Du rififi à Paname (1966) - film review

A CIA agent infiltrates a gang of gold smugglers with the intention of discovering the identity of an American gangland boss who is illegally importing guns into Cuba.  The gold smugglers, headed by the unscrupulous Paulo Berger, are unaware of this deception – they are more preoccupied with a rival gang who are intent on wiping them out…

Despite its slick presentation and solid acting performances, Du rififi à Paname is a difficult film to like.  The heavy plotting and uninspired direction render its complex plot incomprehensible in some places, and shamelessly pedestrian in others.  Although the film looks good on the surface, it a challenge for the spectator to stay interested in the drama.  This kind of film – a gangster film in the classic American mould of the 1940s – was very popular in France in the mid 1960s. At that time, mainstream French cinema audiences were being seduced by lavish American productions, and so would have appreciated this film’s stylish production values.

© James Travers 2004

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