The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

John Huston, who practically invented film noir with The Maltese Falcon, returns to the shadowy streets and shady characters that launched his directing career. A criminal mastermind named Doc (Sam Jaffe) is putting together a team to commit a huge jewel heist. He needs a safecracker, a driver, a hooligan and a fixer. The fixer’s younger girlfriend first appears sleeping on a sofa. It’s Marilyn Monroe in a startling scene that lit the fuse to her “blonde bombshell” image.