Rififi

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Rififi

1956

2h 0m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

52 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Out of prison after a five-year stretch, jewel thief Tony (Jean Servais) turns down a quick job his friend Jo (Carl Mohner) offers him, until he discovers that his old girlfriend Mado (Marie Sabouret) has become the lover of local gangster Pierre Grutter (Marcel Lupovici) during Tony's absence. Expanding a minor smash-and-grab into a full-scale jewel heist, Tony and his crew appear to get away clean, but their actions after the job is completed threaten the lives of everyone involved.

Critics Consensus

Rififi depicts the perfect heist in more ways than one, telling its story so effectively that it essentially provided the template for an entire genre to follow.

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John Wilcox

Sight & Sound

Mar 18, 2020

A pity that the film degenerates through attempting too much; for in the first half, when Dassin is working within his limitations, he creates an admirably incisive and entertaining piece of melodrama.

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Alan Scherstuhl

Village Voice

Sep 1, 2015

Viewers become something like collaborators, invested in working out what, say, that umbrella is going to be used for - and then pleased to discover whether we've gotten it right or not.

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Chris Cabin

Slant Magazine

Aug 28, 2015

4/4

Jules Dassin doesn't waste much time in expressing exactly what he thinks of the criminals and gangster culture that rule his underworld.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Jul 21, 2026

3.5/4

...a first-class picture that lives up to its place as a classic example of the heist genre.

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Raquel Stecher

The Movie Palace Podcast

May 16, 2024

A fantastic heist film... unrelenting brutality mixed with moments of humor and warmth.

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Victor Pineyro

Seventh Art Studio

Jan 7, 2023

10/10

The guide for heist movies was created in 1955 with this film. A masterpiece that everyone has been trying to copy over the years. [Full review in Spanish]

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Jacob W

@RT17896586 Oct 26, 2026

Before there was any of the heist movies like The Italian Job ,The Bank Job to name but a few. It all started with the original Heist. Without this movie there would be no heist movie. This is the blueprint that all since have followed. A true classic and a must see

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revolver.0 8

@Revolver08 Aug 2, 2025

Cinematic heist OG but its ludicrous in too many ways

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Jeff M.

@Jmo54 Jul 28, 2025

Exceptional film noir with one of the greatest heist sequences in movie history.

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mark g

@Mark_Alan_G. Jul 27, 2025

Film noir masterpiece. Elegantly shot, like a beautiful opium trip.

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Jens B

@Jens97 Apr 14, 2025

French crooks simply have more style – but otherwise, they're just as wicked and violent as any other gangster. Dassin's film is essentially divided into three parts: the preparation, the jewel robbery, and the aftermath. And it all works so well precisely because the characters were given sufficient depth in the first part, because the script and direction ensure a breathless middle section, and because the finale is truly dramatic. Absolutely great cinema, captured in beautiful and thoughtful images and brilliantly acted!

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Alec B

@Alec97 Feb 9, 2024

Obviously much has deservedly been written about the brilliance of it's wordless heist sequence but the rest of the movie is filled with brilliant little character observations, which is why the tragic ending plays so well.

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Jules Dassin

Director

Jean Servais

Tony le Stéphanois

Carl Mohner

Jo le Suedois

Robert Manuel

Mario Farrati

Magali Noël

Viviane

Janine Darcey

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Synopsis

Out of prison after a five-year stretch, jewel thief Tony (Jean Servais) turns down a quick job his friend Jo (Carl Mohner) offers him, until he discovers that his old girlfriend Mado (Marie Sabouret) has become the lover of local gangster Pierre Grutter (Marcel Lupovici) during Tony's absence. Expanding a minor smash-and-grab into a full-scale jewel heist, Tony and his crew appear to get away clean, but their actions after the job is completed threaten the lives of everyone involved.

Director: Jules Dassin
Producer: René Bezard, Henri Bérard, Pierre Cabaud, René Gaston Vuattoux
Screenwriter: Auguste Le Breton, Jules Dassin, René Wheeler, Auguste Le Breton
Distributor: UMPO, Criterion Collection, Rialto Pictures
Production Co: Indusfilms, Société Nouvelle Prodis, Prima Film
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 5, 1956, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jul 21, 2000
Release Date (DVD): Apr 24, 2001
Box Office (Gross USA): $57.2K
Runtime: 2h 0m
Sound Mix: Mono

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