Du rififi chez les hommes (1955)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Jules Dassin

Writers:

Auguste Le Breton (novel)
Jules Dassin (adaptation)

Release Date:

5 June 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

["Rififi"] ...means Trouble!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Safe | Jewelry | Italian | Burglary | Jewel

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jean Servais	...	Tony le Stéphanois
Carl Möhner	...	Jo le Suedois
Robert Manuel	...	Mario Ferrati
Janine Darcey	...	Louise le Suedois
Pierre Grasset	...	Louis Grutter aka Louis le Tatoué
Robert Hossein	...	Remi Grutter
Marcel Lupovici	...	Pierre Grutter
Dominique Maurin	...	Tonio le Suedois
Magali Noël	...	Viviane
Marie Sabouret	...	Mado les Grands Bras
Claude Sylvain	...	Ida Ferrati
Jules Dassin	...	Cesar le Milanais (as Perlo Vita)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
André Dalibert	...	Webb, le bijoutier (as Dalibert)

Also Known As:

Rififi (UK) (USA)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

France:-16 (original rating) | West Germany:18 | Finland:(Banned) (1956) (uncut) | Finland:K-18 (1978) (uncut) | Finland:K-18 (1959) (cut) | Australia:M | Norway:16 | France:U (re-release) | Sweden:15 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Grande Poste, Rue du Louvre, Paris 1, Paris, France

Company:

Pathé Consortium Cinéma

Trivia:

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

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jo climbs down into Mappin & Webb, he is the fourth and final member of the gang. Yet you can see another pair of legs still in the room above.

Quotes:

Mario Ferrati: [to Tony about Cesar] For a job with you he'll come. Cesar! There's not a safe that can resist Cesar and not a woman that Cesar can resist.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Best of Film Noir (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

La chanson 'Le Rififi'

the absolute best

If any film approaches perfection, this is the one. Pound for pound and scene for scene it is the best. The only others even close are the Maltese Falcon and Asphalt Jungle, but this is the baby that beats even them. For sheer black and white beauty it is the equal of Asphalt, and just never lets up. Its ending is one of the best of all time, easily the equal of Citizen Kane. And making it even more amazing it that it was cobbled together in desperation: and made for practically nothing. In short, a bloody miracle.

It builds beautifully. Everything in it works, even down to the great music of George Auric.

Shot in early winter or late spring, it is authentic down to the white gangster breaths on the air. Paris never looked more dangerously beautiful.

Of all the films I have ever seen, it is the only one I would give a nine and a half to. And since most of it works very well without comment, probably it is best to just say, watch it and behold.