Topkapi (United Artists) (1964)

Stull T-18 color film which will open ....... Mat 2E Peter Ustinov, a reluctant accomplice of a group of thieves, attempts to silence Akim Tamiroff, whom he has caught eavesdropping in this scene from Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi.” In the nee at the ............ Theatre, the two are starred with Melina Mercouri and Maximilian Schell. Actor, Author Peter Ustinov Has Role Of Dupe in ‘Topkapi’ Peter Ustinov is alternately and sometimes simultaneously an actor, author, director and producer equally at home on stage, screen and television—in French, English, German, Italian, Spanish or Russian. He turns in one of his finest comedy roles in Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi,” opening ........ at the Theatre, through United Artists release. The color comedy about international jewel thieves co-stars Melina Mercouri and Maximilian Schell. Born in London, Ustinov. began perfecting his natural talents at the London Theatre Studio when he was sixteen, later working in revues and cabarets. After a stint with the Royal Army, during World War II, one of his early writing efforts—“The Way Ahead” —was directed by Carol Reed. Ustinov made his first film appearance in “One of Our Air craft Is Missing.” Then in 1946 the British Air Minister requested ‘Topkapi’ Catches Wrestling Matches The all-day free-for-all wrestling tournament is a tourist attraction in Turkey, but it has never been so well received as during filming of Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi,” which opens in color Waiersene at the ................ Theatre, through United Artists release. On the day that Dassin had scheduled the tournament as part of his story line for the comedy about international jewel thieves, five hundred paid extras and five hundred paying spectators lined the stands while production difficulties delayed start of the filming. When the restless patrons began to clap for action, the film’s star, Melina Mercouri, covered herself with grease as did the wrestlers, and grappled with one of them in the time-honored Greek style. She won, of course and so did the wrestlers . . . so did the audience. and Still T-33 Mat 1D A surprised and terrified Ropert Morley is an accomplice of thieves in “Topkapi,” which will open .......... atsthe = 25 2). Theatre through United Artists release. Jules Dassin produced and directed. him to do a film on radar, of which he was both author and director. The next year he played in “Crime and Punishment.” Since then Ustinov has moved freely between the theatre and_ the screen. His plays include “The Moment of Truth,” “Love of Four Colonels,” “Romanoff and Juliet” and the recent “Photo Finish.” His pictures include “The Egyptian,” “Beau Brummel,” “Lola Montez,” “The Spies,” “Romanoff and Juliet,” “Spartacus” and “Billy Budd.” Ustinov is a_ big, bearded, rumpled bear of a man _ with charm, wit and grace. He is married and has four children. Much of the time he lives on his 58 foot ketch, anchored at Cannes. He sailed it to Istanbul for his work on location in “Topkapi.” In this film he plays a naive but larcenous Englishman who is duped into participating in a daring and ingenious jewel robbery. Wins ‘Edgar’ “Topkapi,” opening at the ...... Theatre, through United Artists release, is based on Eric Ambler’s prize-winning novel, “The Light of Day,” which was awarded the coveted “Edgar’ as the best mystery novel of the year. Edgar is a nine inch bust of Edgar Allen Poe. The presentation was made by the Mystery Writers of America, Inc., at their 19th anniversary dinner at the Hotel Astor, in New York City. “Topkapi” stars Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, Maximilian Schell, Robert Morley and Akim Tamiroff and was produced and directed by Jules Dassin. What does the title mean? That mystery will have to be cleared up at the Theatre. Jules Dassin Megs ‘Topkapi’ Comedy of Bumbling Thieves Well known for his films made both in Hollywood and Europe, Jules Dassin directed and_produced “Topkapi” in Turkey, Greece and Paris. Starring Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov and Maximilian Schell, the color comedy about a gang of bumbling jewel thieves is Dassin’s. sixth European venture following acclaim in America as a director in both films and the legitimate theatre, where he was also an actor and writer. Born in Connecticut (not Greece, as most people believe!) Dassin was reared in New York’s Harlem. After graduation, he traveled in Europe, working wherever possible in the thea tre. Back in New York he learned Yiddish so he could join the Yiddish Theatre Company as an actor while simultaneously making his debut as a director with the ARTEF Theatrical Workshop. At intervals he played in summer stock and wrote for radio. One of his dramatic shows, adapted from Gogol’s “The Overcoat,” led Broadway producer WANT TO ACT? GET CREW JOB ON DASSIN FILM One of the quickest ways to become a film actor is to first get a job as an electrician, carpenter or stagehand on any picture directed by Jules Dassin. This proved to be the case again during Dassin’s filming of “Topkapi,” which opens ............ atthe wee. Theatre, through United Artists release—starring Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov and Maximilian Schell. Following long-established custom, the director drafted a dozen of his crew for extra and bit parts in the comedy about jewel thieves which he filmed in Turkey, Greece and Paris. Three Greek electricians became fishermen on the Kavala waterfront; the still cameraman portrayed a police photographer shadowing the jewel thieves, and Dassin’s daughter Julie, played his assistant. The sound mixer played a bit at Topkapi Palace, the special effects man became an American tourist. Dassin’s son, Joe, an assistant director, doubled as a gypsy at a wax museum ... Dassin got into the act himself as a policeman in a comedy scene. with Ustinov and Robert Morley at the Istanbul Hilton Hotel. The publicity man was drafted to play a press photographer and an auditor played a priest. In fact, so many crewmen became actors that observers suspect the “Topkapi” director screens his workers as much for their photogenic qualities as for their ability to do their jobs. Actually, Dassin says he merely capitalizes on the fact that film crews, from long observation of actors at work, have learned to act themselves there being a bit of ham in everyone. Robert Morley As Eccentric Inventor Robert Morley’s talents are as rounded as he is. The big, blustery actor co-stars with Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, Maximilian Schell and Akim Tamiroff in Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi,” opening in color .......... at the Theatre, through United Artists release. Portraying an eccentric English inventor called upon to help stage a jewel robbery, Morley has portrayed almost every type of role in his long and varied career. He also produces plays, directs films, writes both stage and screen plays and contributes articles to leading British newspapers. He has been on television as panelist and interviewer. Morley’s films make a formidable list. Some of the titles are “Marie Antoinette,” “The Young Mr. Pitt,” “Edward, My Son,” “The African Queen,” “Beat the Devil,” “Beau Brummel,” “Gilbert and Sullivan,” “Quentin Durward” and “Road to Hong Kong.” Morley entered films in 1937 in America and returned to England at the beginning of the war. He made his debut on the American stage at the Fulton Theatre, playing the same part in “Oscar Wilde” he was to recreate in motion pictures over twenty years later. After the war he played on Broadway in his play “Edward, My Son.” He is the author of other plays as well, including “Goodness, How Sad,” “Short Story,” “Staff Dance” and “Hippo Dancing.” Married to Joan Buckmaster, ex-actress daughter of Gladys Cooper, Morley lives in the English countryside with his wife and three children. Martin Gabel to sign him as director of “The Medicine Show” and a Hollywood contract followed. There he worked as assistant director for Alfred Hitchcock and Garson Kanin before directing “The Tell-Tale Heart” in 1940. “Nazi Agent” was the first real success and many others followed. By 1947 Dassin was well known for his realistic and_ original treatments of gangster films. Among these was the superb “Brute Force” and “Naked City.” In 1951 he returned to Europe, where he eventually filmed “Rififi”—a thriller which won several international awards. There followed “He Who Must Die,” filmed on Crete; “The Law,” made in France . . . and his first comedy, the highly successful “Never on Sunday,” which he directed while acting opposite Melina Mercouri. For “Phaedra” he again cast Miss Mercouri as the leading lady. Next on his agenda is “The Last of the Just,” which United Artists will also release, after which he plans to direct a show in New York—where his career began. The Scene Stealers Give Their Views On ‘Topkapi’ Set A group of the screen’s most talented scene stealers got together recently to agree that one actor’s triumph is another actor’s inspiration. They were the stars of Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi,” openAN Ose atthe ue. Theatre, through United Artists release. The comedy, in color, casts Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov and Maximilian Schell as international jewel thieves. Their careers cast them as international scene-thieves, and they admit it. “T die if another actor isn’t registering,” said Miss Mercouri. “When he is, I try to top him. Reading lines with a merely competent actor is like playing tennis with a badminton racket.” Academy Award winner Schell claims that working with professional actors who know their way around the cameras is like being at a party with people you like. It makes for a good and worthwhile time for all. Only pop-eyed, pot-bellied Robert Morley hedged in his agreement. “I welcome ‘hamming’ but I feel I can wish a ham well without wishing an ‘Oscar’ on him. If the chap you’re playing a scene with isn’t doing well, the result will be a bore to the audience; but if he does too well... and it isn’t his scene, you know .. . that can be a bore as well.” This problem, according to Mr. Dassin, is the director’s responsibility: to see that the performances balance according to their dramatic value and that no one actually walks away with a scene. The scenes belong to the picture, not to any one of the actors. Stull T-57 Mat 1B This charming lady (Melina Mercouri) plans to rob