Saturday, December 4, 2010

Rififi

Directed by: Jules Dassin
Screenplay by: René Wheeler & Auguste Le Breton Jules Dassin (adaptation), Auguste Le Breton (dialogue)
(screenplay)
Based on the book by: Auguste Le Breton
Cinematography by: Philippe Agostini
Editor: Roger Dwyre
Year: 1955







 

Forget about Truffaut and Godard, those guys never really delivered the goods when it came to making a completely engaging film from start to finish (I find so much of the French New Wave stuff always seems to turn into an intellectual experiment that spirals into the realm of pretentious bullshit). Trust me, this film is entertaining as hell and IS the epitome of French cool (ironically, it was made by an American director!). The word "Rififi" is French underworld slang for a "rough and tumble" kind of attitude, but in my dictionary it simply means "BADASS". 

This is the kind of French filmmaking I can see influencing the likes of Quentin Tarantino or Wes Anderson. Clearly, working as Alfred Hitchock's assistant paid off for the director, Jules Dassin. The actual heist sequence is so suspenseful and gripping, I swear it was as good as any scene from Rear Window or NxNW. Watching the film cold, I had no idea what I was in for: a 30 minute sequence with absolutely NO DIALOGUE! That's twice as long as he opening of There Will Be Blood. And it's twice as good because the lack of dialogue isn't just for show, it serves the purpose of the story and heightens the drama. 

Also, seeing how these thieves operate is like watching surgeons in the O.R. it's all a systematic, methodical ballet of well-planned steps. These guys are total misogynist lowlifes (especially the lead), but they're just so damn interesting and charismatic, you can't help but root for them to pull it off. (spoiler warning!) The final act superbly ties up all the loose ends and subplots. And man, what an ending! 

The final sequence of a kid jumping around, care-free in the back seat of a car speeding through the streets of Paris as the driver slowly bleeds to death is a powerful image in any age. At the end of the film, a weird thought came into my head: a lot of this tragedy and suffering could have been prevented if they only had cell phones back then. Remember kids, "Rififi" = BADASS.

4 out of 5

No comments:

Post a Comment