Rififi....just as fab now as it was when it was made 50 whole years ago.

Story is of Tony, recently released from jail after a 5 year stretch, and catching up on his two timing girlfriend, and his mates who're enthusiastically wanting to involve him in a diamond heist. Initially reluctant, Tony changes his mind and gets together a crack team.

Done on a small budget, Jules Dassin directed this classic heist film, as well as writing it he also played the part of Cesar. He started making films in Hollywood, including the excellent The Naked City, but sadly he became a victim of the McCarthy Communist witch hunts, and was forced to come to Europe to carry on film making.

Rififi is a great atmospheric film. The streets of Paris look so, well, Parisian. There's excellent cinematography - the reflections in the wet streets, the lighting, the shadows and the crowd scenes, all combine to make such a feeling for 1950s Paris. It's an exciting film, featuring a famously detailed and dialogue free robbery sequence. You're drawn into the tale of the honour of thieves and their revenge, and the edge of the seat chase to retrieve the 'ice'. The final scenes are really tense, double dealing and a hectic drive through the streets of Paris, past the usual landmarks - brilliant!

It's being remade in Hollywood starring Al Pacino as Tony, directed by Harold Becker, also director of such class as Taps, Sea of Love and Mercury Rising...sigh. Actually Al P. might be quite good if he can tone it down a bit and keep Tony wound up in a morose French kinda way.