Overview
A gripping heist unfolds in the shadows of Paris, where betrayal and ambition collide.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- austere
- brooding
- classic cinema night
- crime movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Rififi as a landmark French crime film whose meticulously staged heist, intelligent craft, and humane criminal characters established a template for the genre.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The safe-breaking operation unfolds through extended, nearly wordless attention to tools, timing, obstacles, and teamwork.
Tony, Jo, Mario, and Cesar operate within a code of loyalty that is repeatedly tested by betrayal and personal desire.
Black-and-white cinematography renders postwar Paris, nightclubs, jewelry displays, and criminal interiors with severe noir contrast.
Cesar's decision to give a valuable ring to his mistress compromises an otherwise meticulously planned burglary.
Films like Rififi, and why
The Asphalt Jungle
groundbreaking meticulous heist structure, organized crime, and morally conflicted criminals
Le Samouraï
French crime atmosphere, criminal loyalty, and tragic noir fatalism
The Killing
stylish jewel theft, criminal professionalism, and suspense built around procedural detail
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
classic noir heist plotting, betrayal, and the tension between criminal codes and personal desire
Movie Details
- Director
- Jules Dassin
- Release Date
- 1955-04-13
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (658)
Cast
- Jean Servais
- Carl Möhner
- Robert Manuel
- Janine Darcey
- Pierre Grasset
- Robert Hossein
- Marcel Lupovici
- Dominique Maurin
- Magali Noël
- Marie Sabouret
Common questions
- What is Rififi about?
- A hardened Parisian ex-con assembles an elite crew for an immaculate jewelry heist whose fragile code of loyalty cannot survive human weakness.
- What is Rififi like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rififi as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Rififi violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Rififi as moderate.
- What did critics think of Rififi?
- Critics broadly regard Rififi as a landmark French crime film whose meticulously staged heist, intelligent craft, and humane criminal characters established a template for the genre.
- Which films are like Rififi?
- Films with a similar feel include The Asphalt Jungle, Le Samouraï, The Killing, and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.
- How long is Rififi?
- Rififi runs 118 minutes.
