Topsy-Turvy (1999)

Director:

Mike Leigh

Writer:

Mike Leigh (written by)

Release Date:

14 January 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

The egos. The battles. The words. The music. The women. The scandals.

Plot:

After Gilbert and Sullivan's latest play is critically panned, the frustrated team threatens to disband until they are inspired to do their masterpiece, "The Mikado."

Plot Keywords:

Gilbert And Sullivan | Gilbert And Sullivan's Princess Ida | Exhibition | Japanese | Cigar Smoking

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Allan Corduner	...	Sir Arthur Sullivan
Dexter Fletcher	...	Louis
Sukie Smith	...	Clothilde
Roger Heathcott	...	Banton
Wendy Nottingham	...	Helen Lenoir
Stefan Bednarczyk	...	Frank Cellier
Geoffrey Hutchings	...	Armourer
Timothy Spall	...	Richard Temple (The Mikado)
Francis Lee	...	Butt
William Neenan	...	Cook
Adam Searle	...	Shrimp
Martin Savage	...	George Grossmith (Ko-Ko)
Jim Broadbent	...	W. S. Gilbert
Lesley Manville	...	Lucy Gilbert
Kate Doherty	...	Mrs. Judd
Kenneth Hadley	...	Pidgeon
Keeley Gainey	...	Maidservant
Ron Cook	...	Richard D'Oyly Carte
Eleanor David	...	Fanny Ronalds
Gary Yershon	...	Pianist in Brothel
Katrin Cartlidge	...	Madame
Julia Rayner	...	Mademoiselle Fromage
Jenny Pickering	...	Second Prostitute
Kevin McKidd	...	Durward Lely (Nanki-Poo)
Sam Kelly	...	Richard Barker
Charles Simon	...	Gilbert's Father
Philippe Constantin	...	Paris Waiter
David Neville	...	Dentist
Matthew Mills	...	Walter Simmonds
Shirley Henderson	...	Leonora Braham (Yum-Yum)
Nicholas Woodeson	...	Mr. Seymour, Production Manager
Nick Bartlett	...	Stage Hand
Gary Dunnington	...	Stage Hand
Dorothy Atkinson	...	Jessie Bond (Pitti-Sing)
Amanda Crossley	...	Emily, Jessie's Maid
Kimi Shaw	...	Spinner
Toksan Takahashi	...	Calligrapher
Akemi Otani	...	Dancer
Kanako Morishita	...	Samisen Player
Theresa Watson	...	Maude Gilbert
Lavinia Bertram	...	Florence Gilbert
Togo Igawa	...	First Kabuki Actor
Eiji Kusuhara	...	Second Kabuki Actor
Naoko Mori	...	Miss 'Sixpence Please'
Eve Pearce	...	Gilbert's Mother
Neil Humphries	...	Boy Actor
Vincent Franklin	...	Rutland Barrington (Pooh-Bah)
Michael Simkins	...	Frederick Bovill
Alison Steadman	...	Madame Leon
Cathy Sara	...	Sybil Grey (Peep-Bo)
Angela Curran	...	Miss Morton
Millie Gregory	...	Alice
Jonathan Aris	...	Wilhelm
Andy Serkis	...	John D'Auban
Mia Soteriou	...	Mrs. Russell
Louise Gold	...	Rosina Brandram (Katisha)
Shaun Glanville	...	Mr. Harris
Julian Bleach	...	Mr. Plank
Neil Salvage	...	Mr. Hurley
Matt Bardock	...	Mr. Tripp
Brid Brennan	...	Mad Woman (as Bríd Brennan)
Mark Benton	...	Mr. Price
Heather Craney	...	Miss Russell
Julie Jupp	...	Miss Meadows
John Warnaby	...	Mr. Sanders
Kacey Ainsworth	...	Miss Dorothea Fitzherbert
Ashley Artus	...	Mr. Marchmont
Richard Attlee	...	Mr. Gordon
Paul Barnhill	...	Mr. Flagstone
Nicholas Boulton	...	Mr. Conyngham
Lorraine Brunning	...	Miss Jardine
Simon Butteriss	...	Mr. Lewis
Wayne Cater	...	Mr. Rhys
Rosie Cavaliero	...	Miss Moore
Michelle Chadwick	...	Miss Warren
Debbie Chazen	...	Miss Kingsley
Richard Coyle	...	Mr. Hammond
Monica Dolan	...	Miss Barnes
Sophie Duval	...	Miss Brown
Anna Francolini	...	Miss Biddles
Teresa Gallagher	...	Miss Coleford
Sarah Howe	...	Miss Woods
Ashley Jensen	...	Miss Tringham
Gemma Page	...	Miss Langton-James
Paul Rider	...	Mr. Bentley
Mary Roscoe	...	Miss Carlyle
Steve Speirs	...	Mr. Kent
Nicola Wainwright	...	Miss Betts
Angie Wallis	...	Miss Wilkinson
Kevin Walton	...	Mr. Evans
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tatyana Lavrentyeva	...	Reticel Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Leigh

