Rififi

I watched this after seeing it listed somewhere as one of the great heist films. Come to find out it is a 1955 B&W French heist film (making a splash at Cannes that year). And I would agree, this is a fantastic heist film. The story involves a young thief and his just-out-of-prison mentor. They have an idea for a job, get a couple of guys in on the job and proceed to relieve a local jeweler of his wares. There is some romantic intrigue, a rival gangster, and the dichotomy of the thieves life (both hope and resignation, anguish/stress and pure joy). Put a great noir soundtrack over the top and this will satisfy all your expectations. But wait, there's more. The best part of the entire film is the actual heist. No fast cars or chase scenes, no high tech. Just an extended segment of silent, tension-filled thievery. Loved it.

5 stars (out of 5)