The Naked City

About The Naked City

The Naked City (1948) is a black-and-white film noir directed by Jules Dassin. The movie, shot in documentary style, was filmed on location on the streets of New York City featuring such landmarks as the Williamsburg Bridge, and the Whitehall Building in Manhattan. William H. Daniels won an Academy Award for his cinematography.

Based on a story by Malvin Wald, The Naked City portrays the police investigation that follows the murder of a young model. A veteran cop is placed in charge of the case and he sets about, with the help of other beat cops and detectives, finding the girl's killer. The Naked City producer Mark Hellinger's voice was used for the film's narration. Hellinger died of a sudden heart attack after a preview of the movie. The film was the inspiration for the 1958-63 TV series Naked City.

According to the book Noir Style by Alain Silver and James Ursini, the visual style of The Naked City was inspired by New York photographer Weegee, who published a book of photos of New York life called Naked City (1945).