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Grisbi

Play trailer Poster for Grisbi Released Jul 10, 1959 1h 35m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 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.

Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review Audience Member http://filmreviewsnsuch.blogspot.com/2016/03/touchez-pas-au-grisbi.html Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Gabin is tough as nails in this French gangster-noir classic. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews
Grisbi

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Cast & Crew

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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

Pierrot

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Grisbi

Grisbi (1954) Grisbi (1954) Grisbi (1954) Grisbi (1954) View more photos

Movie Info

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