Rififi

Year: 1955

Runtime: 118 mins

Language: French

CrimeDramaThrillerCrime

After being released from a five‑year prison term, jewel thief Tony initially turns down a small job offered by his friend Jo. He discovers his former girlfriend Mado has become the lover of local gangster Pierre Grutter, prompting him to expand a modest smash‑and‑grab into a full‑scale jewel robbery. Though the crew appears to walk away clean, the fallout from the heist threatens the lives of everyone involved.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Rififi yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Rififi (1955)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Rififi (1955). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:58

Main Characters – Rififi (1955)

Meet the key characters of Rififi (1955), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:58

Major Themes – Rififi (1955)

Explore the central themes of Rififi (1955), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:58

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Heist movies with bleak consequences like Rififi

Films where a perfect criminal plan unravels into brutal, fatalistic chaos.If you liked the tense planning and tragic fallout of Rififi, explore more movies like it. These films focus on high-stakes heists where the initial success is overshadowed by a brutal and inevitable descent into chaos, betrayal, and loss, leading to a bleak conclusion.

tensegrittyfatalisticsuspensefuldesperateanxiousmethodical

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern begins with a deliberate, often slow-paced setup of a complex criminal operation. The centerpiece is the execution of the heist itself, a tense and detailed sequence. The real story, however, begins after the job is seemingly over, as the fallout—driven by greed, betrayal, or external forces—spirals into a fast-paced thriller where the characters' lives unravel completely.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their shared structure of 'the job and its aftermath,' a dark tone, high emotional stakes, and a pervasive sense of fatalism. They explore the theme that no crime, no matter how perfectly planned, escapes consequences, making the journey from professional cool to desperate violence a coherent and gripping experience.

Gritty crime revenge stories like Rififi

Stories of hardened criminals driven by a personal, destructive code of revenge.For viewers who appreciated the dark revenge motive and gritty criminal world of Rififi, this collection features similar movies. These are heavy, character-driven tales where loyalty is tested, betrayal sparks violence, and a quest for retribution leads to a fatalistic and emotionally crushing conclusion.

grittyfatalisticmelancholicdesperatetensebrutalnoir

Narrative Summary

The journey typically follows a protagonist re-entering a dangerous world they thought they had left, motivated by a deeply personal insult or betrayal. Their quest for revenge corrupts their original goals, forcing brutal moral choices and jeopardizing everyone around them. The narrative is linear and cause-and-effect, building inevitably towards a climax where personal victory is hollow or impossible, overshadowed by overwhelming loss.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a dark, gritty mood, a focus on themes like loyalty, betrayal, and a fatal flaw in the protagonist. The emotional weight is consistently heavy, driven by the high costs of violence and the inescapable nature of the criminal path. The pacing often builds steadily towards an explosive, tragic finale.

Unlock the Full Story of Rififi

Don't stop at just watching — explore Rififi in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Rififi is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Rififi Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Rififi, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Rififi Timeline

Track the full timeline of Rififi with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Rififi Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Rififi that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

More About Rififi

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Rififi: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

Similar Movies to Rififi

Discover movies like Rififi that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.