Heist Film During The 1950's

1238 Words3 Pages

Have you ever wondered what committing a heist during the 1950s would be like? From the setting in Paris, France to the shadows created from the black and white scenes, the audience is immersed in the film known as “Rififi.” Throughout the film, the audience is able to get a glimpse into what a 1950s heist would look like. The technology and expectations for any criminal during that time completely differ from what we as an audience see in heist films today. The director, Jules Dassin, creates a beautiful masterpiece of a heist film and is known for one of the most iconic heist scenes of all time. The 30 minutes of silence, during the robbery, adds suspense to the film as the criminals have to be precise with every movement they make. The audience is fully on the edge of their …show more content…

An example of this in the film “Rififi” is the scene with the umbrella. Have you ever heard of the saying that if you open an umbrella indoors, it will lead to bad luck? The use of this umbrella hints that there is no happy ending in store for these criminals. Unfortunately, this is the case, as all of the characters meet their fatal endings and meet death at the end of the film. In older films, it is typical for all criminals to die or end up in jail, as the year the film was produced didn’t allow crimes to go unpunished. This was supposed to send a message to the viewers stating no one should go out and commit crimes after watching the film because they could never get away with it. Sound, or the absence of sound, can make a huge impact on the audience. I for one was zoned in when there was a trans-diegetic transition from music to no music when the heist scene started. The absence of sound created suspense and left me wondering what was going to happen next. Sound can be a powerful instrument in films, even when it’s not being used. Although “Rififi” is a brilliant film, there are always things that people may not

Open Document