas Ruth Morrison
    Don Taylor
    Don Taylor
    • Jimmy Halloranas Jimmy Halloran
    Frank Conroy
    Frank Conroy
    • Captain Donahueas Captain Donahue
    Ted de Corsia
    Ted de Corsia
    • Willy Garzahas Willy Garzah
    • (as Ted De Corsia)
    House Jameson
    House Jameson
    • Dr. Lawrence Stonemanas Dr. Lawrence Stoneman
    Anne Sargent
    • Mrs. Halloranas Mrs. Halloran
    Adelaide Klein
    • Mrs. Batoryas Mrs. Batory
    Grover Burgess
    Grover Burgess
    • Mr. Batoryas Mr. Batory
    Tom Pedi
    Tom Pedi
    • Detective Perellias Detective Perelli
    Enid Markey
    Enid Markey
    • Mrs. Hyltonas Mrs. Hylton
    Mark Hellinger
    Mark Hellinger
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    Jean Adair
    Jean Adair
    • Little Old Ladyas Little Old Lady
    • (uncredited)
    Celia Adler
    • Dress Shop Proprietressas Dress Shop Proprietress
    • (uncredited)
    Janie Alexander
    • Girlas Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Joyce Allen
    • Shopgirlas Shopgirl
    • (uncredited)
    Beverly Bayne
    Beverly Bayne
    • Mrs. Stonemanas Mrs. Stoneman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Jules Dassin
    • Writers
      • Albert Maltz(screenplay)
      • Malvin Wald(screenplay) (story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Most of the street scenes were shot on location in New York without the public's knowledge. Photographer William H. Daniels and his uncredited assistant Roy Tripp filmed people on the streets using a hidden camera from the back of an old moving van. Occasionally, a fake newsstand with a hidden camera inside was also set up on the sidewalk to secretly film the actors. Director Jules Dassin hired a juggler to distract the crowds and also hired a man to occasionally climb up on a light post and give a patriotic speech, while waving an American flag to get the crowd's attention.
    • Goofs
      When Garzah is running along a street in New York, the car holding the camera (in the passenger window) is visible in the store windows, keeping pace with the actor as he stops and starts.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Narrator: There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits are spoken by producer/narrator Mark Hellinger. No credits are seen on the screen.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Movie Orgy (1968)
    • Soundtracks
      Sobre las Olas (Over the Waves)
      (1887) (uncredited)

      Written by Juventino Rosas

      Background music for the girls on swings

    User reviews108

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    A Turning Point In Film Noir
    There are two styles of Film Noir. Fueled by writers like James M. Cain, Dashiell Hammett, and Raymond Chandler, the first style emerged in the 1940s and was characterized by a cynical, often witty tone; anti-heroes, dangerous women, and assorted criminal elements; and complex plots that emphasized betrayal and moral ambiguity. It was also photographed in a remarkable visual style that combined glossy production values with atmospheric emphasis on light and shadow--and films like THE MALTESE FALCON, THIS GUN FOR HIRE, MILDRED PIERCE, THE BLUE DAHLIA, and DOUBLE INDEMNITY remain great classics of their kind.

    But after World War II public taste began to change. Things that could only be hinted at in earlier films could now be more directly stated, and as audiences clamored for a more gritty realism the glossy sophistication of 1940s Noir fell out of fashion. The result was a new style of Noir--photographed in a grainier way, more direct, more brutal, and even less sympathetic to its characters. And the 1948 THE NAKED CITY was among the first to turn the tide. The sophisticated gumshoe, slinky gun moll, and glossy production values were gone; this film felt more like something you might read in a particularly lurid "true detective" tabloid.

    In an era when most films were shot on Hollywood backlots, THE NAKED CITY was actually filmed in New York--and while filmmakers could film with hidden cameras sound technology of the day posed a problem. But producer Mark Hellinger turned the problem into an asset: the film would be narrated, adding to the documentary-like style of the cinematography and story. (Hellinger performed the narrative himself, and his sharp delivery is extremely effective.) The story itself reads very much like a police report, following NYPD detectives as they seek to solve a dress model's murder.

    For 1948 it was innovative stuff-but like many innovative films it falters a bit in comparison to later films that improved upon the idea. The direct nature of the plot feels slightly too direct, slightly too simple. The same is true of the performances, which have a slightly flat feel, and although Barry Fitzgerald gives a sterling performance he is very much a Hollywood actor whose style seems slightly out of step alongside the deadpan style of the overall cast. Even so, the pace and drive of the film have tremendous interest, and while you might find yourself criticizing certain aspects you'll still be locked into the movie right to the very end. Particularly recommended for Film Noir addicts, who will be fascinated to see the turning point in the style.

    Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
    helpful•132
    10
    • gftbiloxi
    • Mar 31, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 4, 1948 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Homicide
    • Filming locations
      • Williamsburg Bridge, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Mark Hellinger Productions
      • Universal International Pictures (UI)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,400,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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