Topaze (1933/I)

Director:

Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast

Writers:

Ben Hecht (writer)
Benn W. Levy (adaptation)

Release Date:

24 February 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Plot:

An honest and naive schoolteacher gets a lesson in how the world works outside the classroom, when a...

Plot Keywords:

Mistress | Water | Chemist | Big Business | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

1 win

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

John Barrymore	...	Prof. Auguste A. Topaze
Myrna Loy	...	Coco
Reginald Mason	...	Baron Philippe de La Tour-La Tour
Jobyna Howland	...	Baroness Hortense de La Tour-La Tour
Jackie Searl	...	Charlemagne de La Tour-La Tour
Albert Conti	...	Henri de Fairville
Frank Reicher	...	Dr. Stegg
Luis Alberni	...	Dr. Bomb
Lowden Adams	...	Joseph--Butler

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

On February 8, 1933, this film became the first RKO production to play at Manhattan's fabled Radio City Music Hall. Eighteen years later, the last RKO movie to open at the Music Hall would be Payment on Demand (1951), a Bette Davis drama which began its run on February 15 that year.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the taxi-cab just as Coco tells Topaze about her adultery with the Baron, there is an awkward splice in the rear projection footage making cars and people on the street disappear momentarily.

Quotes:

Coco: But idiots are hard to find, I should think.
Baron Philippe de La Tour-La Tour: Oh no, not in the scientific world.

Movie Connections:

Version of Topaze (1963) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Roses from the South, Waltz op. 388

A mild-mannered professor comes up against the real world

John Barrymore is "Topaze" in this 1933 film based on a French play. The film also stars a young and beautiful Myrna Loy. Professor Topaze is a very morally grounded teacher who is always honest, and when a student does bad work, he's marked down for it. Unfortunately for Professor Topaze, the mother of one of the students manages to have him fired. Bloody but unbowed, Topaze has been recommended for a tutoring job and goes to an apartment to see about it. Little does he know, the father of the boy, Baron Philippe de la Tour, is the one who had him recommended and now no longer wants him. de la Tour is at the home of Coco, his mistress (Loy) which Topaze doesn't pick up on until much later. de la Tour is selling bottled water - except it's from a tap - and his main endorser has just walked out. Who can he get to endorse his water? In walks Professor Topaze, who has a background in science. Without realizing what's going on, Topaze throws himself into the work of developing a fabulous water.

The only thing about this film that's of any interest, to me anyway, is the performance of John Barrymore as a bearded, badly put together, innocent professor who lives in another world. In one scene, he's given some liquor; not being a drinker (now that's real acting) he downs it in one swallow. To watch the liquor take its effect is very funny, as Topaze makes a joke and then laughs, his voice cracking. He crosses his legs. He starts staring at Myrna Loy.

Loy is lovely, but she has what is strictly an ingénue role and not much to do. Jobyna Howland is the Baronness de la Tour, and she's a scream.

Definitely worth seeing for the performances.