Rififi (1955)

Director: Jules Dassin

Writers: Jules Dassin, Rene Wheeler and Auguste Le Breton, from the novel by and with dialogue by August Le Breton

Stars: Jean Servais, Carl Mohner, Robert Manuel, Janine Darcey, Pierre Gracet, Robert Hossein, Marcel Lupovici

Tony le Stephanois (Jean Servais, who has an amazing face) is a tired crook, recently released from prison, who gets involved in a jewel heist. 

Although the caper goes as planned, other elements of the underworld get wind of it and move in to steal the proceeds, kidnapping the young son of one of the conspirators.

 

This is a gritty crime story with wonderful black and white photography. 

There are no good guys here. 

Le Stéphanois, whom we see whipping his unfaithful girlfriend with a belt in one scene, is sympathetic only by comparison with the characters who do not follow the code of honor among thieves, which is the only moral standard in the world that director Jules Dassin has created.

 

I remove some credit for the interminable 28-minute scene detailing the break-in, which many hail as the heart of the film.

 

Although the scenes in which they plan the crime and study the alarm system are fascinating, watching every moment of the jewel robbery was, for me, as dull as watching guys work on a car, and I literally dozed off.

 

Otherwise, this film is near perfection.

Spoiler alert!!! End of the film!!