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mike Leigh		written by

Produced by
Simon Channing Williams	....	producer
Georgina Lowe	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Dick Pope

Film Editing by
Robin Sales

Casting by
Nina Gold

Production Design by
Eve Stewart

Art Direction by
Helen Scott

Set Decoration by
John Bush
Eve Stewart

Costume Design by
Lindy Hemming

Makeup Department
Christine Blundell	....	hair designer
Christine Blundell	....	makeup designer
Kirstin Chalmers	....	makeup artist
Dianne Jamieson	....	makeup artist
Tony Martin	....	hair stylist
Nicola Matthews	....	junior makeup artist
Trefor Proud	....	makeup artist
Sarah Love	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Leda Shawyer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Deborah Reade	....	post-production supervisor
Georgina Lowe	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nick Heckstall-Smith	....	first assistant director
Dan John	....	additional third assistant director (as Daniel John)
Josh Robertson	....	second assistant director
Paula Spinks	....	third assistant director
Hannah Titley	....	third assistant director
George Walker	....	additional second assistant director
Echo Ward	....	fourth assistant director

Art Department
Eddie Baker	....	stand-by props
Jim Booth	....	dressing props
Anthony Burton	....	additional carpenter
Richard Cameron	....	additional carpenter
Andrea Coathupe	....	set dresser
Charles Cottrell	....	additional painter
Diane Dancklefsen	....	stand-by art director
Steve Deane	....	carpenter
Andrew Forrest	....	art department assistant
Gary Fox	....	stand-by props
Terence Gamble	....	additional painter
Andrew Grant	....	additional carpenter
Liz Griffiths	....	production buyer
Dean Hayward	....	additional carpenter
David Hill	....	additional carpenter
Derek Honeybun	....	painter
Charles Leatherland	....	draughtsman
Lisa Lloyd	....	set dresser
Wayne Marsh	....	additional scenic carpenter
Leon McCarthy	....	stand-by carpenter
Adam McCreight	....	prop assistant
Tanya Miller	....	action graphics
Richard Mills	....	property storeman
Barry Moll	....	construction manager
Eugenie Neilson	....	assistant scenic artist
Steve Oakes	....	assistant production buyer
Justin Overhill	....	scenic artist
Stephen Pearton	....	additional scenic carpenter
Dave Perschky	....	carpenter
Tom Read	....	property master
Loraine Schneider	....	scenic artist
Mike Standish	....	production buyer
Ian Taylor	....	additional carpenter (as Ian C. Taylor)
Remo Tozzi	....	prop assistant
Phil Wheeler	....	additional painter
Joe Willmott	....	carpenter (as Joseph Willmott)
Sarah Wright	....	prop assistant

