The film Rififi was originally to be directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, a later luminary of the heist film genre. Melville gave his blessing to American director Jules Dassin when the latter asked for his permission to take the helm. It was Dassin's first film in five years. He had been blacklisted in Hollywood after fellow director Edward Dmytryk named him a Communist to the House Committee on Un-American Activities in April 1951. Subsequently, Dassin attempted to rebuild his career in Europe. Several such film projects were stopped through long-distance efforts by the US government. Dassin attempted a film L'Ennemi public numero un, which was halted after stars Fernandel and Zsa Zsa Gabor withdrew under American pressure. An attempt to film an adaptation of Giovanni Verga's Mastro don Gesualdo in Rome was halted by the US Embassy. Dassin received an offer from an agent in Paris, France where he met producer Henri Bérard who had acquired the rights to Auguste Le Breton's popular crime novel Du Rififi chez les hommes. Bérard chose Dassin due to the major success in France of Dassin's previous film The Naked City.
Movie's ratings
Rififi
(1955)Du rififi chez les hommes 1
" A Sensational New Motion Picture"
Country | |
Spoken Language | french, english, italian |
Runtime | 1 hr 58 min |
Premiere: World | $521 342 April 13, 1955 |
USA | $517 975 |
Other countries | $3367 |
Premiere: USA | $517 975 June 5, 1956 |
theaters | 2 |
rollout | 128 days |
Parental Advisory | Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking, ... |
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Production Companies | |