Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13189 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-10-04
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 115 minutes

Synopsis
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.

Customer Reviews

Classic Heist Movie !
Jules Dassin certainly knew how to make an entertaining heist movie having made the one one that set the benchmark on that genre 'Rififi'. This is a much more lighthearted affair and in many ways more entertaining. The cast is populated by a group of eccentrics - Ustinov, Morley, Tammirov - who under the leadership of Schell and Mecouri plan a daring robbery.

The performances are uniformly excellent with Peter Ustinov and Robert Morley stealing their various scenes with gems of comic acting. The film itself is nicely structured and plot generates a good deal of suspense as the actual robbery itself takes place.

The film has not dated badly and due to the expertise of all concerned and the sheer eccentricity of some of the characters it retains a freshness that many other sixties heist movies don't.

"You're foreign?" "No, I'm English."
Ripped off by Mission: Impossible, long on Pierce Brosnan's remake slate as an intended sequel to his version of The Thomas Crown Affair and intended by director Jules Dassin as a send-up of his classic heist movie Riffifi, Topkapi is a genuinely enjoyable comic caper movie despite a surfeit of reasons why it shouldn't work. Like Eartha Kitt, a little of Melina Mercouri goes a long way (even more so a surprisingly unfunny and irritating Akim Tamiroff), but the rest of the cast - which includes Maximilian Schell and Robert Morley - are on good form. Peter Ustinov is a particular delight as local historian, guide and schmo Arthur Simon Simpson, a carbuncle on the backside of humanity the crooks literally rope into being an accomplice in their ingenious high wire jewel robbery. With good location work, gorgeous rich Sixties colour, a catchy score by Manos Hadjidakis and a sense of fun, it has worn a lot better than most of its Sixties contemporaries. Best line: "You're foreign?" "No, I'm English."

Peter Ustinov thriller in Turkey
I have always loved this film and thought it one of the best of Peter Ustinov's parts. Its a gripping thriller, perhaps a little dated as it was made about 40 years ago, but still a great story and with an excellent cast. Parts of it are very funny with Peter Ustinov playing the part of a very put upon and rather dumb taxi driver who is scooped up into a gang of jewellery thieves. Their aim to steal the vast emerald from Topkapi Museum in Istanbul is cunningly followed through. Do they get away with it? You will have to see the video to find out!