The movie critique portion of this review was written by my colleague Ishmael Hurst.
Mr. Topaze is a time capsule buried long ago by its director and star, the inimitable Peter Sellers– the great British actor, comedian, and one time filmmaker- which has only recently found the light of day. Released initially in London, then in the U.S. as I Like Money, the film’s response ranged from disdain to disinterest. Sellers, who was just hitting a stride that would stretch through the 60s (The Millionairess, Lolita, The Pink Panther, Dr. Strangelove, Casino Royale) had been encouraged by friends and collaborators to expand his talents and take a seat behind the camera. Ever a man of pomp and pride, he decided to double his load by standing in front of it, as well.
Sellers is almost mythic in his reputation as a sensitive, petulant, and compulsively misbehaved auteur, a status supported by the rumors that he had nearly every copy of Mr. Topaze taken from the public domain and destroyed soon after its snarling critical reception. The copy that survived to one day reach digital re-release was Sellers’ own, which was donated to the British Film Institute after his death.
Mr. Topaze (adapted from a play of the same name by Marcel Pagnol) is an unerringly honest and kind school teacher surrounded by people and circumstances that don’t mirror those qualities. He’s committed to teaching children who make a joke of him, led on and taken advantage of by the impassive woman of his dreams, and undervalued by the school’s self-serving, inept headmaster- injustices allowed by Topaze’s naivety and trust. His only true comfort and confidant is his coworker and friend Tamise (played with fervent theatricality by Michael Gough, a prolific British actor whom modern audiences would recognize as “Alfred” from the 90s live action Batman films).
After he refuses to fudge the poor grades of an affluent Baroness’s grandson, Topaze receives the first of the film’s many abrupt reality checks in the form of a pink slip. Poor and prospectless, he is delighted when referred by Suzy (Nadia Gray), the affluent mistress of a crooked government official (Herbert Lom), to sit as the innocent puppet behind her paramour’s front business. Unfortunately, at least at the start, Topaze is not in on the joke and undertakes his task in earnest. From there, he is repeatedly dejected by a series of revealed manipulations that exploit his good nature. In the end, the lessons prove too harsh for the tenderhearted school teacher. The last frame leaves him an entirely different man than the first.
How does Peter Sellers’ unearthed classic hold up to modern taste? Just fine, it turns out. Mr. Topaze is nothing spectacular on either end of the spectrum. The film’s pacing is erratic, unhurried or rushed in the wrong places; Topaze’s final turn, in particular, comes both too late in the film and too suddenly. It never leans far enough into its humor, nor does it linger long enough on Topaze’s melancholic disillusionment. Typical of an actor’s directorial effort, the film’s brightest aspect is in its colorful and talented cast, wherein each central figure makes an impression. Michael Gough emanates fun as Tamise, who is nearly outrageous in his moments of passionate glee. Nadia Gray at once portrays a stage diva, a spoiled and demanding mistress, and a manipulative seductress before turning the scales and revealing a sad but unapologetic realist doing what she must to thrive. Herbert Lom is Castel Blanc, the cunningly opportunistic councillor who serves as a complete foil to the naive school teacher. Lom performs especially well against Sellers, a dynamic that would continue in his role as the mad Inspector Dreyfus in the Pink Panther series. Sellers himself is flawless in portraying every aspect of Mr. Topaze, especially in the flip between the man he is and the man he becomes.
Why did critics and audiences uniformly reject the film? I would venture to say that the cynicism of the second act was too unsettling a contrast to the optimism and fun of the first act. Moviegoers wanted to see a kind and honest man who wins in the end, and Mr. Topaze soundly rejects the notion that such values are always rewarded. In Mr. Topaze, men and women can only get ahead in life by way of greed and deceit, while the morally superior must settle for their lesser lot. Perhaps if Sellers hadn’t reacted so temperamentally to the movie’s reception, audiences might have had more time to consider that troubling contradiction. Now, at least, you can see for yourself whether or not Mr. Topaze has something meaningful to say on the matter.
Video Quality
Mr. Topaze makes its Blu-Ray debut courtesy of Film Movement Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1 derived from a 2K remaster of one of few film elements known to exist. The included booklet mentions that this rare element suffered from cyan and yellow fading, which had led to a magenta bias that gives the film a somewhat desaturated appearance. Given these limitations, it can be forgiven that this presentation is not the most natural and vibrant, but some moments are stronger than others. Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches occasionally pop up, but overall clarity and detail is excellent. The presentation is enjoyable throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being top notch. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation that resolves well. Black levels hold up well with very little in the way of crush. This presentation is not a home run due to source limitations, but the fact that this film is able to be seen at all is a minor miracle.
Audio Quality
This new Blu-Ray comes with a LPCM 2.0 mono track that features all of the sounds of the film quite well. This is a film that utilizes music really well with the score from Georges Van Parys coming through quite nicely. This and all of the other music is presented with great clarity and a pleasing fidelity as they come through the room. The dialogue holds up wonderfully, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely without getting lost in the mix. The track avoids most instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. This is a track that represents the film in a solid manner. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
This Blu-Ray set includes a multi-page booklet featuring essays by Vic Pratt and Roger Lewis. These essays provide a great amount of cinematic context to the film, analyze themes and plot developments, and give some background on the life of Sellers. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Abigail McKern Remembers Her Father, Leo McKern: A twenty-minute piece that offers a lovely reflection on the life of a great performer in which a daughter shares her memories of her father’s relationship with Peter Sellers, his work with The Beatles on A Hard Day’s Night, his career on and off stage and more.
- The Poetry of Realism: A thirteen-minute video essay by Film Historian Kat Ellinger in which she gives an in-depth reflection on Marcel Pagnol. The piece highlights his career and personal life, the adaptations of his works, his influence on other works of art and more. This is rich with detail that might not be as accessible to the average person.
- Let’s Go Crazy: A 33-minute short film set in a nightclub in which Sellers plays multiple roles including a pretty fantastic Groucho Marx. This one is very fun with a lot of energy, and it is well worth checking out if you are a fan of Sellers.
- Mr. Topaze Trailer: A minute-long trailer for this new restoration is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Mr. Topaze is an interesting directorial effort from one of the great comedic minds of cinema. Like many first-time directors, Peter Sellers does not have a complete handle on what makes a film work structurally, but the effort is a solid enough first attempt that it definitely did not deserve to be buried for so long. The film tackles some themes that audiences would later become more comfortable handling, which makes this something of a boundary-pushing effort. Film Movement Classics has rescued this lost film and given it a brand new Blu-Ray that features a solid A/V presentation given the circumstances. The label has also provided a nice array of supplemental features that are fun to check out. While not a top tier effort from the creative figure, fans of Sellers will want to check this out as a pivotal piece of his career. Recommended
Mr. Topaze is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Film Movement Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
