Skip to main content
Adventure Cult Classic

A crew of misfits targets Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace for the ultimate emerald heist.

TOPKAPI

1964 · 1h 59m · NR · Adventure / Comedy / Crime

Arthur Simon Simpson is a small-time crook biding his time in Greece. One of his potential victims turns out to be a gentleman thief planning to steal the emerald-encrusted dagger of the Mehmed II from Istanbul's Topkapi Museum.

▶ Watch Now Trailer My List
5,471 FilmsIn The Vault
Vault UpdatedDaily
Curated ByHumans
No AlgorithmBullsh*t
Quick Answer
What is Topkapi about?

Topkapi is a 1964 adventure, comedy, and crime film directed by Jules Dassin about a crew led by beautiful thief Elizabeth Lipp and criminal genius Walter Harper plotting to steal an emerald-encrusted dagger from Istanbul's Topkapi Palace.

Synopsis

Beautiful thief Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri) and criminal genius Walter Harper (Maximilian Schell) put together a plan to steal an emerald-encrusted dagger from Istanbul's Topkapi Palace. As part of their crew, they hire small-time hustler Arthur Simon Simpson (Sir Peter Ustinov) to act as their fall guy. When the Turkish secret police capture Simpson at the border, they persuade him to spy on his partners in crime, mistakenly believing that they're Communist Agents plotting an assassination.
Details & Specs
Director
Jules Dassin
Writers
Monja Danischewsky, Eric Ambler
Release
1964
Runtime
1h 59m
Genres
Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Also Known As
A Topkapi kincse, Топкапи

Why Cult

Emerald-Encrusted Dagger Heist

The plot revolves around a daring plan to steal a priceless, emerald-encrusted dagger from Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace.

International Caper Cast

Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, and Maximilian Schell headline a crew of thieves and hustlers drawn from across Europe.

Misfit Spy Comedy

Small-time crook Simpson is unwittingly swept into espionage when Turkish police mistake the gang for Communist agents.

Themes & Keywords

Questions from the Vault

What is Topkapi about? +

Topkapi is a 1964 adventure, comedy, and crime film directed by Jules Dassin about a crew led by beautiful thief Elizabeth Lipp and criminal genius Walter Harper plotting to steal an emerald-encrusted dagger from Istanbul's Topkapi Palace.

Who directed Topkapi? +

Jules Dassin directed Topkapi.

How long is Topkapi? +

Topkapi has a runtime of 119 minutes.

What genre is Topkapi? +

Topkapi is an adventure, comedy, and crime film.

Where can I watch Topkapi? +

Topkapi is available to stream on SassyFlix.

When was Topkapi released? +

Topkapi was released in 1964.

More in Adventure

See All →