91% (3) Rififi 118 min, Not Rated, [Crime, Thriller] [Jules Dassin] [05 Jun 1956]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 82%, Rotten Tomatoes: 94%, Metacritic: 97%, External Reviews
Awards: 6 wins & 1 nomination.
Actors: Carl Möhner, Janine Darcey, Jean Servais, Robert Manuel
Writer: Auguste Le Breton (novel), Jules Dassin (adaptation), René Wheeler (collaboration), Auguste Le Breton (collaboration), Auguste Le Breton (dialogue)
External Links: Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Website Language: French, Italian, English Country: France
Plot: After five years in prison, Tony le Stéphanois meets his dearest friends Jo and the Italian Mario Ferrati and they invite Tony to steal a couple of jewels from the show-window of the famous jewelry Mappin & Webb Ltd, but he declines. Tony finds his former girlfriend Mado, who became the lover of the gangster owner of the night-club L' Âge d' Or Louis Grutter, and he humiliates her, beating on her back for being unfaithful. Then he calls Jo and Mario and proposes a burglary of the safe of the jewelry. They invite the Italian specialist in safes and elegant wolf Cesar to join their team and they plot a perfect heist. They are successful in their plan, but the Don Juan Cesar makes things go wrong when he gives a valuable ring to his mistress.
Rotten Tomatoes: Jules Dassin's second European production following his HUAC blacklisting from Hollywood is considered the first heist film, a sub-genre that would later include the likes of everything from The Asphalt Jungle to The Killing to Reservoir Dogs. The film follows the exploits of four thieves--Tony (Jean Servais), Jo (Carl Mohner), Cesar (Dassin himself, under the pseudonym "Perlo Vita") and Mario (Robert Manuel)--who hatch a scheme to rob a Paris jewelry store.
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77% (2) Sink the Bismarck! 97 min, Approved, [Action, Drama, History, War] [Lewis Gilbert] [11 Feb 1960]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 72%, Rotten Tomatoes: 83%, External Reviews
Awards: 2 nominations.
Actors: Carl Möhner, Dana Wynter, Kenneth More, Laurence Naismith
Writer: Edmund H. North (screen story), Edmund H. North (screenplay), C.S. Forester (book)
External Links: Wikipedia Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English, German Country: UK, USA
Plot: Chronicles the breakout of the Bismarck during the early days of World War Two. Seen both from the point of view of the many naval vessels on both sides and from the central headquarters of the British where the search for the super battleship was controlled.
Rotten Tomatoes: The Bismarck is a German battle ship that is the scourge of the British Navy in World War II. When the ship sinks the battleship Hood, the British plan an all out search for the Nazi war vessel. A daring and suspenseful cat and mouse game ensues, complete with warfare being waged in the frigid North Atlantic waters and spectacular battle scenes. Based on a true story, the popularity of the film was greatly enhanced by the title tracked hit record by singer Johnny Horton, who's "Battle Of New Orleans" was the top record of 1959.
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76% (1) He Who Must Die 122 min, Not Rated, [Drama] [Jules Dassin] [04 May 1957]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 76%, External Reviews
Awards: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.
Actors: Carl Möhner, Gert Fröbe, Grégoire Aslan, Jean Servais
Writer: Ben Barzman, Jules Dassin, Nikos Kazantzakis (novel), André Obey
External Links: Wikipedia Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: French Country: France, Italy
Plot: Greece, in the 1920's, is occupied by the Turks. The country is in turmoil with entire villages uprooted. The site of the movie is a Greek village that conducts a passion play each year. The leading citizens of the town, under the auspices of the Patriarch, choose those that will play the parts in the Passion. A stuttering shepherd is chosen to play Jesus. The town butcher (who wanted to be Jesus) is chosen as Judas. The town prostitute is chosen as Mary Magdalene. The rest of the disciples are also chosen. As the movie unfolds, the Passion Play becomes a reality. A group of villagers, uprooted by the war and impoverished, arrive at the village led by their priest. The wealthier citizens of the town want nothing with these people and manipulate a massacre. In the context of the 1920's each of the characters plays out their biblical role in actuality.
Rotten Tomatoes: Celu Qui Doit Mourir (He Who Must Die) represented director Jules Dassin's first professional collaboration with his future wife, Greek actress Melina Mercouri. Filmed on the island of Crete, the story concerns the efforts by the townspeople to stage their annual Passion Play. The priest in charge of the play, anxious not to rock the boat with the occupying Turks, refuses aid and comfort to a rebellious priest from a battle-scarred village. But three townspeople do their best to help the visiting cleric, an act that splits the town right down the middle and forces the previously benevolent Turkish overlord to take decisive action. Melina Mercouri offers a dry run of her Never on Sunday character as the town trollop.
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75% (1) The Last Bridge 102 min, [Drama, War] [Helmut Käutner] [18 Feb 1954]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 75%, External Reviews
Awards: 7 wins & 5 nominations.
Actors: Barbara Rütting, Bernhard Wicki, Carl Möhner, Maria Schell
Writer: Helmut Käutner (screenplay), Norbert Kunze (screenplay), Helmuth Ashley (additional material), Tanasije Mladenovic (additional material), Rados Novakovic (additional material), Stole Jankovic (additional material), Gustav Gavrin (additional material)
External Links: Wikipedia IMDb Language: German, Serbo-Croatian, English Country: Yugoslavia, Austria
Plot: A German nurse gets sent to the front because she gives medical aid to a wounded Serbian partisan during World War II.
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70% (1) Callan 106 min, PG, [Action, Crime, Thriller] [Don Sharp] [11 Apr 1975]Ratings & Reviews: IMDb Reviews: 70%, External Reviews
Actors: Carl Möhner, Catherine Schell, Edward Woodward, Eric Porter
Writer: James Mitchell (screenplay), James Mitchell (novel)
External Links: Rotten Tomatoes IMDb Language: English Country: UK
Plot: David Callan, top agent/assassin for the S.I.S., was forced to retire because he had lost his nerve. Now, Callan is called back into service to handle the assassination of Schneider, a German businessman. His former boss promises Callan that he'll be returned to active status if he follows orders, but as always Callan refuses to act until he knows why Schneider has been marked for death. This film is a remake of the same story presented in "A Magnum for Schneider."
Rotten Tomatoes: A sensitive old British spy/assassin is accused of getting emotionally involved with his victims and gets a demotion in this drama that is titled The Neutralizer on video. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
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