Topkapi (1964)
1h 59m | PG-13
Arthur Simon Simpson is a small-time crook biding his time in Greece. One of his potential victims turns out to be a gentleman thief planning to steal the emerald-encrusted dagger of the Mehmed II from Istanbul's Topkapi Museum.
Director: Jules Dassin
Studio: Filmways Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Adventure
Video: 720p
Cast
Melina Mercouri
as Elizabeth Lipp
Peter Ustinov
as Arthur Simon Simpson
Maximilian Schell
as Walter Harper
Robert Morley
as Cedric Page
Jess Hahn
as Hans
Gilles Ségal
as Giulio
Reviews
I just love this film! A gang of thieves decide to rob a Turkish museum of a dagger encrusted with precious jewels. Maximilian Schell and Melina Mercouri are the sexy, funny pair that ensemble a crack (?!) team to tackle this seemingly impossible task. They also rope in Peter Ustinov - a British rogue who earns a living by fleecing tourists - as their patsy. When he is arrested by the police and turns nark the story starts to hot up nicely. Robert Morley is great as the gadget genius and Gilles Ségal does all the acrobatics with a cheeky style. The script has dated quite a bit in 65 years - and many of the jokes are pretty predictable, by current standards - but the look and feel of the whole thing is great - it's pacy, classy and original with a cast that gel particularly well. The music is instantly recognisable too - immediately conjures up dancers with diamonds in their navels!