Rififi (1955)

Four men plan a technically perfect crime, but the human element intervenes...

Director:

Jules Dassin

Writers:

Auguste Le Breton (novel), Jules Dassin (adaptation)

Stars:

Jean Servais, Carl Möhner, Robert Manuel

6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Servais	...	Tony le Stéphanois
Carl Möhner	...	Jo le Suedois
Robert Manuel	...	Mario Ferrati
Janine Darcey	...	Louise
Pierre Grasset	...	Louis Grutter aka Louis le Tatoué
Robert Hossein	...	Remi Grutter
Marcel Lupovici	...	Pierre Grutter
Dominique Maurin	...	Tonio
Magali Noël	...	Viviane
Marie Sabouret	...	Mado les Grands Bras
Claude Sylvain	...	Ida Ferrati
Jules Dassin	...	Cesar le Milanais (as Perlo Vita)
Armandel	...	Second Gambler
Alain Bouvette	...	Footman, 'L'Age D'Or'
Alice Garan

Storyline

After five years in prison, Tony le Stéphanois meets his dearest friends Jo and the Italian Mario Ferrati and they invite Tony to steal a couple of jewels from the show-window of the famous jewelry Mappin & Webb Ltd, but he declines. Tony finds his former girlfriend Mado, who became the lover of the gangster owner of the night-club L' Âge d' Or Louis Grutter, and he humiliates her, beating on her back for being unfaithful. Then he calls Jo and Mario and proposes a burglary of the safe of the jewelry. They invite the Italian specialist in safes and elegant wolf Cesar to join their team and they plot a perfect heist. They are successful in their plan, but the Don Juan Cesar makes things go wrong when he gives a valuable ring to his mistress.

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Plot Keywords:

heist | gem | burglary | power drill | security system | 

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Taglines:

30 years later, Tony le Stéphanois is always punctual.

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French Italian English

Release Date:

5 June 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rififi

Filming Locations:

Pont de Bir-Hakeim, Paris 15, Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,981, 23 July 2000

Gross USA:

$517,975

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$521,342

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Consortium Cinéma, Indusfilms, Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the scene where Jo and Mario inform Tony of their intent to "knock over" the Mappin & Webb, the crew placed a table and three chairs in front of a phony window frame in the middle of the street to create the illusion that they were sitting in a cafe across the street from the jewelers.

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Goofs

When they get in the car to drive to the heist, one of the guy's coats partially hangs out of the car when the door is closed. However, when they're driving there is no coat to be seen.

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Quotes

L'Age d'Or Showgirl Hostess: Hello, you.
Jo le Suedois: Hello, kid. Sit your moneymaker down.

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Alternate Versions

West German theatrical version was shortened by ca. 8 minutes (the poker scenes, the telephone scene with Jo and his wife, Mario's funeral, small dialogue scenes of Tony meeting various people, Tony finding Jo's corpse, Tony shooting an already dead gangster). This version was also broadcast on TV.

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Connections

References The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

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Soundtracks

Le Rififi
Music by Philippe-Gérard
Lyrics by Jacques Larue
Performed by Magali Noël

User Reviews

A Magnificent Fim-Noir

After five years in prison, Tony le Stéphanois (Jean Servais) meets his dearest friends Jo (Carl Möhner) and the Italian Mario Ferrati (Robert Manuel) and they invite Tony to steal a couple of jewels from the show-window of the famous jewelry Mappin & Webb Ltd, but he declines. Tony finds his former girlfriend Mado (Marie Sabouret), who became the lover of the gangster owner of the night-club L' Âge d' Or Louis Grutter (Pierre Grasset), and he humiliates her, beating on her back and taking her jewels. Then he calls Jo and Mario and proposes a burglary of the safe of the jewelry. They invite the Italian specialist in safes and elegant wolf Cesar (Perlo Vita) to join their team and they plot a perfect heist. They are successful in their plan, but the D. Juan Cesar makes things go wrong when he gives a valuable ring to his mistress.

"Du Rififi Chez les Hommes" is a magnificent film-noir, certainly among the best I have seen. The screenplay has credibility, supported by an awesome direction of Jules Dassin, stunning performances of the cast and great cinematography. Jean Servais has outstanding performance in the role of a criminal with principles guided by the underworld rules. The famous long silent sequence of the heist is amazing and extremely tense and certainly among the best ones of the cinema history. I am listing this great movie in my list of favorite movies ever. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Rififi"