Rififi (1955)

Rififi is a classic heist film that is right up there with the best of its peers - The Asphalt Jungle and The Killing. Yet in many ways it feels like it is overlooked. This is a great film worthy of inclusion not only with the best heist films but with the best noir films. The film is directed by Jules Dassin. Dassin brought us other classic noir films including Brute Force, The Naked City, Thieves Highway and the brilliant Night and the City. Dassin was also blacklisted and went to Europe where he successfully revived his career. Of his later caper films Topkapi stands out. The actual heist done in complete silence, not even any music, is classic. Subtitles.

"Rififi"This gangster-heist film noir was a one-of-a-kind when it first came out , and still one of the best to do it today. An inspiration for many to come, this is a multi-layered crime movie beyond just the heist itself. Also featuring excellent camerawork to create the mood with push-ins, close-ups, and character blocking. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Tony is fresh from jail and is deteriorating in health and gambling debt. His old friend, Jo, reaches out to Tony with a heist to get him off his feet: a window-shop diamond robbery. Tony declines at first, but after learning his ex-wife (whom left him while in jail) is in town and in bed with a nightclub owner Grutter (with ties to the mob and police), he accepts Jo's offer on two conditions: no guns, and they go for the bigger stash inside the safe.Tony and Jo are accompanied with two men: Mario the keymaker, and Cesar the safecracker. The four of them scout out the landscape: traffic times, surrounding store hours, postman or floral delivery schedules, police patrol schedules, etc. They get their hands on the bank's security system and run test trials to ensure they have sure-fire ways of diffusing the system. They manage to execute the perfect heist and everything goes to plan .... Except fore the "human element" ...Cesar fell in love with a singer who works at Grutter's nightclub, and he discovers who are the players behind the heist. He hires his dope fiend brother to kidnap Cesar , whom then snitches on Mario ,, who takes the fall for Tony - costing both him and his wife their life. Tony, still hungry for revenge over Grutter taking his wife, now wants vengeance for his good friend's death. Grutter kidnaps Jo's son and holds him for ransom, and Tony gets the drop on Grutter's secret villa. Jo isn't aware Tony is breaking his son out and delivers the money to Grutter ..........Long story short things get ugly in the name of stolen money10/10

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.

Tony is the one, the typical noire protagonist always trying to find a window of light with little success. He is on the verge of absolute breakdown, a deserted gangster in an asphalt jungle with an uncontrollable urge to regain his leading role. the plot brings 3 other people around Tony with apparent different motivations. Jo, soon to become the muscle of the group-Mario, the connector who knows people and Cesar, the womanizer who's delicate hands know no boundaries. The tension reaches it's peak when Tony finds out his girlfriend, the only last asset left for him has been already snatched by his arch enemy Grutter. His manhood must be testified. the heist might be his last chance. A warehouse is where the plot is planned. All details seem to be heeded, however we instinctively know there is danger wherever women are involved. Rifif has no usual femme fatale like a typical noir must, instead there is a singer in Grutters club who performs a musical about a gangster who sounds quite similar with Tony. Ironically her relationship with Cesar becomes a key point later when Cesar gives her an extra jewel stolen from the webb's. The heist is a masterpiece when it comes to details in addition to little dialogue and dynamic flow. Everything makes sense: from the fire foam used to make the siren silent to the umbrella. Every step has been well-foreseen. the suspense reaches its heights as the drill penetrates through the chest. With a camera moving rapidly between the 4 faces and with almost no dialogue exchanged, we read through their faces all the hope and fear. the scene is so complete that makes the scene of sharing future plans total unnecessary. The battle must now be fought in another arena. We have been waiting for the final showdown between Tony and grutters. The extra stolen jewel starts a row of events. The movie is quite successful in fueling the set of events leading to the final showdown: Torture, Murder, reconciliation with mado, child in threat, showdown and finally death for all those involved. In the final scene, Tony the wounded wolf gives an infant whom he just saved a ride home, a ride through Paris with all of its monuments, buildings and people is a ride of redemption for Tony towards death.