Grisbi

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Grisbi

Released Jul 10, 1959

1h 35m

Crime

Drama

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100%

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26 Reviews

86%

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1,000+ Ratings

Gentleman gangster Max (Jean Gabin) and his partner, Riton (René Dary), pull off their last, most successful heist and find themselves comfortable enough to retire in the style they enjoy. However, Max confides the details of the theft to his younger mistress, Josey (Jeanne Moreau) -- who has secretly taken up with ambitious young rival gangster Angelo (Lino Ventura). Angelo then has Riton kidnapped and demands the stash of gold as ransom, which threatens Max's dreams of the perfect retirement.

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

It's Gabin's show all the way, anticipating the melancholy, atmospheric gangster pictures of Jean-Pierre Melville that started to appear a couple years later.

Jan 23, 2008

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Variety Staff

Variety

Jacques Becker, who did such a fine job in painting the turn-of-the-century apache milieu in Casque D'Or, brings the same care and psychological overtones to a film on the modern racketeer element.

Jan 23, 2008

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Time Out

This model French gangster picture set the rules for the great sequence of underworld movies from Jean-Pierre Melville that followed.

Jun 24, 2006

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Every scene is energized by [Jean] Gabin’s cagey, confident Max, a worldly figure of grace and dignity who turns ruthless when a friend’s life is at stake, and the film is enriched with a wonderful gallery of characters ...

Nov 18, 2023

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Francois Truffaut

Cahiers du Cinéma

The success of Jacques Becker is the success of a young man who could conceive of no other way than the one he has chosen, and whose love for the cinema has been repaid.

Feb 1, 2021

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Gabin is in top form here, playing an archetype of the aged gangster on his last big deal before such a trope had become a rote cliché.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 11, 2020

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Alexander B

It might have been ground breaking when it came out but it really feels like a slow burn and most of the action only happens towards the end of the film. The film sadly didn't age well. Most of it is just people talking. Also because I don't speak French that adds to the boredom.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/29/23

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paul d

Here's the recipe for a great film: take a story about friendship and growing old in a young man's game; add gangsters of all shapes, sizes and temperaments; add beautiful and intelligent women; add an evocative Paris of the early 1950s, especially its restaurants and bars; and then add the most important ingredient of all, a smooth, careful, thoughtful, understated man of power and skill: Jean Gabin.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

http://filmreviewsnsuch.blogspot.com/2016/03/touchez-pas-au-grisbi.html

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

Gabin is tough as nails in this French gangster-noir classic.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

A good plot, but the film felt somewhat dated. One of the cornerstones of the modern gangster genre.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

A decent film that focuses more on atmosphere than action. The score is moody but after a while becomes tiresome as it is repeated frequently. It is really Jean Gabin's show as it seems he holds all the cards being quite the veteran racketeer. A decent french film and an interesting take on the noir. First time rating: 7.4/10

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

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Jacques Becker

Director

Jean Gabin

Max le menteur

René Dary

Henri "Riton" Ducros

Jeanne Moreau

Josy

Dora Doll

Lola

Paul Frankeur

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Synopsis

Gentleman gangster Max (Jean Gabin) and his partner, Riton (René Dary), pull off their last, most successful heist and find themselves comfortable enough to retire in the style they enjoy. However, Max confides the details of the theft to his younger mistress, Josey (Jeanne Moreau) -- who has secretly taken up with ambitious young rival gangster Angelo (Lino Ventura). Angelo then has Riton kidnapped and demands the stash of gold as ransom, which threatens Max's dreams of the perfect retirement.

Director: Jacques Becker
Producer: Robert Dorfmann
Distributor: Rialto Pictures, Valiant Films, UMPO
Production Co: Antares Produzione Cinematografica
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1959, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 6, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $95.8K
Runtime: 1h 35m