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Topkapi on DVD (1964)

Topkapi cover art
Average rating: 59%
61120134
3.0
from 300 members
 
Starring: Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell, Peter Ustinov, Robert Morley, Akim Tamiroff
Director: Jules Dassin
Studio: MGM ENTERTAINMENT
Run time: 115 mins
Certificate: U
User collections: Altered States
Genres: Drama
Languages: English
Released: 04/10/2004

Brief synopsis of Topkapi

Five years after directing the heist classic RIFIFI, Jules Dassin returns to robbery with TOPKAPI. Again there is a long and daring break-in, as his heroes attempt to steal the priceless Emerald Dagger from the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, but in contrast to the bleak RIFIFI, the mood in TOPKAPI is one of comedy. Dassin focuses on the bumbling Arthur Simpson (Peter Ustinov), who barely makes a living conning tourists. Arthur thinks he's struck it rich when Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri) and her lover Walter (Maximilian Schell) respond to his pitch--not realizing they picked him. They persuade Arthur to drive across the Greek-Turkish border. When the Turkish police find arms in the car, they believe they have uncovered a terrorist plot. They only release Arthur after he agrees to spy for them. Elizabeth and Walter plan their robbery, while Arthur is drawn ever further out of his depth, as he looks for evidence of terrorism. Mercouri and Schell handle the planning; Ustinov, Robert Morley as the eccentric Cedric, and Akim Tamiroff as a dipsomaniac cook, handle the comedy; the Turkish scenery is beautiful, and Manos Hadjidakis contributes a sprightly score--the result is a light and airy comedy.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 4 stars out of 5 Radio Times

In this spoof of his own intricate heist classic, Rififi, Jules Dassin pioneered one of the most popular sub-genres of the 1960s, the comic crime caper. Deliciously scripted by one-time Ealing alumnus Monja Danischewsky from Eric Ambler's novel, The Light of Day, Dassin combines sparkling dialogue with moments of unbearable tension, most notably during the prolonged heist on an Istanbul museum in a bid to purloin a priceless dagger. The band of misfits hired by Melina Mercouri and Maximilian Schell are effectively played, but it was the showy performance of Peter Ustinov that caught the eye and earned him a best supporting actor Oscar.

Rating of 1 stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

Light-hearted caper story which gets out of control because of the variety of styles and accents, the director's impression that his wife can do no wrong, and the general slowness and lack of wit; but there are bright moments, colourful backgrounds, and a

Time Out

An attempt by Dassin to top his own hit Rififi: a glossy international heist movie, using a hammy multi-cultural cast... Read more on www.timeout.com

See all 3 Critics Reviews »

Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 4 starsWell worth watching

A.S from Wales , 14/01/2005

Read Atrides from London review says it all ??..well ?.. almost.

I watched this as a youth, when it first hit the BIG screen, for some younger people in the age of mobile phones,usb drives, mp3 music files, and micro electronics, some of the originally intended magic may be lost on them.

But it remains a great film worth watching.

  9 out of 9 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsTopKapi...a must see.

Atrides from London , 06/01/2005

A movie that you cannot describe on a paragraph or two.Jules Dassin is a director of masterpieces.Merkouri's performance is magnificent ... the happy cabaret girl of 'Never on Sunday' is transformed to a big mafia mastermind.With the help of her coleagues they succeed to steal the Sultan's Knife from the TopKapi palace.It is indeed a movie with many resemblances to the mission impossible movies with less effects but with more interesting plot. Sir Peter Ustinof's performance on the movie deserves a big applause also.The crook becomes a spy of the Turkish police but the picture of the knife makes him to join again the team.

Too bad that at the end they all go to prison with empty hands.

The movie is digitally remastered and with no more cracking noises and colourless scenes.

If you've loved ocean's eleven and mission impossible you must watch this movie.This how it all began.

  3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsLight-Hearted Heist

Lord Pie from Hell , 07/03/2005

Jules Dassin must be obsessed with crime. Though this time he takes a comical story with superb acting from the entire cast, particularly Peter Ustinov as the bungling fool. Shot on location in Budapest, this film also has a bit of the 60s weirdness to it.

Also note the scene in the finale which the new Mission Impossible definitely ripped off.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsSunday afternoon 1960s Crime Caper

TonyInKent from Canterbury , 01/05/2008

Having just been to Istanbul for a holiday, I rented and watched Topkapi to take me back there.

What I got was a typical and stylish 1960's crime caper that competently passed a wet Sunday afternoon. It was well-directed, evocative, entertaining and very very typical of its era

I also saw what Istanbul was like 40 years ago - the difference was startling.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 4 starsSunday afternoon 1960s Crime Caper

TonyInKent from Canterbury , 01/05/2008

Having just been to Istanbul for a holiday, I rented and watched Topkapi to take me back there.

What I got was a typical and stylish 1960's crime caper that competently passed a wet Sunday afternoon. It was well-directed, evocative, entertaining and very very typical of its era

I also saw what Istanbul was like 40 years ago - the difference was startling.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsTopKapi...a must see.

Atrides from London , 06/01/2005

A movie that you cannot describe on a paragraph or two.Jules Dassin is a director of masterpieces.Merkouri's performance is magnificent ... the happy cabaret girl of 'Never on Sunday' is transformed to a big mafia mastermind.With the help of her coleagues they succeed to steal the Sultan's Knife from the TopKapi palace.It is indeed a movie with many resemblances to the mission impossible movies with less effects but with more interesting plot. Sir Peter Ustinof's performance on the movie deserves a big applause also.The crook becomes a spy of the Turkish police but the picture of the knife makes him to join again the team.

Too bad that at the end they all go to prison with empty hands.

The movie is digitally remastered and with no more cracking noises and colourless scenes.

If you've loved ocean's eleven and mission impossible you must watch this movie.This how it all began.

  3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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