About this product

Product Information

Light-hearted all-star story of an attempt to rob the impregnable Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul.

Product Identifiers

EAN5050070022032

eBay Product ID (ePID)31004118

Product Key Features

ActorMelina Mercouri, Akim Tamiroff, Peter Ustinov, Robert Morley, Maximilian Schell

Film/TV TitleTopkapi

DirectorJules Dassin

Release Year2004

FormatDVD

LanguageEnglish

GenreDrama, General

Run Time115 Mins

Additional Product Features

CertificateU

Number of Discs1

Additional InformationFive years after directing the heist classic RIFIFI, Jules Dassin returns to robbery with TOPKAPI. Again there is a long and daring break-in, as his heroes attempt to steal the priceless Emerald Dagger from the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, but in contrast to the bleak RIFIFI, the mood in TOPKAPI is one of comedy. Dassin focuses on the bumbling Arthur Simpson (Peter Ustinov), who barely makes a living conning tourists. Arthur thinks he's struck it rich when Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri) and her lover Walter (Maximilian Schell) respond to his pitch--not realizing they picked him. They persuade Arthur to drive across the Greek-Turkish border. When the Turkish police find arms in the car, they believe they have uncovered a terrorist plot. They only release Arthur after he agrees to spy for them. Elizabeth and Walter plan their robbery, while Arthur is drawn ever further out of his depth, as he looks for evidence of terrorism. Mercouri and Schell handle the planning; Ustinov, Robert Morley as the eccentric Cedric, and Akim Tamiroff as a dipsomaniac cook, handle the comedy; the Turkish scenery is beautiful, and Manos Hadjidakis contributes a sprightly score--the result is a light and airy comedy.

Movie/TV TitleTopkapi