Topkapi

Jules Dassin directed the classic hard-boiled 'Rififi' in the mid-50s. Ten years later he's at the heist genre again, but 'Topkapi' is a very different kind of movie. Gone is the realism and darkness of 'Rififi', which influenced many subsequent crime thrillers. Instead we have a good old fashioned adventure, which is quite tongue in cheek and very colourful and fun. The eclectic ensemble cast are all very good - Dassin's wife Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell, Robert Morley, and especially a knockout performance from Peter Ustinov, an actor I usually have little time for. The robbery sequence was "borrowed" thirty years later by Brian De Palma for 'Mission Impossible', but 'Topkapi' is the better of the two movies by far.

With beautiful camerawork in Istanbul and Greece and an equally intriguing plot, Jules Dassin brings to the screen a film worthy to be considered alongside his masterpieces "Du rififi chez les hommes" and "Naked City". Peter Ustinov follows up his Oscar-winning performance in "Spartacus" with a second award for best supporting actor, while playing a "schmo"--a lowly, disgraceful, British rogue living in Greece as the self-proclaimed "un-crowned king of the nightlife": Arthur Simon Simpson. Getting involved in much more than he bargained for, Simpson enters a ring of double-crosses as an informer for Turkish Intelligence while still hoping to line his pockets with filthy lucre.

The show, however, is stolen by the seductive, raspy-voiced Elizabeth Lipp, played by Greek beauty Melina Mercouri (who was also in the starring role of Dassin's "Phaedra" two years earlier--as well as "Pote tin Kyriaki" (1960), "La Legge" (1958), and "Celui qui doit mourir" (1957)--and whom the director would marry two years later). The curvy enchantress draws in Walter Harper (Maximilian Schell) and Cedric Page (Robert Morley I), offering them their cut on the biggest heist ever--the theft of the sultan's jewel-encrusted dagger from the Istanbul Museum.

However, there is a problem. The museum is impenetrable, equipped with a state-of-the-art alarm system that requires a strong man to hoist an acrobat from above the museum and slowly lower him into the treasure trove while avoiding security (à la "Mission Impossible" and "Oceans Eleven"). An unattended, even ironic, ending makes this film a classic in the genre as the dénouement keeps the viewer attached to the screen all the way up to the credits.

Not quite the masterpiece of a "Bob le Flambeur" or "Rififi", this film is in the top ten of its genre and is crucial in its intrigue and influence on future heist ("casse") films. Highly enjoyable, with the right balance of humor, suspense and allure (thanks to Melina Mercouri) to establish it as a touchstone in the genre, Dassin's caper is a cinema classic.

Before "Mission Impossible" made every big heist a challenge for technology, there were movie efforts like "Topkapi" which played the human element in the big scam.

A wonderful and truly international cast is assembled here for this 60's effort that showcases Istanbul. Melina Mercouri is marvelous, blending humor and sensuality with her hard side. Maximillian Schell is excellent as the leading man with all the answers while Peter Ustinov is the classic bumbler. Akim Tamiroff adds additional levity as the irascible cook.

Not sure I was totally satisfied with the outcome but it's such a rollicking and colorful ride, give director Jules Dassin top marks anyway.

One of the most entertaining heist films of all time. Full of original ideas, smartly written and joyfully directed. And, if all that wasn't enough, Peter Ustinov! He won his second Oscar as best supporting actor for this creation - an unsuccessful small time crook, intelligent enough to know that he's not intelligent enough - without country and without future. Ustinov soars. He is surrounded by a group of Euro-heavy weights, Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell, Robert Morley, Akim Tammiroff. The suspense, fun filled entrance to the Topkapi museum was stolen and disguised with a multi dollar budget by Brian De Palma and his accomplices in the first Mission Impossible without being able to duplicate the suspense, the fun, the humanity or the innocence of the proceedings. The locations are another treat, the music, the costumes and the honesty with which the dishonesty of the characters is portrayed. A true delight.

Every single moment of Topkapi that dealt with the heist was an absolute thrill to me. It has been a long time since I watched a movie that had me holding my breath to this degree, but there were so many moments when I couldn't wait to see what would happen next (including a scene that clearly inspired an iconic moment from the first Mission: Impossible film.) I also loved how this movie embraced the idea of building a team of people who all have specific roles to play in the heist. Between watching the team assembling and seeing how they adapt to problems along the way, I was hooked. I only wish they got to the actual job a little earlier in the film. There was a long stretch of time where they do nothing of importance, and I was worried it might get boring. I also didn't fully understand the reason that they involved Peter Ustinov in their plot in the first place, which seemed to be a massive inconvenience created solely to add drama to the film.

That being said, I would never complain about Ustinov's presence in any movie. He's a great actor, and works well in this bumbling role. I also quite enjoyed Maximilian Schell as the mastermind and Robert Morley as the gadget man. Where Topkapi truly fell flat for me was Melina Mercouri. She had basically no purpose in the film, and did nothing more than serve as a distraction during the heist. Her entire performance rubbed me the wrong way, and I practically began the film rooting against the team simply because they were stealing something that was ostensibly for her. There were plenty of good things in Topkapi to win me back, and she isn't on screen during the best parts of the movie, so I still enjoyed my time with it. There are certainly better heist/caper films that I've seen, but Topkapi has all the right qualities to be on that list. I will probably even give it another try in the future, and perhaps my complaints won't bother me so much then.