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This film proves that just because a film is old doesn't mean it isn't worth seeing! This simple film captivated me with the cleaver plot and the acting of John Barrymore as he lights up each scene! The story is about a company that is looking for a stooge to be the figurehead for their bottled water company. They want some obscure scientist to state that the liquid has health-inducing properties even though it's nothing special. They happen upon Barrymore--an apparently simple-minded old professor who is a paragon of virtue. They use his good name to hoodwink the public and the good professor who appears to have no idea what is going on around him,...or does he? Watch the movie through to the end, as it really grabs you when the eventual show-down occurs!

By the way, this film was from a story by the wonderful French writer, Marcel Pagnol. Try to find the original French language version if you get the chance or any of his other wonderful films, such as THE BUTCHER'S WIFE or the FANNY trilogy.

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.

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.

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.

Watching Topaze this morning I was amazed at how well John Barrymore was playing the title role in this film and how he seemed to be getting inspiration from Frank Morgan. Then I did some research and found out that in the American debut of Marcel Pagnol's play Frank Morgan did indeed play the lead.

The play ran for 215 performances on Broadway in 1930 and it concerns a French school teacher who's a rather old fashioned pedantic fellow who believes the simple maxims of life about honesty and decency. His reputation is such that an unscrupulous industrialist wants to use his name on a soft drink that is not manufactured with the highest of standards.

When he finds out and how he deals with it are the subject of Topaze and let's just say this mild mannered school teacher turns out to be more than capable of dealing with the cold and cruel outside world.

John Barrymore never did anything quite like Topaze or at least I've not seen it. You can best compare this performance to a couple of Frank Morgan roles. It's very much like his Professor Roth in The Mortal Storm although the results are far happier for the title character.

Myrna Loy is on hand as the mistress of Baron Reginald Mason and gives a good account of herself as does Mason as the unscrupulous industrialist. You can see why Mason's doing a little kanoodling with Loy on the side when you get a look at Jobyna Howland, the Baroness. Let's just say she's formidable.

Loy would soon follow Barrymore to MGM from where he was being loaned out for Topaze by Louis B. Mayer to his son-in-law, David O. Selznick the producer. Selznick would also opt for MGM soon. But director Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast would depart for Europe shortly unable to work within the constraints of the Hollywood studio system. He did a great job here, possibly in another era he would have had a more substantial American career.

For a John Barrymore you've not seen before I recommend Topaze.