Topkapi
Original film poster
Directed by	Jules Dassin
Produced by	Jules Dassin
Written by	Eric Ambler (novel The Light of the Day) Monja Danischewsky
Starring	Melina Mercouri Peter Ustinov Maximilian Schell Robert Morley
Music by	Manos Hadjidakis
Cinematography	Henri Alekan
Editing by	Roger Dwyre
Distributed by	United Artists
Running time	119 min
Language	English
IMDb profile

Topkapi is a 1964 heist film made by Filmways Pictures and distributed by United Artists. It was produced and directed by American Jules Dassin. The film is based on Eric Ambler's novel The Light of Day (1962), adapted as a screenplay by Monja Danischewsky. The music score was by Manos Hadjidakis, the cinematography by Henri Alekan and the costume design by Theoni V. Aldredge. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Jules Dassin (born Julius Dassin on December 18, 1911, in Middletown, Connecticut) is an American film director. ... Eric Ambler (28 June 1909 - 22 October 1998) was an influential English writer of spy novels who brought a level of realism to the field that had generally been absent in earlier works. ... Melina Mercouri (Μελίνα Μερκούρη, born Maria Amalia Mercouri) (Athens, Greece, October 18, 1920 – New York City, March 6, 1994) was a famous Greek actress, singer, and political activist. ... Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE (IPA: ; April 16, 1921 – March 28, 2004), born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, was an Academy Award-winning British-born actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur of French, Italian, Swiss, Russian, German and Ethiopian ancestry. ... Maximilian Schell (left) in the film Judgment at Nuremberg Maximilian Schell (born December 8, 1930) is a Swiss-Austrian actor. ... Robert Morley (May 26, 1908 – June 3, 1992) was an Oscar-nominated British actor who, often in supporting roles, was usually cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment. ... Manos Hadjidakis (Μάνος Χατζιδάκις) (October 23, 1925–June 15, 1994) was a Greek music composer. ... Portrait of Henri Alekan The French cinematographer Henri Alekan was born on February 10th 1909 in Paris, France and died on June 15th 2001 in Auxerre, Bourgogne, France. ... The current United Artists logo (a variant was used during the 1980s). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... // Events January 29 - The film Dr. Strangelove is released. ... A heist film is a movie that has an intricate plot woven around a group of people trying to steal something. ... The current United Artists logo (a variant was used during the 1980s). ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Jules Dassin (born Julius Dassin on December 18, 1911, in Middletown, Connecticut) is an American film director. ... Eric Ambler (28 June 1909 - 22 October 1998) was an influential English writer of spy novels who brought a level of realism to the field that had generally been absent in earlier works. ... The Light of Day can refer to: a 1962 novel by Eric Ambler (filmed as Topkapi); or a 2003 novel by Graham Swift. ... See also: 1961 in literature, other events of 1962, 1963 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Manos Hadjidakis (Μάνος Χατζιδάκις) (October 23, 1925–June 15, 1994) was a Greek music composer. ... Portrait of Henri Alekan The French cinematographer Henri Alekan was born on February 10th 1909 in Paris, France and died on June 15th 2001 in Auxerre, Bourgogne, France. ... Theoni V. Aldredge Theoni V. Aldredge (born Theoni Vachlioti on August 22, 1932 in Athens, Greece) is a renowned costume designer for theatre, film, television, opera, and ballet. ...

The film stars Melina Mercouri (Dassin's wife), Maximilian Schell, Peter Ustinov, Robert Morley, Akim Tamiroff and Gilles Ségal. Melina Mercouri (Μελίνα Μερκούρη, born Maria Amalia Mercouri) (Athens, Greece, October 18, 1920 – New York City, March 6, 1994) was a famous Greek actress, singer, and political activist. ... Maximilian Schell (left) in the film Judgment at Nuremberg Maximilian Schell (born December 8, 1930) is a Swiss-Austrian actor. ... Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE (IPA: ; April 16, 1921 – March 28, 2004), born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, was an Academy Award-winning British-born actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur of French, Italian, Swiss, Russian, German and Ethiopian ancestry. ... Robert Morley (May 26, 1908 – June 3, 1992) was an Oscar-nominated British actor who, often in supporting roles, was usually cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment. ... Akim Tamiroff (October 29, 1899, Tiflis (now Tbilisi), Georgia - September 17, 1972, Palm Springs, California) was an actor of Armenian ethnicity, trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school. ...

Production notes

DVD cover

It should be noted that Ambler's novel is different from the movie on several counts. For example, in the book there are frequent flashbacks in which Simpson's school days back in England are described, which explains his character and motives more clearly than in the film. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... In literature and film, a flashback (also called analepsis) takes the narrative back in time from the point the story has reached, to recount events that happened before and give the back-story. ...

Although he played one of the leading parts, Peter Ustinov won the 1964 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Arthur Simpson. In an interview given on Ustinov's death in 2004, Maximilian Schell surmised that this may have been due to the misconception that playing a servant could only be done in a supporting role. Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE (IPA: ; April 16, 1921 – March 28, 2004), born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, was an Academy Award-winning British-born actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur of French, Italian, Swiss, Russian, German and Ethiopian ancestry. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is one of the awards given to male actors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Maximilian Schell (left) in the film Judgment at Nuremberg Maximilian Schell (born December 8, 1930) is a Swiss-Austrian actor. ...

The film was shot in Paris at the Studios Boulogne-Billancourt, and on location in Istanbul, Turkey. Boulogne-Billancourt is a city and commune in France, the sous-préfecture (=subprefecture) of the Hauts-de-Seine département in the Île-de-France région. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ...

Plot summary

Arthur Simon Simpson (Peter Ustinov) is a lazy middle-aged small-time crook biding his time in Kavala, Greece. He works as a tout, accosting tourists at the airport, selling them cheap souvenirs, offering his services as a driver and, given the chance, stealing their valuables. One of his potential victims, however, turns out to be a gentleman crook (Maximilian Schell) planning to steal the emerald-encrusted dagger of the Ottoman sultans from Istanbul's Topkapi Museum where it is exposed for tourists to admire. He introduces himself to Simpson as Walter Harper and his attractive companion (Melina Mercouri) as Elizabeth Lipp and hires him to drive his American limousine from Athens to Istanbul -- alone. Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE (IPA: ; April 16, 1921 – March 28, 2004), born Peter Alexander Baron von Ustinov, was an Academy Award-winning British-born actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur of French, Italian, Swiss, Russian, German and Ethiopian ancestry. ... Kavala (also seen as Kavála, Kavalla, (Greek) (2001 pop. ... Tout is a semi-colloquial, mainly British term for a person who earns money by reselling tickets to popular events. ... Maximilian Schell (left) in the film Judgment at Nuremberg Maximilian Schell (born December 8, 1930) is a Swiss-Austrian actor. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ... Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı in Turkish), located in Istanbul (Constantinople), was the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1465 to 1853. ... Melina Mercouri (Μελίνα Μερκούρη, born Maria Amalia Mercouri) (Athens, Greece, October 18, 1920 – New York City, March 6, 1994) was a famous Greek actress, singer, and political activist. ...

At the Turkish border Simpson is arrested when firearms are found hidden in the car. The Turkish Secret Police suspect the "tourists" to be revolutionaries planning a coup d'etat (see also History of Turkey) and release Simpson only on condition that he become one of their agents. From then on, Simpson has to spy on Harper, Lipp and the people they meet in Istanbul. Eventually Simpson is hired by Harper, too -- not just as their driver but also as a member of the gang. While all this is happening, Simpson, who is a coward longing for his peaceful life back in Kavala, has no idea what exactly they are planning. When the big day finally comes, Simpson, who is afraid of heights, almost has to back out because his job involves climbing the roof of the museum. A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... Turkey is a successor state of the Ottoman Empire, a multi-ethnic empire consolidated by gradual conquest during medieval and early modern times (1300-1700). ...

See also

• How to Steal a Million (William Wyler; US, 1966) starring Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole is a film with a similar subject-matter.

How to Steal a Million is an art-heist movie starring Peter OToole as a suave art investigator and Audrey Hepburn as Nicole Bonnet, the daughter of an art fraud. ... William Wyler (July 1, 1902–July 27, 1981) was a prolific, Oscar-winning motion picture director. ... Audrey Hepburn (May 4, 1929 – January 20, 1993) was an Academy Award-winning Anglo-Dutch actress of film and theatre, Broadway stage performer, ballerina, fashion model, and humanitarian. ... Peter Seamus OToole (Peter James OToole) (born August 2, 1932 (accepted but presumed date) is an eight-time Academy Award-nominated Irish actor. ...

Remake

A remake entitled The Topkapi Affair starring Pierce Brosnan has been announced and is scheduled for release in 2007. The Topkapi Affair will be a sequel to the 1999 remake, The Thomas Crown Affair. The Topkapi Affair is an upcoming film based on Eric Amblers novel and its film adaptation Topkapi. ... Pierce Brendan Brosnan OBE [1] (born May 16, 1953) is an Irish actor and producer best known for portraying James Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. ... 2007 has been referred to, by film and media critics, as the year of the threequels, a nickname referring to both the 2004 summer movie season and three film franchises from that year, which again appear this year: Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, and Oceans Thirteen, and in... The year 1999 in film involved some significant events. ... This article contains a trivia section. ...