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.

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

IMPORTANT! Because of the extraordinary nature of "Rififi", no one will be seated once this film has begun.

---

Genres:

Crime | Thriller

---

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:

$57,226

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

Mexican authorities pulled the movie from theaters after multiple burglaries were committed employing methods similar to those shown.

---

Goofs

When they do timings by car during the heist preparation, the car changes in between shots.

---

Quotes

Louise: You're not the only one that had an unhappy childhood, there are millions like you, and, in my eyes, *they* are the tough ones, not you!

---

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.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Americans: The Summit (2018)

---

Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Simply stunning.

I see alot of movies at the cinema (103 so far this year) and I have to say that this is by far and away the best film I have seen this year, even though it was released back in 1954!

I sat in awe and watched this work of genius and felt quite ashamed that I had never even heard of it before my local art house cinema decided to show it for a week on what looked like a new print.

The best part of the whole movie has to be the 28 minute break in where there is no speech and no music, merely the sound of the men carrying out the heist. Pure quality.

Although really dark in places it is lightened with the dry humour.

Not many films score 10 out of 10 but this does and also gets a gold star for effort!!

If you ever get a chance to see this movie, please do not hesitate, it's a classic.