Rififi (re-release) 2000

Tony “le Stéphanois,” freshly released from a five-year prison sentence, finds himself grappling with the challenges of reintegrating into society. His companion, Jo, approaches him with an alluring proposal: to collaborate with their friend Mario on a bold daytime robbery of a Parisian jeweler’s storefront, where shimmering gemstones await. Initially, Tony turns down the offer, but his life takes a dramatic turn upon learning that his ex-girlfriend Mado has fallen into the arms of the infamous nightclub owner, Pierre Grutter, while he was behind bars.

In a fit of rage and jealousy, Tony invites Mado back to his modest apartment, only to be confronted with her extravagant lifestyle, which is financed by Grutter’s influence. Overcome with betrayal, Tony violently confronts Mado, which prompts him to reconsider the heist. Instead of a simple robbery, Tony opts for a more intricate plan: to cleverly infiltrate the safe of the jeweler and abscond with the valuable loot. Mario proposes bringing in their skilled Italian friend, César, a master safecracker, and together they meticulously strategize and rehearse a sophisticated operation aimed at disabling the secure alarm system of the jewelry store.

The group’s audacious heist is set into motion on a Sunday night, as they ingeniously tunnel into the store from a neighboring flat. The execution goes smoothly, and they leave no traces behind. However, during the heist, César secretly takes a diamond ring as a token for his mistress, Viviane, a sultry singer at Grutter’s club. As news of their successful heist spreads quickly, Tony and his crew prepare to sell the stolen goods through a contact in London. Meanwhile, Mado’s relationship with Grutter deteriorates sharply when he sees her injuries, leading her to sever ties with him. Enraged by Tony’s interference, Grutter sends his drug-addled brother Rémy to eliminate him.

Fate takes an unexpected turn when Louis, another sibling of Grutter, finds the diamond ring that César had taken, exposing the identities of the real thieves: Tony, Mario, and César. Grutter manipulates César into revealing his involvement, which leads him to forfeit a generous police bounty of FF10 million. Armed with this knowledge, Grutter decides to reclaim the stolen jewelry from Tony’s crew, forcing Rémy to viciously murder Mario and his wife, Ida, when they refuse to disclose the location of the stolen goods. In the wake of their deaths, Tony recovers the loot from their apartment and discreetly pays for their funeral. Driven by vengeance, he confronts Grutter, only to find César, coerced into a false confession.

As Grutter’s henchmen intensify their threats, they resort to a sinister act: kidnapping Jo’s young son, Tonio, as leverage. When the London fence arrives with the ransom, Tony realizes that he must act swiftly to ensure his son’s safety. With Mado’s guidance, he tracks Tonio to Grutter’s secluded property, leading to a ferocious clash that results in the deaths of both Rémy and Louis, ultimately rescuing the boy.

However, upon returning to Paris with Tonio, Tony discovers that Jo, overwhelmed by the pressure, has gone to meet Grutter with the ransom. Tragically, she arrives only to find that Tony has already freed Tonio and that Grutter lies dead at Tony’s hands. In a last-ditch effort, Tony is mortally wounded by Grutter as he attempts to escape with the cash. As he races back to Paris, desperation fuels his drive, and he miraculously delivers Tonio home. Yet, as Tony’s life slips away at the wheel, surrounded by police and onlookers, Jo’s wife Louise takes their child from the vehicle, leaving behind Tony’s lifeless body and the suitcase brimming with FF120 million.