Crime,Drama,Mystery,Thriller
United States of America
The Naked City is a 1948 film noir directed by Jules Dassin. It is known for its innovative use of location shooting and naturalistic dialogue, which set it apart from other films of its time.
The film follows Detective Lieutenant Dan Muldoon (played by Barry Fitzgerald), a grizzled veteran of the New York Police Department, as he investigates the murder of Jean Dexter (played by Jean Adair), a young model who was found dead in her apartment.
Muldoon and his team (which includes a young detective played by Don Taylor) pursue various leads and suspects, including Jean's ex-boyfriend, a wealthy playboy, and a shady doctor. Along the way, they encounter a diverse cast of characters, from streetwise informants to high-society types.
As the investigation unfolds, Muldoon begins to piece together the complex web of relationships and motives that led to Jean's death. He also confronts his own mortality and the changing nature of crime in the modern city.
The Naked City is notable for its authentic depiction of New York City, which serves as a key character in the film. Many of the scenes were shot on location, including a tense rooftop chase and a climactic pursuit through the crowded streets.
The film's screenplay, by Albert Maltz and Malvin Wald, was inspired by a series of articles in The New York Sun that chronicled the real-life work of the city's police detectives. The film was a critical and commercial success, and went on to influence the development of the police procedural genre.
