Topsy-Turvy
by Mike Leigh
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Allan Corduner, Dexter Fletcher, Jim Broadbent, Roger Heathcott, Sukie SmithDirector: Mike Leigh
Cinematographer: Dick Pope
Writer: Mike Leigh
Editor: Robin Sales
Producer: Georgina Lowe
Producer: Simon Channing Williams
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.85:1
Running Time: 160 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-06-20
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Polygram USA Video
Movie Reviews of Topsy-Turvy
Movie Review: Comme ci, comme ca........
Summary: 3 Stars
I was a little disappointed with this movie, but I suspect my expectations were set too high based on some glowing reviews that led me to buy it. However, it's the kind of movie I think I'll appreciate more on repeat viewings (it is very long, there are many characters to keep track of - often in different costume, making it hard to remember who's who - and many subtleties to pick up on). It bore resemblance to other movies about musical genius (Amadeus, especially in the opening and conducting scenes; Immortal Beloved and Copying Beethoven - all great movies to emulate, by the way).
The movie felt a bit choppy, and I watched many scenes wondering what they contributed to the story and why they were included. It's almost as if someone thought "let's include this! Oh, and let's include that!," but then these disparate vignettes weren't stitched together very well to make them flow better, and the result was an overly long movie that leaves you with many questions. There seemed to be too much unnecessary detail at times, yet not enough at others. Basically, the movie could have benefited from better editing, both for length and content. To give one glaring example, Sullivan was adamant in refusing to write any more music for comic operas and steadfast in his desire to write serious ones. This stumbling block between the two geniuses was noted over and over. Yet, Sullivan seems to miraculously come around and embrace The Mikado, giving up on his serious objections to the genre. By what process did that transformation happen when he was so stubborn earlier? This is central to the story and yet is not really explained aside from one scene where Sullivan apparently likes the new libretto (but why when it's not much different from the others???).
Having done all that nitpicking, I must say this film has many pluses - not the least of which is the beautifully rendered music, the extended live performance numbers, the great singing (which some have complained about but I found it marvelous and highly recommend the soundtrack), the opulent costumes, magnificent sets and excellent cast. Visually it reminds me a bit of Moulin Rouge in its overall lushness. The period setting is also of great interest (has anyone ever explored the pitfalls of the just-invented telephone before, or the marvel of the "reservoir pen" with its own ink?)
Perhaps there is just too much going on in this movie to adequately absorb in one setting. Therefore, I am watching it again - which, come to think of it, is pretty high praise for any movie. So ultimately, I must recommend. Eventually, you'll probably love it.
Summary of Topsy-Turvy
At first glance, a musical period comedy-drama about Gilbert and Sullivan seems an odd fit for British filmmaker Mike Leigh, who made his name with searing, intense contemporary dramas such as Secrets and Lies and Career Girls. What could the Victorian world of two composers (of "light opera," no less) have to offer a filmmaker who specializes in the world of modern-day middle class England? Plenty, as it turns out. A wonderful meditation on the creation of art, Topsy-Turvy catches Gilbert and Sullivan at a crossroads in their illustrious careers. Having scored numerous hits (like The Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore), they've reached a creative dry spot with their latest, Princess Ida. Composer Sullivan (Allan Corduner) despairs of ever being taken seriously, and vows to write a "serious" piece, much to the consternation of librettist Gilbert (Jim Broadbent), who's flummoxed and unyielding when asked to change another of his whimsical, "topsy-turvy" scenarios. All seems lost when, thanks to his wife's insistence, Gilbert attends a Japanese exposition in London, and faster than you can say "Three little maids from school are we," inspiration strikes.The rest, as they say, is history, but Leigh re-creates the creative process with meticulous and loving care, from the writing of The Mikado to its staging (wherein Gilbert acts as director), costuming, orchestration, rehearsal, and ultimate premiere. Some may balk at the running time of the film (almost three hours), but it's a journey well worth taking, down to the precise details of late-19th-century London. Still, you'll know you're in Mike Leigh territory, with his precise characterizations and a heartfelt, melancholy ending. And no one has a way with actors like Leigh. This peerless ensemble, headed up by Broadbent in an Oscar-worthy performance, inhabits their characters like a second skin, and it's wonderful to see an authentic-feeling period drama in which the actors resemble real people and you don't expect someone glamorous like Helena Bonham Carter or Rupert Everett to pop up. Gilbert and Sullivan aficionados will revel in the reenactments of The Mikado (newcomers will likely be won over, too). All in all, a breathtaking film. --Mark Englehart
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