Naked City, The (1948)

The Naked City (1948), directed by Jules Dassin.

Documentary style police procedural with an irritating and unnecessary narration. It probably seemed gritty and realistic at the time, but is much less so now, actually quite stagey in parts. That would be an interesting study: how what is considered "realistic" looks different at different times.

A model is murdered and the police follow the leads during a hot summer week. Exciting chase and shootout at the end. Ted de Corsia was always one of my favorite thugs.

More than anything else it reminds me of the squad room stories Ed McBain started writing a few years later.

Criterion DVD.