JohnHowardReid
Regarded by many critics as the finest film noir ever made, the 1955 Rififi directed by Jules Dassin is available on a 7/10 Criterion DVD. (Why only 7/10? Two image break-ups, including an extended impasse at the beginning of the robbery which undermines this sequence).My personal opinion is that the movie runs far too long and tends to out-stay its welcome, thus allowing the viewer to focus on holes in the plot. For example, I feel trims should have been made to Magali Noel's rendition of the title song, as well as the ailing Jean Servais' climactic drive to Tonio's home, both of which seem to go on forever. The famous, no-dialogue robbery sequence, on the other hand, is commendably taut. Aside from Jules Dassin himself, who, despite his curiosity value, makes an unconvincing Italian romantic, the cast rates as uniformly fine. Servais is especially impressive. Great lighting photography by Agostini and moody sets by Trauner (as well as the inspired use of real Parisian locations) help secure Rififi a place on anyone's must-see list.
quinimdb
The greatest scene in "Rififi" is of course the heist scene, but the way each of the characters and each of their fatal flaws causes their downfall in one way or another in the final 45 minutes in the film is right up there with that scene. And the first 45 minutes of the film, which is required to set up the stakes and the tension of the heist scene and the characters and each of their traits that are important in the last third of the film, is also great. OK, so the entire movie is really great, but let's start at the beginning.The film starts by showing a tired looking old man named Tony le Stephanois at a poker table, then running out of money before his friend, Jo, who we learn has a kid and wife, picks him up. He tells him about a possible heist, but turns the opportunity down. We then learn that Tony has just gotten out of prison and is looking for a woman who he used to be with in his life. He finds out she is with another man named Remmie Grutter and has been with another before that since he left, and then he confronts her. He brings her to his house in a very tense scene and whips her with a belt. He kicks her out, and at that moment he calls the man and decides to do the heist. I believe at this moment he realized that this was the man he was, this tough guy, or what we later learn is called a "rififi". But Tony wants to take the heist one step further and steal the mother load, the vault, instead of just taking what's at the store window. And so they begin planning. We learn that they need to pull of the heist before six o'clock so no one witnesses the heist. One of the men goes to the store to scope out the alarm system and the layout of the place. Once they figure out what the alarm system is, they begin experimenting with it in a great, long scene, exhausting every possibility and showing how airtight the system is. This scene is instrumental in establishing most of the tension in the heist scene, because we now know how fragile the alarm system is, and how just barely the wrong move could set off the alarm and ruin the entire heist. Then once they figure out a method of silencing the alarm, they begin the heist.The heist is hands down one of the most intense scenes of all time, and not a single word is spoken. In fact, there is no music or non diegetic sound in this scene in general. But in spite of this, we understand everything that they are trying to do in this scene even though we haven't even heard them outline their entire plan yet, largely due to the fantastic editing and directing. We actually only know what we really need to know in order for there to be tension in this scene, and that is the alarm system and the time that they need to be done. It's a largely silent scene, and this is to emphasize the importance of the noise they make. Too loud, and it's over. This makes every move a risk, and increases the tension with every accidental, or purposeful, sound. We know how sensitive the alarm is to vibration. Hit anything too hard, and it's over. This makes each strike to the ground as they chip through it tense. We know the time they need to be done by, which means each time we get a glimpse of the clock, we grow more and more tense that they won't finish in time. So everything they do in this scene increases the tension, and to top it all off they need to make a FAST get away from two lurking cops near their car.It's a GREAT scene, and a great plan, but the tension isn't over yet, because the plan all comes tumbling down thanks to the various traits we've learned about the character so far. In fact, the cause of each of their downfalls is laid out in the scene where they are each saying what they will do with the money. One says him and his wife can try out beds in all the chic hotels, and his wife's loyalty to him is what gets them both killed in an interrogation scene. One talks about his sisters, and the ring that he gets one of them is what results in Remmie Grutter and his gang finding out about the heist and trying to interrogate and kill Tony's gang for the money. The first thing Jo thinks about is his kid, and his unstoppable drive to get his kid back from Remmie, who takes him as a hostage, is what gets him killed. Tony... well, he doesn't really know. He did this heist because it is what he does, it's what he is. He didn't really think about the money, and he ends up being the last one to die, only after killing Remmie and saving Jo's son by driving him home after he had been shot in the stomach, in another tense scene in which Tony grows dizzier and closer to dying as he drives this car with a young boy in it.
Richie-67-485852
Excellent foreign film of a robbery and all that goes with it too. You are in the movie courtesy of the way it is filmed. No sound, or dialog is used during the heist giving one a sense of everyone knows what to do and when so why talk? Do what we are supposed to be doing here and then, let's get out as quickly as we can. That's where we join them. We get to the thrill of the caper first hand, imagine ourselves in the money, and it is a matter of time until we all get our shares. If it was that simple we can only hope. The wild card? Human nature and the unforeseen. Nicely filmed, paced and the movie manages to hook us using more than the heist or the money too. The characters pull you in and we hope for a good ending but then, the word "good" is subjective. Suspense, glued to the screen type movie watching, have some popcorn to diffuse the tension, definitely a tasty drink and at least two snacks. Good job all involved and thank you for this gem
russellalancampbell
This is the toughest, most spellbinding and, finally, enervating film I have ever seen. The protagonist, Toni Le Stephanois, as played by Jean Servais is out for a big score - the safe - as his time as a mastermind and tough guy is running out. The meticulous planning and the flawless - almost - execution of the heist had me and I am sure most of the audience wanting the crims to get away with it. And notice that the thieves plan to use their cut to make life better for those they love or care for. Only the rootless Toni cannot give an answer to the question of what he will do with his share. Should the thieves have merely sought to live it up on their ill-gotten gains, we might have wanted them caught. As with all tragedies, we often want the doomed protagonists to somehow be spared. However, it cannot be.Once the real bad guys realize who has done the heist, things can only become more and more brutal. And all that is left is for Toni to repair some of the damage done.Toni's final drive through the streets of Paris as he bleeds to death from a gunshot wound leaves me drained. The subjective camera swirls and jump cuts and the soundtrack oscillates as Toni's visual and aural perceptions move in and out of focus as he struggles onward to redemption.The film is a masterpiece. See it at least once in your life and you will never forget it.Rififi - it certainly is rough and tumble.
