Why did Ustinov win an Oscar for this?

michael

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Nov 8, 2009, 10:21:09 PM11/8/09

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I just saw Topkapi (1964), the thriller about a turkish jewel heist
featuring Ustinov as a small time thief. Ustinov was awarded with an Oscar
for his part, but I cannot say that he plays any different from what he
normally does. In We're no Angels (1955) with Bogart he was just the same. I
love Ustinov and would like to see him in anything, but i thought the role
in Topkapi simply was too straightforeward and undemanding to give anyone an
Oscar.

Also I noticed that the climbing/ break in scene in Mission Impossible has
been borrowed from Topkapi.

Howard Brazee

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Nov 9, 2009, 7:59:06 AM11/9/09

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The nominees for best actor in a supporting role were:

Stanley Holloway, My Fair Lady
Edmond O'Brien, Seven Days in May
Lee Tracy, The Best Man
Peter Ustinov, Topkapi

--
"In no part of the constitution is more wisdom to be found,
than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace
to the legislature, and not to the executive department."

- James Madison

S D

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Nov 9, 2009, 1:20:20 PM11/9/09

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Makoofsalos

Mark

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Nov 9, 2009, 5:40:07 PM11/9/09

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On Nov 9, 6:59 am, Howard Brazee <how...@brazee.net> wrote:

> On Mon, 9 Nov 2009 04:21:09 +0100, "michael" <grus...@yahoo.no> wrote:
> >I just saw Topkapi (1964), the thriller about a turkish jewel heist
> >featuring Ustinov as a small time thief. Ustinov was awarded with an Oscar
> >for his part, but I cannot say that he plays any different from what he
> >normally does. In We're no Angels (1955) with Bogart he was just the same. I
> >love Ustinov and would like to see him in anything, but i thought the role
> >in Topkapi simply was too straightforeward and undemanding to give anyone an
> >Oscar.
>
> >Also I noticed that the climbing/ break in scene in Mission Impossible has
> >been borrowed from Topkapi.
>
> The nominees for best actor in a supporting role were:
>
> Stanley Holloway, My Fair Lady
> Edmond O'Brien, Seven Days in May
> Lee Tracy, The Best Man
> Peter Ustinov, Topkapi
>

I love Peter Ustinov but I would have given it to any of the first
three gentlemen before him. Who knows why they do what they do?
I used to love this film as a kid but saw it not too long ago and
wondered what all the fuss was about. I didn't like it nearly as much.

S D

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Nov 9, 2009, 6:59:38 PM11/9/09

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Topkapi is scenic, funny and a good heist film . The way the Turkish
security officer and Ustinov play off each other is droll...and with a
dash of Akim Tamirof quite tasty.

Mark

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Nov 9, 2009, 10:58:22 PM11/9/09

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And just think some of it -- in particular Melina Mercouri -- has not
aged well at all.

Bill Anderson

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Nov 9, 2009, 11:23:45 PM11/9/09

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A few years back some friends and I were planning a tour of Turkey and
we decided to watch Topkapi together in preparation. I'd never seen it,
and I was expecting a taut thriller. Instead we got a mostly
entertaining heist comedy. I enjoyed the movie but apart from the
desire to see if I could tell if the dagger on display was real or
phony, I didn't get much useful info from it.

http://paintrock.net/turkey/pages/topkapi_palace.htm

--
Bill Anderson

I am the Mighty Favog

Lawrence Chalmers

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Nov 10, 2009, 5:29:10 PM11/10/09

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I used to listen to the soundtrack lp often
many years ago. Was it by Manos Hadjidakis (sp)

jude

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Nov 10, 2009, 10:41:50 PM11/10/09

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On Nov 8, 10:21 pm, "michael" <grus...@yahoo.no> wrote:
> I just saw Topkapi (1964), the thriller about a turkish jewel heist
> featuring Ustinov as a small time thief.

By the way, you might want to read the book (by Eric Ambler,
originally published as "The Light of Day") that this movie is based
on. The Ustinov character is actually the central character in the
book. In the book he is a much more complex character. A good book,
and a good movie.

jw