Topsy-Turvy

"Gilbert & Sullivan & So Much More"

1999 2h 40m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 168

DramaMusicComedyHistory

Synopsis

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For nearly a decade, Gilbert and Sullivan’s collaborations have delighted the English people. But in 1884, as a London heat wave cuts into the theater trade, their latest work, "Princess Ida", receives lukewarm press. In an effort to reconcile their creative differences and drawing inspiration from Japanese culture, they went on to create the hit opera "The Mikado", one of the duo's greatest successes.

“Gilbert & Sullivan & So Much More”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Jim Broadbent
W. S. Gilbert
Allan Corduner
Sir Arthur Sullivan
Timothy Spall
Richard Temple (The Mikado)
Lesley Manville
Lucy Gilbert
Ron Cook
Richard D'Oyly Carte
Wendy Nottingham
Helen Lenoir
Kevin McKidd
Durward Lely (Nanki-Poo)
Shirley Henderson
Leonora Braham (Yum-Yum)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mike Leigh
Writers: Mike Leigh
Languages: Japanese, French, English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Clocks in at 160 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

27 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Japanese, French, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mike Leigh, shot by Dick Pope. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Carl Davis. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Robin Sales shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mike Leigh directs. Dick Pope behind the camera. Carl Davis scores. Robin Sales cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in Japanese, French, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Clocks in at 160 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.
2Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
327 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
4Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Japanese, French, English.
5International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
6Directed by Mike Leigh, shot by Dick Pope. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Carl Davis. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Robin Sales shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Jim Broadbent and Allan Corduner and Timothy Spall carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "Gilbert & Sullivan & So Much More".
11IMDB entry: tt0151568 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Classified under 11 themes, including "london, england", "prostitute", "musical", "biography".

The technical file

Cinematography: Dick Pope
Original score: Carl Davis
Editing: Robin Sales
Production design: Eve Stewart
Costume design: Lindy Hemming
Makeup / hair: Christine Blundell
Sound: Adrian Rhodes
Runtime: 160 min · 2h 40m
Status: Released
Budget: $10,500,000
Box office: $7,804,439
Return: 74% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Topsy-Turvy (1999)

Awards

Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Academy Award for Best Costume Design

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Mike Leigh

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Peter McGinn2021-08-21
★ 7/10
I particularly like most of Mike Leigh’s movies, so it is surprising that I took so long to get around to watching Topsy Turvy. A few of his films are on my list of favorite films out there, but sadly this effort did not threaten to crack that list. Not that I didn’t enjoy it overall. It was entertaining and fun, though it hovered on minor scenes sometimes on its way to lasting two hours and forty minutes. And it was interesting to see how the Gilbert and Sullivan characters worked together, assuming it is somewhat accurate portrayal of the actual historical duo. Finally, it features four of my favorite British actors: Lesley Manville, Timothy Spall (who disappears into the role of the Mikado), Alison Steadman and Jim Broadbent. One element that kept me from enjoying the movie even more was the tendency for the characters to mutter to each other when conversing. I turned up the volume at those times, which not only failed to solve the problem completely, but then when the scene changed into one of the great choruses from the Mikado, it blasted me out of my seat. Then I’d turn it down, wait and repeat. So I cautiously recommend watching Topsy Turvy, especially if you like understated British movies, or for that matter, The Mikado.

Production companies