the sultan of his crown jewels in “Topkapi.” Jules Dassin produced and directed the color film which is being released by United Artists. Still T-31 Schell Recommends Diversity of Talent Academy Award winner Maximilian Schell believes not only actors, but members of all professions, should develop their talents in all departments of their crafts in order to grow and avoid stagnation. Currently co-starring with Melina Mercouri and Peter Ustinov in Jules Dassin’s “TopKapi:? “openingtees eo at the Dine eee oc Theatre, through United Artists release, Schell himself is a perfect example of his philosophy. After winning his “Oscar” for “Judgment at Nuremberg” he was offered a dozen similar roles . but turned them down _ because he wanted to do something different and challenging. Instead, he went on the Hamburg stage in the title role of “Hamlet” and later accepted his current role as a master jewel thief in “Topkapi.” An accomplished pianist, Schell also writes and stars in his own stage productions. He appears on television and is currently engaged in writing a_ screenplay. “It’s simply variety, the spice of life,’ Max explains, noting that his fellow actor Peter Ustinov acts, writes, produces and directs for stage, screen and _ television. Jules Dassin acts, directs and produces. Miss Mercouri moves freely from stage to screen to TV. “By turning first to one challenge, then another, the artist never grows bored or stale... but he certainly does grow more satisfied and diversified,” Schell sums up. Stalking the Storks Hundreds of thousands of storks accommodated _ director-producer Jules Dassin by flying _ picturesquely through the background of a scene in “Topkapi,” opening pent at~ the ~<......:... Theatre, through United Artists release. Starring Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov and Maximilian Schell, the comedy was filmed partly on location in Istanbul, where the birds are famous. Learning that they were congregating for their annual flight south, Dassin and cinematographer Henri Alekan set up their color cameras on the Bosphorous and managed to capture the thrilling scene of the beautiful birds rising and flying across the skyline of the city. Acts Upside Down One of the unusual scenes in Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi,” comedy Opening ge. ALANE Ste aes Theatre, through United Artists release, features Gilles Segal upside down! Starring Melina Mercourl, Peter Ustinov and Maximilian Schell, the color film is about a group of amateurs who stage a daring jewel robbery in a sultan’s palace in Istanbul. For six of his eight minutes on screen, Mr. Segal—playing an _ acrobat hired by the “gang” to enter the palace from the roof — acts upside down, walking on the walls and ceiling. To get his six inverted minutes on film, Segal spent a total of three days hanging by his heels! Mat 2B Maximilian Schell isn’t exactly showing devotion to Melina Mercouri in this scene from “Topkapi.” He is impressing the importance of timing in a plan for a jewel robbery they’ve concocted. Picture, filmed on location in color, was produced and directed by Jules Dassin. It will open ............ atethe 3.0.73: Theatre through United Artists release. ‘Topkapi’ Scripter Champ From Start Monja Danischewsky became a box-office champ his first time at bat. The writer of Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi,” starring Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov and Maximilian Schell—and opening ........ at the Theatre, through United Artists release—is a former English film press agent who decided to try his hand at producing. The property he liked was called “Whiskey Galore” and he produced it under the name of “Tight Little Island.” It was a huge success. Again several years ago Danischewsky produced “Battle of the Sexes” to high critical and boxoffice acclaim. Last year in Istanbul, the producer-scénarist wrote the comedy “Topkapi” from Eric Ambler’s novel “The Light of Day.” It is set in Istanbul, where international jewel thieves plan to rob the sultan’s old treasure palace. Everyone In Movie Jules Dassin, as usual pressed local talent into service for “extra” roles in his newest picture, the comedy “Topkapi,” opening Rae More BECthe«.,.. co ae near. through United Artists release. Sharing scenes with his stars, Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov and Maximilian Schell, were tour receptionists, a bell-captain and the doorman at the Istanbul Hilton Hotel. Then, to keep it in the family, he cast his son and daughter in small roles—and jumped into character himself before the color cameras. e Versatile Academy Award winner Maximilian Schell, who co-stars with Melina Mercouri and Peter Ustinov in Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi,” opening in color at the Theatre, through United Artists release, has recorded an album of Mozart interpretations. An accomplished pianist he is also a writer, currently working on a play called “A Man Named Herostrate” — about a cultured misfit who turns to crime to show his contempt of society. Stull T-58 Maximilian Schell “brains” of a gang of jewel thieves in Jules Dassin’s “Topkapi,” which will open ............ Mat 1A is the at the Theatre. The United Artists release was filmed in color. PAGE 9