Rent Topkapi (1964)

Caper Heist (spoiler). - Topkapi review by Steve

Reminiscent of Jules Dassin's classic caper Rififi (1955). But this is a more lavish, colourful and spectacular production. Shot in Paris, Greece and Turkey, its ensemble cast and and exotic locations would be hugely influential on the heist film. A band of crooks come together to steal an emerald encrusted dagger from the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.

There are the usual stages of the three act heist film. The stars (Melina Mercouri and Maximilian Schell) assemble an eccentric team of character actors, and devise a plan. Next, they stage the caper in an extended set piece of sustained suspense. But the normal final twist is subverted. Rather than the theft being foiled by the gang's own weaknesses, the enterprise is a redemption.

They fail because of dumb bad luck. But the emotional nucleus of the film is Peter Ustinov as a shabby petty crook who finds self-esteem through overcoming his fears. Ustinov is excellent, and won an Oscar. But, beware casting Akim Tamiroff, because yet again he steals every scene, this time as the grubby, alcoholic cook who caters for the gang.

The humour is engaging rather than hilarious. There's superb location photography of Istanbul, with an evocative score of Balkan folk music. The best of the film is the actual robbery, with Gilles Ségal, the human fly, hanging upside down from the ceiling, slowly lowered onto the treasure. So many borrowed this scenario, and from the film in general.