Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Rififí in the City Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 24, 2021

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Franco Noir.

In a typically informative supplement featuring Stephen Thrower which is included on this release, Thrower makes a perhaps cautionary statement warning those who may think they know the "story" of Jess Franco to think again, at least if they presume that some of his more lurid horror and sex suffused entries which appeared throughout the sixties and seventies in particular are the sum total of Franco's filmography. Thrower in fact makes a rather cogent case that Franco in his early years was at least a relatively more mainstream director, and the two films aggregated for this release help to support that thesis. Both of the offerings in this set have style to spare and also feature storylines that would have been completely at home in any of the hard boiled post-World War II noir productions that Columbia in particular could churn out, at least initially for the American market. The fact that, depending on whether various online sources and/or a statement on the very cover of this release are cited, either Death Whistles the Blues or Rififi in the City or possibly both together were enough to convince Orson Welles to hire Franco as his assistant on Chimes at Midnight may allude to the unabashed style of these offerings, and there is a certain florid Wellesian quality to the framings of both films, and Death Whistles the Blues in particular seems willfully evocative of one of Welles' better remembered efforts.

Rififi is one of Jules Dassin's best remembered films, but even those who love the movie may struggle at bit to explain its title, since there isn't a character going by that name to be found anywhere in a convoluted tale of a bunch of thieves attempting one grand last escapade. In a 2000 interview in the New York Times, Dassin himself came to the rescue in this regard, stating, "The title comes from the North African tribe, the Rifs, who were in constant conflict. So it's all about melées and conflicts and fighting, out of which the novelist Auguste Le Breton made the word 'rififi.'" (Breton's source novel provided the spark for the Dassin film.) So, with that understanding now in place, it may be easier to accept the fact that Rififi in the City may not refer to a character per se, but more to a general state of affairs.

The connection to Dassin's film was undoubtedly intentional, for this film, like the Dassin film, stars Jean Servais, who one assumes the marketing mavens simply thought audiences themselves would assume was playing a part by the name of Rififi. Here Servais is a perhaps duplicitous would be politician named Maurice Leprince whose underworld activities may be threatening his ambition. A detective named Miguel Mora (Fernando Fernán Gómez), but as things continue to devolve and an accruing body count ensues, Mora himself may not be entirely free of suspicion. Rififi in the City has some standout moments, and an unabashedly feral element to many of the characters and their interactions. This is another film which in at least one passing scene seems to willfully evoke Orson Welles' The Lady from Shanghai, for a reason which will probably be clear to anyone familiar with the Welles opus who watches this film.

Rififí in the City Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Rififi in the City is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. The back cover of this release (which lumps the two films on the disc together) states both transfers "feature HD scans from the original negatives for the first time ever". The element here looks like it may not have been as carefully curated as with regard to Death Whistles the Blues, as age related wear and tear is at least marginally more noticeable throughout this presentation. There are quite a few (still relatively minor) scratches, and there are some passing moments of flicker and brightness fluctuations. My hunch is stock footage was utilized for some establishing shots, and that footage can look considerably less detailed than the bulk of the presentation. Contrast is generally very strong, supporting a well modulated gray scale and good black levels. This entire presentation looks just slightly softer than Death Whistles the Blues, but detail levels are still quite inviting, even in some of the intentionally shrouded lighting. Grain resolves naturally.

Rififí in the City Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Rififi in the City features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track in the original Spanish. Another jazz inflected score, this time by Daniel White, reverberates rather strongly, with things like bongo cues offering surprisingly acute force. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, though occasional sound effects like cars roaring away can be just slightly shallow. Optional English subtitles are available.

Rififí in the City Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Franco Noir (HD; 1:06:37) is an interesting interview with Stephen Thrower, who provides some generalist background on Franco as well as more detailed comments about the films included on this release.

Rififí in the City Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Rififi in the City is a rather interesting effort from a number of angles. Franco seems to be pulling the scab off of Spain's somewhat tortured political history with this film, but he also kind of amazingly presages the whole giallo movement in some significant ways. The result may be a little chaotic feeling at times, but it's a fascinating film that does indeed provide an excellent example of Thrower's thesis about what Franco's early films can tell us about the would be auteur. Technical merits are generally solid, and the Thrower supplement is extremely informative. Recommended.