Grisbi (1954) ( Touchez Pas au Grisbi ) ( Hands Off the Loot )

Grisbi (1954) (DVD) (*)

~~$27.99~~ $21.97

Original Title: Touchez Pas au Grisbi
Alternate Title: Hands Off the Loot
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Venice Film Festival

Language Selections:
English ( Subtitles )
French ( Mono )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
92 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Black & White

Movie filmed in 1954 and produced in:
France ( France, Benelux )
Italy ( Italy, Greece )

Directed By:
Jacques Becker

Written By:
Albert Simonin
Jacques Becker

Actors:
Jean Gabin ..... Max
René Dary ..... Henri Ducros dit Riton
Dora Doll ..... Lola
Vittorio Sanipoli ..... Ramon
Marilyn Buferd ..... Betty (as Marilyn Bufferd)
Gaby Basset ..... Marinette
Paul Barge ..... Eugène (as Barge)
Alain Bouvette ..... Le chauffeur de taxi (as Bouvette)
Daniel Cauchy ..... Fifi
Denise Clair ..... Madame Bouche
Angelo Dessy ..... Bastien
Lucilla Solivani ..... Nana, la secrétaire de Pierrot
Michel Jourdan ..... Marco
Paul Oettly ..... Oscar
Jean Riveyre ..... Le portier de l'hôtel Moderna

Synopsis:

This strangely-christened French film noir was released in the U.S. as Grisbi. Jean Gabin stars as a racketeer known by the Runyonesque nickname of Max the Liar. Seeking out the finer things in life, Max intends to pull one last job and retire. After stealing a fortune in gold, our 'hero' is faced with a crisis of conscience when his best friend (René Dary) is kidnapped and held for a huge ransom. Somehow Max manages to turn the tables on the abductors, but his dreams of a life of ease explode in his face. Up-and-coming leading lady Jeanne Moreau plays a pivotal role as the femme fatale who leads Dary into the hands of his kidnappers.

Max, an old gangster, and his buddy Riton have got away with 50-million francs in gold bars, who think they ought to retire now. But Riton's girl-friend is tired of him, and has a new protector, Angelo, who is the boss of a rival gang. Through her, Angelo learns about his rival's 'grisbi' (loot) and plots to get it. So he kidnaps Max's partner. Max asks some of his friends for help but then gets the message he can exchange the money for his partner.

An aging, world-weary gangster is double-crossed and forced out of retirement when his best friend is kidnapped and their stash of eight stolen gold bars demanded as ransom.

This product was added to our catalog on Saturday 13 April, 2013.