Search - Topkapi on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1964 DVD Release: 12/11/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 59 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 10 Genres: Crime, Crime Comedy, Caper

After years of enduring movie lampoons of his 1955 crime-caper classic Rififi, director Jules Dassin topped them all with his own spoof, Topkapi. It's a rather disreputable crew that teams for the elaborate jewel theft masterminded by Maximillian Schell. Sexy Melina Mercouri (Mrs. Dassin) is probably the best of the batch: the others are faffling Robert Morley, unreliable Gilles Segal and Jess Hahn. Bumbling Peter Ustinov (who won an Oscar for his performance) is duped into helping the thieves, and soon finds himself uneasily straddling both sides of the law. As in Rififi, the theft itself (taking place in Istanbul's Topkapi Palace museum) is played out in near-complete silence. We won't tell you how the crooks are foiled; just be advised that money flies out the door when something else flies in the window. Topkapi was based on The Light of Day, a somewhat more somber novel by Eric Ambler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Melina Mercouri - Elizabeth Lipp
Peter Ustinov - Arthur Simpson
Maximilian Schell - Walter Harper
Robert Morley - Cedric Page
Akim Tamiroff - Geven

Jules Dassin's highly entertaining Topkapi comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1. English and French soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital Mono. Spanish and French subtitles are accessible, and the English soundtrack is closed-captioned. Supplemental materials include the original theatrical trailer. This is a fine release from MGM/UA. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide