1964 heist movie topkapi

Although twentytwo gems were stolen, they were recovered within fortyeight hours. Topkapi previous title the light of day eric ambler novel, a 1962 tragicomic art heist spy novel by eric ambler. Problems ensue when one of the original members of the. In a plot device stolen by almost every heist movie since, topkapi uses an alarm system triggered by. Topkapi 1964 a heist thriller with strong comic elements, topkapi features plenty of exotic style and a memorably eccentric cast of characters. The film was produced and directed by the emigre american film director jules dassin. After years of enduring movie lampoons of his 1955 crimecaper classic rififi. Six weeks after the release of this movie, a reallife heist took place at a new york city museum. Overall, film critics prefer the movie, giving it an average score of 92%, compared to cinemagoers, who gave it a lower average score of 75%. Top 10 museum heist movies now with bonus material, lego.

A 1964 heist film directed by jules dassin, starring peter ustinov, melina mercouri, maximilian schell, robert morley and jess hahn based on eric amblers novel the light of day, it tells of arthur simpson ustinov, a jackofalltrades and small time con artist who gets roped into helping a group of international thieves headed by elizabeth lipp mercouri while simultaneously being forced. Not much unlike rufufu, the joyfully goofy italian parody of his own rififi, director jules dassin makes a comedy out of the story of a couple of relentless professionals melina mercouri and maximilian schell who plan to rob a national treasure inside an extremely secured museum in istambul. Gone is the realism and darkness of rififi, which influenced many subsequent crime thrillers. In 1964 dassin made topkapi, shot largely in istanbul, backed by united artists, a heist movie, the criminal gang planning to steal a jewel encrusted dagger from the topkapi palace. Topkapi a crime comedy film, whose theme was the theft of an artifact, from the renowned topkapi museum in istanbul, was produced and directed by the american film director jules dassin, based on the novel the light of day by eric ambler, and was released for screening in the year 1964. The parody of the jewel heist in topkapi, complete with jewel thief dangling from a museum ceiling, is priceless. Topkapi, a 1964 caper movie topkapi album, a 1965 album by jazz organist jimmy mcgriff topkapi previous title the light of day eric ambler novel, a 1962 tragicomic art heist spy novel by eric ambler. The film is based on eric amblers novel the light of day 1962, adapted as a screenplay by monja danischewsky.

Topkapi, a 1965 album by jazz organist jimmy mcgriff. A smalltime conman with passport problems gets mixed up with a gang of worldclass jewelry thieves plotting to rob the topkapi museum in istanbul. With melina mercouri, peter ustinov, maximilian schell, robert morley. Jules dassins 1964 topkapi is one of two topnotch heist movies the americanfrench expatriateblacklist victim madeand its a real departure from his other classic, 1955s rififi, with its.

Full of original ideas, smartly written and joyfully directed. The country is in turmoil with entire villages uprooted. Topkapi 1964 now the granddaddy of all heists is said to have been a very low budget french film namedrififi 1955, directed by jules dassin. After years of enduring movie lampoons of his 1955 crimecaper classic rififi, director jules dassin topped them all with his own spoof, topkapi. Maximilian schell plays a coolcat master thief who heads a crew with its heist sights set on a priceless, bejeweled dagger on display in istanbuls topkapi palace museum. Topkapi vhs heist moviemelina mercouri1964 united artists. An emeraldencrusted dagger that once belonged to sultan mahmud i. Five years after directing the heist classic rififi, jules dassin returns to robbery with topkapi. Details about topkapi vhs 1964 movie video cassette tape melina mercouri peter ustinov. Ten years later hes at the heist genre again, but topkapi is a very different kind of movie. Nestled deep in the most guarded room of the most guarded museum in istanbul, in a glass. Again there is a long and daring breakin, 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.

Elizabeth melina mercouri and walter maximilian schell have formed a group of amateur thieves to help them steal an emerald dagger out of the famed topkapi palace in istanbul, turkey. Dockside english hustler simpson peter ustinov at work in istanbul, despo diamantidou his sidekick, not aware hes being sized up for a jewel heist team by walter maximillian schell and elizabeth melina mercouri, wife of the director jules dassin, still early in topkapi, 1964. It was produced and directed by the emigre american film director jules dassin. Top 15 heist movies of the 60s brothers ink productions. Director jules dassin instead gave the part to bulls. The site of the movie is a greek village that conducts a passion play each year.

