Topkapi

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Topkapi

Released Sep 17, 1964

2h 0m

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Beautiful thief Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri) and criminal genius Walter Harper (Maximilian Schell) put together a plan to steal an emerald-encrusted dagger from Istanbul's Topkapi Palace. As part of their crew, they hire small-time hustler Arthur Simon Simpson (Peter Ustinov) to act as their fall guy. When the Turkish secret police capture Simpson at the border, they persuade him to spy on his partners in crime, mistakenly believing that they're Communist agents plotting an assassination.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

The story never quite adds up, but with help from Ustinov and Robert Morley, Dassin conjures up a superior light entertainment.

Mar 3, 2008

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Ustinov has probably the meatiest part in the film and one that allows him to use many of the unsubtleties in dominating scenes he has at his command.

Mar 3, 2008

Full Review

Time Out

It's a far cry from his classic American thrillers or his brilliant British noir, Night and the City.

Feb 9, 2006

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Whereas Dassin's Rififi is a lean, mean French noir, Topkapi is an effervescent, English-language lark, with Dassin this time opting for sunshine instead of shadows.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 30, 2024

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Merl Edelman

Los Angeles Free Press

It's strictly entertainment, but Peter Ustinov and Robert Morley are worth it for fun even without the ingenious jewel robbery around which this colorful spoof focuses.

Feb 5, 2020

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David Parkinson

Radio Times

The film combines sparkling dialogue with moments of unbearable tension.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 8, 2017

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S R

Saw it for the NYT 1000 list. It was a quirky spoof that didn’t resonate with me. Too much cheese. My favorite parts were the ruling and Greek cultures with the wrestling and the Topkapi. Now I have another reason to go back to Istanbul. Saw in Pluto.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/30/25

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CodyZamboni

Amusing comedic heist movie set in Turkey. I liked the colorful characters and the smart clever robbery planning, as the thieves try to outwit the authorities. Peter Ustinov has the stand out comedic peformance as an unlikely member of the gang that plans to steal a jeweled dagger. The silent heist is fun and intense, and obvious direct influence for a smiliar scene in the first Mission Impossible movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/03/24

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Alec B

An enormously fun heist movie. Ustinov is perfectly disheveled and those final 30 minute or so are unbelievably tense.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

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jpdanzig

One of my favorite movies of all time. Why many consider Dassin's "Rififi" superior to "Topkapi" is a mystery to me. This has it all: humor, suspense, great characters, beautiful scenery, outstanding score.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An enormously fun heist movie. Ustinov is perfectly disheveled and those final 30 minute or so are unbelievably tense.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Audience Member

An early 60's comedy-crime-heist movie that is a little dated. Slow start, but things improve with the arrival of Peter Ustinov. Good performance by Ustinov, but a weak performance by the female lead. The movie has a good enough plot premise, but many little things done poorly cause it to come up short. This one isn't in the same league as 'The Italian Job', which was made around the same time.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

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Jules Dassin

Director

Melina Mercouri

Elizabeth Lipp

Peter Ustinov

Arthur Simon Simpson

Maximilian Schell

Walter Harper

Robert Morley

Cedric Page

Akim Tamiroff

Gerven

Topkapi: Official Clip - A Little Bird Told Me

2:27

Topkapi: Official Clip - Stealing the Dagger

3:02

Topkapi: Official Clip - The Floor-Mounted Alarm

2:13

Topkapi: Official Clip - A Nymphomaniac

2:02

Topkapi: Official Clip - The Heist Begins

2:21

Topkapi: Official Clip - Sofa Bet

2:24

Topkapi: Official Clip - Wrestling Match

1:28

Topkapi: Official Clip - Crossing the Roof

2:20

Topkapi: Official Clip - It Can Be Done!

2:12

Topkapi: Official Clip - A Clever Deduction

1:43

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Synopsis

Beautiful thief Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri) and criminal genius Walter Harper (Maximilian Schell) put together a plan to steal an emerald-encrusted dagger from Istanbul's Topkapi Palace. As part of their crew, they hire small-time hustler Arthur Simon Simpson (Peter Ustinov) to act as their fall guy. When the Turkish secret police capture Simpson at the border, they persuade him to spy on his partners in crime, mistakenly believing that they're Communist agents plotting an assassination.

Director: Jules Dassin
Producer: Jules Dassin
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Filmways Pictures
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 17, 1964, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 2h 0m

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