calvinnme This film involves a collection of rogues who set out to steal a fabulous jewel encrusted dagger from an Istanbul museum, protected by an "Indiana Jones" style nest of security features and traps, not knowing they are being watched by Turkish undercover agents mistakenly believing them to be terrorists.Filmed on location in Turkey and Paris, this film is a droll sparkling delight, a skillful blending of humor and suspense, with a touch of the exotic, making, at times, magnificent use of Istanbul for its scenic backdrop. Unlike the same director's most famous heist film, the legendary Rififi, Topkapi is light hearted in tone, but its big heist sequence is genuinely ingenious and suspenseful.Aside from the film's physical attractiveness with its color photography, much of its appeal lies with its cast of players, headed by Maximilian Schell as the mastermind behind the robbery, Melina Mercouri, Robert Morley, a spectacularly bizarre and slovenly Akim Tamiroff and, above all, Peter Ustinov as a small time hustler who becomes involved in the scheme. Ustinov's delightfully bumbling everyman (called a "schmo" by Schell when first spotting him) won him his second Academy Award as best supporting actor.

st-shot This buoyant and spry caper film is one of the best of the Sixties. Charmingly acted along with being excellently photographed and edited, ex-patriot noir director Jules Dassin displays the same adept style in outrageous color with the same suspense mastery evidenced in Riffifi over a decade earlier.Elizabeth Lipps (Melina Mercouri ) has an insatiable desire for men, diamonds and adventure. Enlisting international jewel thief Walter Harper (Maxmillian Schell) she sets her sights on making off with a valuable jade from the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. Rather than work with pros Harper opts for amateurs to assist including the bumbling Arthur Simpson ( Peter Ustinov ) who from the outset is ill suited for the work. Aware they are being shadowed by the Turkish police the gang pushes forward with the plan.Topkapi is an excellent blend of comedy and suspense filled with wonderful performances, especially by the comically sympathetic Ustinov. In addition to the leads Robert Morely and Akim Tamiroff bolster the supporting cast while the exotic local of Istanbul serves the storyline well with its ornate museum, teeming street activity and an all day wrestling competition at a stadium. Dassin keeps the mood light most of the way leading up to the job at which time he grippingly builds the suspense with a heist scene that merits classic status. As breezy caper films go Topkapi is at the top of the heap.

Writer_Mario_Biondi A real masterpiece, important also for the images it offers of an Istanbul which does not exist anymore (nostalgia…)Who knows if they still practice that fascinating wrestling with oil…And those small traveling circuses, with distorting glasses and merry-go-rounds and sugar floss?The problem though, is the terrible English pronunciation of Melina Mercouri (let alone her teeth…)Her fictional name is "Elizabeth", she pronounces it "Elishabesh". When she wants to say "Sit here", she says "Shit here", which is not very beautiful…But Ustinov, Morley, Tamiroff (!) and the others… Wonderful

wes-connors For over an hour, "Topkapi" is little more than colorful location footage, nicely presented by director Jules Dassin. You have the assembling of the "heist" team, led by brassy blonde Melina Mercouri (as Elizabeth Lipp). The main recruitment is hapless Peter Ustinov (as Arthur Simpson). He won an "Academy Award" as "Best Supporting Actor" for the year, but both the end credits and screen time agree Mr. Ustinov is the film's leading actor. Probably, they didn't consider Ustinov or his role the "leading man" type... After much ado, we come to the actual robbery - of an jeweled dagger from the "Topkapi" museum. This is the part you should not miss. The robbery - starring Ustinov, Maximilian Schell (as William Walter) and "human fly" gymnast Gilles Ségal (as Giulio) - is excellent.******** Topkapi (9/2/64) Jules Dassin ~ Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, Maximilian Schell, Gilles Segal