Topkapi vhs heist movie melina mercouri 1964 united artists. Its a rather disreputable crew that teams for the elaborate jewel theft masterminded by maximillian schell. A grand heist movie in the tradition of but predating oceans eleven and the like, the plot revolves entirely around the theft of a sultans emerald laden dagger from the historic topkapi. Topkapi 1964 crossing the roof scene 811 movieclips. Rent topkapi 1964 starring melina mercouri and peter ustinov on dvd and bluray. A conman gets mixed up with a group of thieves who plan to rob an istanbul museum to steal a jewelled dagger. Topkapi 1964 jules dassin synopsis, characteristics. Topkapi vhs 1964 movie video cassette tape melina mercouri. As in rififi, the theft itself taking place in istanbuls topkapi palace museum is. Topkapi movie, produced and directed by jules dassin.

Professional thieves elizabeth lipp melina mercouri and walter harper maximilian schell team up to plot the theft of a priceless dagger encrusted with emeralds from the topkapi. Istanbul topkapi 1964 a grand heist movie in the tradition of but predating oceans eleven and the like, the plot revolves entirely around the theft of a sultans emerald laden dagger from the historic topkapi palace, the number one tourist attraction in istanbul, with plenty of scenes elsewhere in the city. Dec 05, 2003 jules dassins 1964 topkapi is one of two topnotch heist movies the americanfrench expatriateblacklist victim madeand its a real departure from his other classic, 1955s rififi, with its. In his 1955 heist film classic, rififi, director jules dassin crafted a hardboiled, noir influenced crime flick that offered a tense and cynical look at the intricate minutia of professional thievery. That movie put him on the map and gave us the decade that followed, full of heist films. Movies like topkapi if you like topkapi you are looking for suspenseful, clever and humorous movies about with museum, heist, caper, femme fatale, theft, smuggling and dagger themes of adventure, comedy and crime genre shot in usa. Topkapi 1964 is a technicolor heist film made by filmways pictures and distributed by united artists. The movieclips channel is the largest collection of licensed movie. In the tradition of oceans eleven this is a decently plotted heist film. For his 1964 heist film classic, topkapi, dassin once again returns to the world of crime, but this time he drops the hardboiled cynicism. The music score was by manos hadjidakis, the cinematography by henri alekan and the. This disambiguation page lists articles associated. One of the most entertaining heist films of all time.

Topkapi 1964 allmovie movies and films database movie. Dassin directs his wife, and greek minister of culture, to be melina mercouri as she tries to pull together a gang to pull off a robbery of istanbuls topkapi museum. Topkapi trailer directed by jules dassin and starring peter ustinov, maximilian schell, robert morley, jess hahn, gilles segal. Spike lees energetic and clever bank heist thriller is a smart genre film that is not only. If you like topkapi you are looking for suspenseful, clever and humorous movies about with museum, heist, caper, femme fatale, theft, smuggling and dagger themes of adventure, comedy and crime genre shot in usa. With melina mercouri, peter ustinov, maximilian schell. Topkapi is a light hearted action comedy about the heist of a valuable jewel encrusted dagger in turkey.

Jan 19, 2014 topkapi movie, produced and directed by jules dassin. In a plot device stolen by almost every heist movie since, topkapi uses an alarm system triggered by a pressure sensitive floor. Jules dassin directed the classic hardboiled rififi in the mid50s. Beautiful thief elizabeth lipp melina mercouri and criminal genius walter harper maximilian schell put together a plan to steal an emeraldencrusted dagger from istanbuls. A hundred years of heist films topkapi 1964 is a technicolor heist film made by filmways pictures and distributed by united artists. Its a very entertaining heist caper, that feels very routed in the 60s. Despite both being seminal heist movies that set many of the tropes of the genre, rififi and topkapi are very different affairs. The location adds to the look of the film but the first half is maybe a bit too trying to be a zany caper.

Topkapi 1964 is a heist film made by filmways pictures and distributed by united artists. Topkapi 1964 the heist begins scene 911 movieclips duration. Topkapi is a film directed by jules dassin with melina mercouri, peter ustinov, maximilian schell, robert morley, year. Spike lees energetic and clever bankheist thriller is a smart genre film that is not only rewarding on its own terms, but manages to subvert its pulpy trappings with wit and skill. Topkapi emerald dagger topkapi museumhollywood heist film. A 1964 heist film directed by jules dassin, starring peter ustinov, melina mercouri, maximilian schell, robert morley and jess hahn based on eric amblers novel the light of day, it tells of arthur simpson ustinov, a jackofalltrades and small time con artist who gets roped into helping a group of international thieves headed by elizabeth lipp mercouri while. Nestled deep in the most guarded room of the most guarded museum in istanbul, in a. Topkapi 1964 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.