Topaze

TOPAZE (1933) is a funny movie. It is also a dramatic tale of how corrupt the writers (Ben Hecht/Benn Levy) find the capitalists to be. The capitalist in question is the Baron Philippe de La Tour (Reginald Mason) who is carrying on an affair with a girl called Coco (Myrna Loy). There is no compunction involved, and they carry on as if married. Only they're not.

The Baron La Tour wants to sell bottled water but his "scientific backing" bails on him because the water is not what is advertised. With the help of his paramour Coco, Baron Le Tour finds another scientist in the form of his son's recently fired schoolmaster, Professor Auguste A. Topaze. Unwitting and somewhat naïve, Topaze lends his name to the water which henceforth bears his name, Sparkling Topaze.

Dr. Topaze eventually discovers that, by gosh, he's being used. What he does is the perfect answer to capitalism, because it is done like a true capitalist.

The "evil capitalist" argument has never died, in this era when corporations and oil companies and big pharmaceuticals, etc., are blamed for the sundry world ills, so the story is not really dated. Barrymore is brilliant, owning the role, and Myrna Loy is dazzling. Mason is quite good as the Baron, Jobyna Howland delightful as his wife, and Jackie Searl is a joy as their son, Charlemagne de La Tour, who is something of the nemesis of Dr. Topaze.

This movie is a gem.

Pointy-bearded milquetoast schoolmaster is fired for his integrity and becomes an accidental titan of industry.

This is an adaptation of a French play (a pretty loose adaptation, I think) and the staginess shows. In my opinion, that can be either good or bad, and I think it works to the movie's advantage in this case. It feels like I'm watching a play, instead of watching a bungled attempt to push a play onto film. In spite of the staginess, however, the sets are very good. An extended shot of the schoolmaster in the classroom, with snow falling outside, is so effectively done that it's hard for me to stay focused on the characters, because I just want to watch the beautiful snow through the windows.

Even so, it must be admitted that the plot is rather thin here. Not a lot happens. This is strictly a John Barrymore vehicle. Even Myrna Loy isn't give a lot to do except be sweet and sympathetic. Any hint of romance between her and Barrymore is only that, the barest of hints. Albert Conti is mere bluster and a fake mole. Nevertheless, Barrymore shines and successfully carries the entire movie by himself. His flawless mastery of stage business--as a single small example, the way he removes his pince-nez--ensures that.

The ending is wickedly cynical, as indeed is the entire movie. But it seems like the movie will close on a villains-get-theirs, good-always-wins-in-the-end note. It's refreshing that this doesn't happen.

The movie clocks in at just under 90 minutes, which makes it just the right length for what is, after all, a fairly lightweight storyline.

John Barrymore is "Topaze" in this 1933 film based on a French play. The film also stars a young and beautiful Myrna Loy. Professor Topaze is a very morally grounded teacher who is always honest, and when a student does bad work, he's marked down for it. Unfortunately for Professor Topaze, the mother of one of the students manages to have him fired. Bloody but unbowed, Topaze has been recommended for a tutoring job and goes to an apartment to see about it. Little does he know, the father of the boy, Baron Philippe de la Tour, is the one who had him recommended and now no longer wants him. de la Tour is at the home of Coco, his mistress (Loy) which Topaze doesn't pick up on until much later. de la Tour is selling bottled water - except it's from a tap - and his main endorser has just walked out. Who can he get to endorse his water? In walks Professor Topaze, who has a background in science. Without realizing what's going on, Topaze throws himself into the work of developing a fabulous water.

The only thing about this film that's of any interest, to me anyway, is the performance of John Barrymore as a bearded, badly put together, innocent professor who lives in another world. In one scene, he's given some liquor; not being a drinker (now that's real acting) he downs it in one swallow. To watch the liquor take its effect is very funny, as Topaze makes a joke and then laughs, his voice cracking. He crosses his legs. He starts staring at Myrna Loy.

Loy is lovely, but she has what is strictly an ingénue role and not much to do. Jobyna Howland is the Baronness de la Tour, and she's a scream.

Definitely worth seeing for the performances.

Topaze (1933)

** (out of 4)

Extremely weird film about a nice and honest school teacher (John Barrymore) who gets fired from his job after failing a 12-year-old boy but soon gets a job but unknowingly starts ripping off the public with fake sparkling water. The majority of the film deals with the nice guy Barrymore being taken advantage of by bad people and being forced to do bad things without knowing it. That's all good and fine but I'm not sure if this was suppose to make me laugh or not. It's listed as a comedy in every guide book but not once did it make me laugh so on that level the film certainly didn't work for me. The movie kept me entertained from start to finish but all of that is due to Barrymore who delivers a terrific performance. I'm slowly going through Barrymore's filmography and I've mainly watched his wacky, over the top film but here he actually stays within the mild mannered character and doesn't resort to any of that weirdness. He is totally believable as his character and delivers something very fresh. Myrna Loy is his assistant but doesn't get much to do.

Hapless schoolmaster Auguste TOPAZE becomes the dupe of a duplicitous baron attempting to sell worthless tonic water.

John Barrymore is wonderfully cast against type as the gently pedantic professor in this sadly obscure comedy from RKO. For much of the picture he dithers delightfully, well aware that often less is more in the game of cinematic scene stealing. Living his life by the simple maxims of honesty & decency, Barrymore's character is stunned when his good name is threatened by his powerful new employer. But he has a scheme...

Lovely Myrna Loy, as cool & untroubled as an icy glacier, does well by her role as the baron's levelheaded mistress. Refreshingly, the story allows only an innocent platonic friendship between herself & Barrymore. It is enough.

Aristocratic Reginald Mason gives an enjoyable performance as the crooked baron, while the massive Jobyna Howland revels in her small role as his unspeakable wife. Young Jackie Searl scores as their repellent little son.

Good assist is given by Albert Conti as a corrupt politician, Luis Alberni as an outraged chemist, and, in the same year he'd captain the steamer to Kong's Skull Island, Frank Reicher takes the role of the stern headmaster of the boy's school which employed Topaze.

Ben Hecht's script for the film was based on the original play by Marcel Pagnol.