Sound Department
Roy Baker	....	foley walker
Howard Bargroff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Orin Beaton	....	boom operator
Ed Colyer	....	foley mixer
Tim Fraser	....	sound recordist
Pauline Griffiths	....	foley walker
Loveday Harding	....	boom operator
Peter Joly	....	supervising sound editor
Danny Longhurst	....	additional sound editor
Adrian Rhodes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Rose	....	assistant sound editor
Alison Ross	....	sound assistant
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer
William Towers	....	additional boom operator
Richard Undrell	....	sound assistant
Paul Wrightson	....	foley editor
Mike Prestwood Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ray Bateman	....	generator operator
Lucy Bristow	....	focus puller
Lucy Bristow	....	second camera operator
David Bryant	....	second focus puller
Dick Buckley	....	electrician (as Richard Buckley)
Frank Cox	....	electrician
Martin Duncan	....	gaffer
Alan Graham	....	electrician
Andrew Jeffery	....	digital main titles: Magic Camera
Simon Mein	....	still photographer
Kenny Monger	....	best boy electric (as Kenneth Monger)
Andy Ormesher	....	stand-by rigger
Daniel Pettipher	....	digital main titles: Magic Camera (as Dan Pettifer)
Dick Pope	....	camera operator
Dan Shoring	....	second focus puller
Colin Strachan	....	grip
Iain Struthers	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Lynn Glaser	....	casting assistant (uncredited)
Sasha Robertson	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Victoria Clarke	....	additional wardrobe assistant
Lee Clayton	....	costume cutter
Lee Clayton	....	tailor
Andrea Cripps	....	costume assistant
David Crossman	....	wardrobe supervisor
Jacqueline Durran	....	second assistant costume designer
Charlotte Finlay	....	additional wardrobe assistant
Magot Forster	....	dressmaker and cutter
Dan Grace	....	additional wardrobe assistant
Nicola Latham	....	dressmaker and sewer
Helen Mattocks	....	additional wardrobe assistant
Laura May	....	costume assistant
Neil Murphy	....	additional wardrobe assistant
Michael O'Connor	....	assistant costume designer
Adam Roach	....	costume assistant
Timothy Shanahan	....	costume breakdown (as Tim Shanahan)
Claire Thornton	....	dressmaker and sewer
Emma Walker	....	textile assistant

Editorial Department
Angela Bailey	....	trainee: FT2
Lisa Clifford-Owen	....	trainee editor: FT2
Lalit Goyal	....	lightworks assistant
Celia Haining	....	additional second assistant editor
Mark Neale	....	second assistant editor
Clive Noakes	....	color timer
Jonathan Sales	....	first assistant editor
Victoria Stevens	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Richard Addison	....	musician
Andrew Baker	....	musician
Ian Balmain	....	musician
Clive Bell	....	additional musician
Roger Benedict	....	musician
Chris Bevan	....	musician
Hilary Browning	....	musician
Timothy Brown	....	musician
Nicholas Bucknall	....	musician
Colin Chambers	....	musician
Anthony Chidell	....	musician
Denise Connell	....	music editor
Michael Connell	....	supervising music editor
Mark David	....	musician
Michael Davis	....	orchestra leader
Clive Dobbins	....	musician
Jonathan Evans-Jones	....	musician
Julian Farrell	....	musician
Joseph Frohlich	....	orchestra leader
David Fuest	....	musician
Martin Gatt	....	musician
David Gordon	....	musician
David Greenlees	....	musician
Michael Hext	....	musician
Joji Hirota	....	additional musician
Iain King	....	musician
Timothy Kipling	....	musician
Richard Layton	....	musician
Pan Hon Lee	....	musician
Tom Martin	....	musician
Stephen Orton	....	musician
William O'Sullivan	....	musician
Anthony Pike	....	musician
Matthew Scrivener	....	musician
Andrew Shulman	....	musician
Andrew Smith	....	musician
David Theodore	....	musician
John Timperley	....	music engineer
Richard Wainwright	....	musician
Timothy Walden	....	musician
James Warburton	....	musician
David White	....	musician
David Whitson	....	musician
Paul Willey	....	orchestra leader
Stephen Williams	....	musician
Paul Wing	....	music fixer
Gary Yershon	....	musical director

