Rififi (Criterion Collection) (Blu-ray + DVD)

Since that movie was rated one of the best black and white Noir movies of all time I am not surprised. Extremely well directed and marvelous acting.

This BD copy of the film is EXCELLENT! Beautiful picture that shows off the great B&W photography and the soundtrack is great, crisp and clear. There is a French language soundtrack as well as an English dubbed soundtrack. Subtitles are also available so you can run it in French with English subs (or vice-verse). Earlier DVD reviews stated the synchronization of sound and picture was off, NOT the case here and one review complained the subtitles only flashed on the screen for a second, again not the case here. The bonus interview with Dassin is simply wonderful, I am so glad Criterion did it, it gives insight onto the director, his career and the film.Without doing an analysis of the film (like all the Siskel & Ebert wannabes), I can say that I really enjoyed this film. It is a great "tough-guy" "heist" film that has been imitated and copied so many times parts of it have become cliches (just like things from Citizen Kane). Reviews have praised the film making, photography and denigrated the treatment of women and macho elements. These reviews forget it is a MOVIE and depicts a specific group of criminals, not all Frenchmen or women. Dassin was out to make a good picture on a low budget and succeeded. The low budget may have helped as it limited the salaries for the actors resulting great choices for the parts (with Dassin playing a part himself) and a crew that really did an excellent job from camerawork to editing. The film is not too long as some complain but rather allows the characters to develop and give explanation to why certain things are being done. Some plot twists lend to the overall suspense of the film and the clash of personalities between the characters. Remembering this in the French underworld in 1955 may help some people understand the film better.I think it is one of the best films of its type and an excellent picture in any genre.

This review is for the 2001 Criterion DVD.Jean Servais stars as Tony le Stéphanois, a recently paroled convict living in Paris who decides to pull off an incredible jewelry heist by teaming up with his nephew Jo and several others including Milanais, played by director Jules Dassin. The planning is meticulous and brilliant. Stéphanois also has a score to settle with a lowlife club owner named Grutter who shamelessly exploited his wife while Tony was in prison. This sets up the rest of the movie for one of filmmaking's most captivating robbery scenes with an incredibly climatic aftermath.Even though this is a French movie with English subtitles, it was a very easy film to follow based on the actions and emotions of the characters. At first it looked like it was going to be a lot like "The Aspalt Jungle" but went into a completely different direction with a gutch-wrenching segment involving a "minor character" in the plot (sorry I won't spoil it). What I also enjoyed was the energy and charisma of the characters plus using ageless Paris as a backdrop for this noir movie. The nightclub acts in this film were also very unique and entertaining and the jewelry heist was also original, lasting for at least 20-25 minutes without a single word being spoken. The robbery also used some innovative ideas for accessing the safe and jewels. Finally, there is an emotionally charged scene near the end with some very original film editing.A nice bonus added on the DVD by Criterion is a 2000 interview with director Jules Dassin with very informative and at times humorous antedotes. Of course Dassin was blacklisted from Hollywood and was in France out of work and flat broke. Fortunately, someone convinced him to make this movie, which was based on a French book and he did it on a shoe-string budget with either has-been actors or unknowns. The rest is history and arguably his best film.The DVD B&W picture quality is near pristine and the sound is extremely good for a 50 year old film. Criterion did another splendid job with this production. If you love post World War II noir movies, you won't be disappointed.Movie: ADVD Quality: A-

Product in mint condition, arrived so fast it was in time for mum's birthday, many thanks

NotEvenEnglish

One of the best movies ever made on Criterion blu ray. My only complaint is that the audio does not play on my home theatre, only on my proyector.

Fresh out of jail, Tony le Stephanois plans a massive jewel heist. He puts together a team and sets the wheels in motion. He discovers that his girlfriend at the time of his arrest has a new boyfriend, a big-time gangster. Little does he know it but this fact will interfere with the heist.Superb movie. Written and directed by Jules Dassin, Rififi is classic film noir. Clever, solid plot and excellent direction by Dassin. The heist itself is incredible, with some clever innovations by the thieves and is filmed in absolute silence, just like it would have gone down if it was real life. No music to up the tension, no fake atmosphere, just realism.The way it all unravels towards the end is wonderfully Shakespearean. Incredibly intriguing, enthralling and original plot development.Incredibly influential film too. You can see it in the works of Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers, to name but a few.An absolute classic.

Guiòn perfecto, creación de personajes lograda y idóneo pulso narrativo, muy vital y seductor, como solía Jules Dassin antes de decaer en los años sesenta. Impresiona el realismo de la conducta de los gansters, solidarios con el amigo y crueles con el enemigo. Disponía ya de una copia en versión original con subtítulos, pero compré esta en castellano porque puede uno seguir mejor las imágenes sin leer subtítulos.Es el mejor cine negro que se pueda ver para cualquier tipo de espectador, salvo para los niños.