TOPSY TURVY (1999)

Cast

Plot

Concentrating on the period just prior to the conception and upto the first performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado, Mike Leigh's film is a glorious, lush, witty, beautifully acted piece of cinema. Visually stunning and with the director's familiar flair for observation and character; we follow Gilbert and Sullivan's struggle for inspiration and creativity while whipping their dispirited cast into shape. Topsy Turvy is damnably fine movie making, Hurrah for British cinema and all that. A Flicks favourite. However here is an alternative take from Neil Jacobs: “ I was told that I didn't need to either know or like Gilbert and Sullivan operetta to enjoy this film but, for my money, that is simply not true. I'm not a fan and that's a problem, partly because - without that initial engagement - it would have taken much better performances than these to make me care about the characters. But also the film features many long extracts from G+S operettas that seem to have been included simply to demonstrate filmic authenticity or competence. A big fan of Mike Leigh was disappointed by this film”