Touchez pas au grisbi (1954)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Jacques Becker

Writers:

Albert Simonin (novel) &
Jacques Becker (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

1960 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

An aging, world-weary gangster is double-crossed and forced out of retirement when his best friend is kidnapped and their stash of eight stolen gold bars demanded as ransom.

Plot Keywords:

Rival | Gold Bar | Gangster | Gold | Retirement

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jean Gabin	...	Max
René Dary	...	Henri "Riton" Ducros
Dora Doll	...	Lola
Vittorio Sanipoli	...	Ramon
Marilyn Buferd	...	Betty (as Marilyn Bufferd)
Gaby Basset	...	Marinette
Paul Barge	...	Eugène (as Barge)
Alain Bouvette	...	Le chauffeur de taxi (as Bouvette)
Daniel Cauchy	...	Fifi
Denise Clair	...	Madame Bouche
Angelo Dessy	...	Bastien
Lucilla Solivani	...	Nana, la secrétaire de Pierrot
Michel Jourdan	...	Marco
Paul Oettly	...	Oscar
Jean Riveyre	...	Le portier de l'hôtel Moderna

Also Known As:

Grisbì (Italy)
Grisbi (USA)
Hands Off the Loot

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Billancourt Studios - 50 Quai du Pont-du-Jour, Paris 16, Paris, France

Company:

Del Duca Films

Trivia:

According to actor Daniel Cauchy (Fifi), his character was originally supposed to remain in the car until the classic showdown between Lino Ventura and Jean Gabin. He was commuting by air between another film commitment being shot in Paris and this one, but director Becker thought it would be more expedient to have Gabin's character throw him out of the car before that.

Quotes:

Fifi: [after being thrown out of the car] You leaving me here? How am I gonna get back?
Max: [laconically] Try hunting snails, Daddy-o.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Les tontons flingueurs (1963)

A true classic

"Grisbi" is a true classic...... Highly influential French noir/crime thriller/drama....shamefully obscure & undeservedly overlooked until now...Criterion DVD finally released in January....actually kinda ruined my evening..I had planned on watching another movie after this one..but I didn't want to let this one out of my head yet,..it was that good. 1954 Paris sparkles in glorious black & white..Jean Gabin & the whole cast, including a very young & relatively unknown Jeanne Moreau, is wonderful..Jacque Becker's direction is impeccable.

The great Jean Gabin stars as Max , an aging gangster, who, along with his longtime friend & partner , Riton , has pulled one last job and intends to retire as soon as it's safe to cash in the millions in gold bullion they have stolen. Max is an anachronism...his style, moral code, honor & ways are caught up in changing times...a theme that fans of some of the best American Westerns will recognize in this film...

It'a an absorbing , character-driven story...leading to a lonely highway with guns drawn ..trying to keep from losing everything. Highly recommended.