Hi everyone, Bryan here….
This film is so amazing and so remarkable and fresh in every way possible that I can’t seem to watch it enough. I’m of course talking about Topsy Turvy, directed by Mike Leigh and starring and A-List cast. I’m a huge fan of films that cover the making of movies or in this case, a stage play. The inner workings of the behind-the-scenes of a film or stage play are hectic, stressful, hilarious, scary, and down right comical all in one bag. Just look at the films Son of Rambow or the recent Birdman.
Both films tackle all of the emotions while telling a magical story of someone trying to make a stage play or movie. There’s just something very inspiring about seeing a group of talented people who have a passion for the arts and creating it, coming together to make something that cause people to think, feel, and love. It’s one of my favorite genres for sure. Topsy Turvy tells the tale of the famous playwright and composer Gilbert and Sullivan from the 1800s, where during the 15th month period of 1884 and 1885, Gilbert and Sullivan made famous Mikado. After this play, the two had a successful relationship and created many more Operas.
The cast of characters here is down right amazing, all of them quirky actors and actress, trying to do anything to impress Gilbert and Sullivan for the part. Gilbert even traveled to the Orient to research the authenticity of his play. Every scene here is excellent and well-crafted, but one scene sticks out above the rest. That is the scene where Gilbert and Sullivan use the old timey telephone, which back then was a brand new thing.
To see both of them use the telephone is down right one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever watched on film. Their dialect and delivery is spot on as they phone each other to find out how successful their last play was for the evening. I can’t get enough of it and I wish we still talked like this in daily life. If you haven’t seen this amazing film, you need to seek it out in the Criterion Collection.