What it’s about
Tony Le Stephanois (Servais), an aging, tired thief just released from prison, enlists some old colleagues to pull off one last jewelry heist before retiring. Though the robbery is meticulously planned, enormous risk and a palpable sense of foreboding accompany this caper; one senses not everyone can be trusted. Will Tony succeed?
Why we love it
Viewed nearly six decades after release, “Rififi” retains all its gritty realism and tense, claustrophobic atmosphere. The famous heist sequence, done completely in silence, is riveting, and Jean Servais’s lead performance as the crime’s originator conveys a sad, twisted nobility. The jarring conclusion of this small masterpiece is particularly memorable. Location shooting in Paris adds pungent Gallic flavoring. A must-see from American noir director Jules Dassin, who’d resettled in Paris due to the Hollywood blacklist. Judging from this ageless noir classic, the French were lucky to get him!
Jean Servais, Carl Mhner, Robert Manuel, Jules Dassin Jules Dassin