Possibly the best crime drama ever filmed, this taut, gritty caper begins with a meticulously planned robbery executed with clockwork precision. But bit by bit, unanticipated events and the criminal’s character flaws begin to unravel a seemingly perfect heist. A young Marilyn Monroe is featured in a small, but star-making performance. Nominated for four Academy Awards including Huston’s second for Best Director, The Asphalt Jungle would go on to influence countless crime pictures, including those of French director Jean-Pierre Melville, who declared it a masterpiece.