Monsieur Topaze

It's maybe not a masterpiece, but it surely is an enjoyable watch.

This is truly a very interesting film. It's not a masterpiece, but it's worth watching this film if you like Peter Sellers.

This obscure Peter Sellers film directed by himself begins poorly. We are introduced to the self righteous small town schoolteacher, played by Sellers, and it seems to go on and on without being amusing, or if occasionally vaguely amusing, certainly not funny. An amazingly young Billie Whitelaw doesn't help, seeming unable to rid herself of her theatrical bent. And here perhaps lies the basic problem in that this was a stage play and much of the activity would have probably been acceptable on the stage whereas it probably needed someone with greater experience than Sellers to shake this up and give it more life. As it happens things are never as bad as at the start and gradually things get less bad. By the very end we have a gloriously presented Sellers in complete cynic mode ready to go and it ends. Masses of extras n the Blu-ray and the prospect of seeing it again without fear of it sinking into the mire make me look back just a little more favourably and feel a bit sorry for Sellers who apparently felt so bad at the films reception that he thought he had bought up all copies and destroyed them. Clearly the BFI had a copy stashed away.

This is the fourth film version of Marcel Pagnol's play, the third of which was directed by Pagnol himself and here Peter Sellers as the title character is following in the footsteps of luminaries Louis Jouvet, John Barrymore and Fernandel. This would be a daunting enough task for the best of actors but Mr. Sellers alas does not fall into that category. He has furthermore made a rod for his own back by attempting to direct the piece. A handful of actor/directors have managed to pull off the double but he is certainly not one of them.

He has to his credit cast the film well, notably Herbert Lom, Nadia Gray and John Neville and the film perks up a little when they appear. Georges van Parys' idiomatic score is a delight whilst the excellent art direction is by Peter Murton, best known for his work on the Bond films.

The film is weakened however by the confounded Cinemascope format, plodding direction, dire pacing and one would have to say, Seller's performance. We are again witnessing brilliant mimicry with utter emptiness behind it although those who consider Sellers a great actor will no doubt consider this view to be heretical.

One critic has suggested that Sellers' sole directorial effort is in need of reappraisal.... No sir, it is not!

So, Sellers is not only an amazing actor, but also succesful as a director...Not surprised. What a talented chap! Sadly, the film is not as popular as it deserves to be.