Topkapi (1964): Cast, Plot & Where to Watch
Topkapi is a 1964 adventure comedy starring Peter Ustinov as Arthur Simon Simpson, Melina Mercouri and Maximilian Schell. It is partly based on The Light of Day by Eric Ambler. It runs 1 hour 59 minutes. Stream it on ScreenPix and YouTube Free, or rent or buy it on Fandango At Home and Google Play Movies.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 59m (119 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Filmways Pictures
- Based on
- The Light of Day by Eric Ambler
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Topkapi About?
The premise of Topkapi without spoilers, adapted from The Light of Day by Eric Ambler. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Arthur Simon Simpson, a low‑level crook lingering in Greece, becomes entangled with a charismatic gentleman thief who plots the biggest heist of the era: stealing the jewel‑laden dagger of Mehmed II from Istanbul’s Topkapi Museum. The scheme draws them into a risky game of deception, greed and intrigue.
Topkapi Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- heist
- museum
- art museum
- caper comedy
- istanbul turkey
- gentleman thief
- cat
- international gang
- rooftop
- femme fatale
- caper
- double cross
+38 more Show fewer
- emerald
- greece
- secret plot
- theft
- acrobat
- based on novel
- human fly
- standing on a rooftop
- mishap
- running on rooftop
- incarceration
- con man
- amusement park
- emerald encrusted dagger
- jewelry collection
- loose jewels
- forgery
- mechanical toy
- voice recording
- reel to reel tape recorder
- reference to saint paul
- turkish flag
- searching a car
- arms smuggling
- open air market
- telescopic rifle
- smoke grenade
- snapping fingers
- lincoln continental convertible
- expired passport
- walking on hands
- sign language
- upside down camera shot
- oil wrestling
- prologue
- talking to the camera
- board game
- jeweled dagger
Where to Watch Topkapi
Stream it on ScreenPix and YouTube Free, or rent or buy it from Fandango At Home and Google Play Movies. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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ScreenPix Apple TV channel 
YouTube Free 
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
Topkapi Cast & Characters
Peter Ustinov leads the cast as Arthur Simon Simpson, with Melina Mercouri as Elizabeth Lipp and Maximilian Schell as Walter Harper.
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Peter Ustinov as Arthur Simon Simpson - Melina Mercouri as Elizabeth Lipp
-
Maximilian Schell as Walter Harper -
Robert Morley as Cedric Page
Also Starring in Topkapi
· 14 more- Gilles Ségal Giulio
- Jess Hahn Hans
- Ege Ernart Major Ali Tufan
- Akim Tamiroff Gerven the Cook
- Joe Dassin Joseph
- Jules Dassin Turkish Cop (uncredited)
- Faik Coşkun Tavla Player at Hilton (uncredited)
- Danyal Topatan Second Shadow
- Despo Diamantidou Voula
- Titos Vandis Harback
- Selahattin Içsel Tavla Player at Hilton (uncredited)
- Amy Dalby Nanny (uncredited)
- Senih Orkan First Shadow
- Bedri Çavusoglu Police Officer (uncredited)
Topkapi Plot Summary
What happens in Topkapi from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Elizabeth Lipp visits Istanbul, where a traveling fair displays replicas of treasures from the grand Topkapı Palace and she becomes quietly drawn to the emerald-encrusted dagger once worn by Sultan Mahmud I. After this initial fascination, she leaves Turkey for Paris and quietly recruits Walter Harper, a former lover and a Swiss criminal mastermind, to orchestrate a daring theft of the dagger. Together they assemble a team of amateurs with no criminal history: Cedric Page, a meticulous master of all things mechanical; Giulio, the silent acrobat known as the “Human Fly”; and Hans Fischer, a strong counterweight who can provide the muscle the plan will need.
Full summary
The whole story of Topkapi, scene by scene
Topkapi Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Topkapi.
How Well Do You Know Topkapi?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which character initiates the plan to steal the emerald‑encrusted dagger?
Cars in Topkapi
32 cars on screen, including the 1963 Lincoln Continental and the 1953 Volkswagen Limousine Typ 1.
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1963 Lincoln Continental Main role -
1953 Volkswagen Limousine Typ 1 Main role -
1946 Renault 208 D Important role -
1948 Chevrolet Stylemaster Minor role
Topkapi Also Known As
8 alternative titles, including “A Topkapi kincse” and “Топкапи”.
- Also known as
-
- A Topkapi kincse
- Топкапи
- The Light of Day
- Τοπκαπί
- Topkapı
- טופקאפי
- 土京盗宝记
- 토프카피의 보물, ტოპკაპი
Seen Topkapi?
Movies Like Topkapi
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Robbery Alla Turca, That Man in Istanbul and The Burglars.
Topkapi FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, cast, where to watch, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of Topkapi, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Topkapi?
Topkapi runs 1 hour 59 minutes (119 minutes).
When was Topkapi released?
Topkapi was released on September 2, 1964.
Who is in the cast of Topkapi?
Topkapi stars Peter Ustinov as Arthur Simon Simpson, Melina Mercouri as Elizabeth Lipp and Maximilian Schell as Walter Harper, among 18 credited actors.
Where can I watch Topkapi?
In the US, Topkapi is streaming on ScreenPix and YouTube Free and available to rent or buy on Fandango At Home, Google Play Movies and YouTube (availability from JustWatch).
Is Topkapi based on a book?
Yes. Topkapi is partly adapted from The Light of Day by Eric Ambler.
Does Topkapi have a post-credit scene?
No. Topkapi has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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