Rififi

If you liked this

The Killing1956

Kubrick's second film runs the same clockwork-heist-then-collapse structure with a nastier, more nihilistic streak and a fractured timeline that was radical for its time. Tight, mean, brilliant.

But The non-linear structure and clipped noir dialogue feel dated compared to Rififi's more fluid style.

Le Cercle Rouge1970

Melville's own silent-heist masterpiece, slower and more meditative, populated by criminals bound by honour and doomed by fate. If you loved the hush of Rififi's job, this is its spiritual heir.

But It's even slower and more austere — patience is required, and payoff is emotional rather than explosive.

Heat1995

Michael Mann's professional-crew epic scales up Rififi's ideas of loyalty, tradecraft and the cost of one mistake into a sprawling, operatic Los Angeles crime saga.

But At three hours it's a much bigger commitment, and the domestic subplots slow the momentum for some viewers.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Rififi

Cast

• 
  Jean ServaisTony le Stéphanois
• 
  Carl MöhnerJo le Suedois
• 
  Robert ManuelMario Ferrati
• 
  Janine DarceyLouise
• 
  Pierre GrassetLouis Grutter aka Louis le Tatoué
• 
  Robert HosseinRémi Grutter
• 
  Marcel LupoviciPierre Grutter
• 
  Dominique MaurinTonio
• 
  Magali NoëlViviane
• 
  Marie SabouretMado
• 
  Claude SylvainIda Ferrati
• 
  Jules DassinCesar le Milanais

Recommended by

A Man Escaped, The Killing, Ocean's Eleven, Bob le Flambeur, Le Cercle Rouge, The Asphalt Jungle, Sexy Beast, Big Deal on Madonna Street, Man on Wire, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, The Lavender Hill Mob, Inside Man, The Italian Job, The Italian Job, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Ant-Man, Topkapi, Fast Five, The Thomas Crown Affair, The Pink Panther, Ocean's Eleven, Le Doulos, The Bad Guys, La Casa de Papel, Nine Queens, American Animals, Hogan's Heroes, Sneakers, The Bank Job, Le Trou, Now You See Me, First Cow, Den of Thieves, The Saint, Entrapment, The Silence of the Sea, Thief, The Great Train Robbery, Palookaville, The Thomas Crown Affair, Arsène Lupin, The League of Gentlemen, Rome Express, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Runaway Jury, In the Grey, The Hitch-Hiker, Dishonored, Femme Fatale, Kansas City Confidential, Pépé le Moko, Highway Patrol, Your Turn, Darling, Ocean's Thirteen, The American Friend, Bernie, Firewall, Hangmen Also Die!, Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror, The Jackpot!, Ocean's Eight, The Prisoner of Zenda, Confidence, The Eagle Has Landed, 49th Parallel, The Fallen Idol, Dillinger, Band of Outsiders, The Fortune Cookie, The Return of the Pink Panther, The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe, The War Wagon, Heist, It Takes a Thief, Fantomas, Escape Plan, Charley Varrick, Port of Shadows, Pickup on South Street, Fun with Dick and Jane, The Desperate Hours, The Lineup, Fever, Plunder Road, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, Keep 'Em Flying, Takers, The Web, Welcome to Collinwood, Elevator to the Gallows, La Belle Noiseuse, Locked Down, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, The Man Between, The Assassination Bureau, The Four Feathers, Surviving Picasso, Cul-de-sac, After the Fox, Treasure Island, Ocean's Twelve, Quick Change, Targets, Crime and Punishment, Special 26, Shadow of the Law, The Silver Chalice, Violent Road, Breakheart Pass, Lolita, The Swindle, Gambit, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Manon of the Spring, The Thieves, The Outfit, The Night of the Following Day, Masquerade, Espionage, Blood and Wine, The Woman on Pier 13, Slow Burn, Le Deuxième Souffle, Jenny Lamour, Topaz, Dragnet, Players, Tu£sday, Panic on the 5:22, Jagte Raho, Johnny Apollo, The Art of the Steal, The Big Chase, Johnny Cool, The Suspect, Overdrive, Q Planes, The Prowler, Gol Maal, The Hustle, Double Dhamaal, Thick as Thieves, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, The First Great Train Robbery, Confidential Agent, Rogue River, Dhoom, The Emperor of Paris, Dick Tracy, The Gentle Trap, The Criminal, Bad Genius, Storm Fear, The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse, Jewel Thief, Dhoom 2, Algiers, Return of the Saint, Night Train, Beat the Devil, The Thief, The Thirty Nine Steps, The Hostage Tower, Masterplan, The Rogues, C.I.D., The Protectors, The Anderson Tapes, Mortdecai, Northern Pursuit, The Little Princess, The Duke, The Killer Is Loose, Masquerade, Edge of Darkness, I See a Dark Stranger, Sirocco, The Private Affairs of Bel Ami, The Train, House of 1,000 Dolls, Rough Cut, The Basement and the Kitchen, The Hot Rock, Hotel Reserve, Escape from Zahrain, The Lineup, The Mechanic, Bone, Moonrise, The Informers, Girls in Prison, Mesrine: Killer Instinct, Thieves After Dark, The Crook, The Good Liar, Touchez Pas au Grisbi, Five for Hell, 77 Sunset Strip, Black Lizard, Innocent Bystanders, Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez, The Split, Checkpoint, The Big Steal, The Bank Shot, The Sleeping Car Murders, Jazz Boat, The Captain from Kopenick, The Badlanders, Rififi in Tokyo, À double tour, Gideon's Day, The Story of a Cheat, Westbound, Tuner, Killers on Parade, Desire, The Invisible Dr. Mabuse, Loot, The Dark Light, Forbidden, Vendetta, Kaun?, Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen, The Mischief Makers, Die Hard: With a Vengeance, The Invisible Man Appears, I Escaped from the Gestapo, The Fallen Sparrow, The 'Maggie', Armored, The Great Diamond Robbery, Thappana, Parker, Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, Foolproof, A King in New York, The Saint Strikes Back, Never Let Go, Man Hunt, The Huggetts Abroad, The Score, The Tenth Man, Tension, Violent Saturday, Don, Decoy, Mankatha, The Gay Caballero, Berlín, The Belles of St Trinian's, The Happy Thieves, Armored Car, Double Trouble, That Darn Cat!, The Spies, Heartbeat, Yes we can, Hollow Triumph, Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round, Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street, The Murderer Lives at Number 21, Manon, Lisbon, Orphans, A Slight Case of Larceny, Grand Slam