Transportation Department
Charlie Collins	....	unit driver
David Rosenbaum	....	unit driver
Brian Scott	....	unit driver
Bill Wright	....	unit driver

Other crew
Richard Ackland	....	trainee: FT2
Chris Allies	....	title designer
Angela Bailey	....	trainee: FT2
Rosie Chambers	....	researcher
Jane Clive	....	textile assistant
Sophie Cornet	....	trainee: FT2 (as Sophie Cornett)
Graham Easton	....	completion bond: Film Finance Services
Katina Ellery	....	additional researcher
Scott Horan	....	assistant location manager
Ben Howard	....	floor runner
Francesca Jaynes	....	choreographer
Alexandra Kosevic	....	production secretary (as Alex Kosevic)
Harriet Lawrence	....	assistant location manager
Neil Lee	....	location manager
David Lewisohn	....	solicitor: Westaway & Co.
Jo Littlejohn	....	trainee: FT2
Paula McBreen	....	production coordinator
Justin Miller	....	assistant accountant
Julia Rayner	....	additional choreographer: brothel scene
Deborah Reade	....	assistant to producer
Jonathan Rutter	....	publicity: McDonald & Rutter
Roger Sampson	....	insurance: AON/Albert G. Ruben
Brian Shemmings	....	advisor: health and safety
Andrea Slater	....	assistant floor runner
Paula Spinks	....	assistant continuity
Chris Stoaling	....	trainee: FT2
Heather Storr	....	script supervisor
Will Tyler	....	production accountant
Michael D. Walsh	....	production runner (as Michael Walsh)
Mark Westaway	....	solicitor: Westaway & Co.

Thanks
Anthony Burgess	....	thanks
John Cannon	....	thanks
Kevin Chapple	....	thanks
Andrew Cobbing	....	thanks
Penny Corfield	....	thanks
Shani D'Cruze	....	thanks
David Eden	....	thanks
John Gardner	....	thanks
Andrew Goodman	....	thanks
Judith Hatton	....	thanks
David Russell Hulme	....	thanks
Brian Jones	....	thanks
George J. Low	....	thanks
Peter Mulloy	....	thanks
Philip Plumb	....	thanks
Terence Rees	....	thanks
Marc Shepherd	....	thanks
Jesse Shereff	....	thanks
Jane W. Stedman	....	thanks
Melvyn Tarran	....	thanks
Selwyn Tillett	....	thanks
Stephen J. Turnbull	....	thanks (as Stephen Turnbull)
Michael Walters	....	thanks
Toshio Watanabe	....	thanks
David Wilmore	....	thanks
Fredric Woodbridge Wilson	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Goldwyn Films
• Newmarket Capital Group (presents) (as Newmarket Capital Group)
• The Greenlight Fund (presents)
• Thin Man Films (presents)

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Europa Filmes (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2001) (Brazil) (VHS)
• G2 Films (non-USA sales)
• October Films
• Pathé (France)
• Pathé (UK)
• Primer Plano Film Group (Argentina)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2000) (Finland) (all media)
• Tobis Filmkunst (Germany)
• USA Films
• YLE Teema (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2004) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• 2020 Casting  background casting (uncredited)
• AFM Lighting  lighting
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance
• Angel Studios  music studio
• British Library, The  thanks
• D'Oyly Carte Opera Company  thanks
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  sound dub
• Fawcett Library  thanks
• Film Finances Services Ltd.  completion bond
• G.E. Lighting  period light bulbs
• Gilbert & Sullivan Society  thanks
• Goldcrest Post Production London  post-production
• Harvard Theatre Collection, The  thanks
• Institut Français, London  thanks
• Jim Laws Lighting  period lighting specialist
• Lays International  location vehicles
• Location Facilities  location vehicles
• Magic Camera Company, The  digital main titles
• Mander & Mitchenson Collection  thanks
• McDonald and Rutter  publicity
• Mobile Mouthful  catering
• Movietech  camera equipment provided by
• Museum of London  thanks
• Newmarket Capital Group  production financing provided by
• Richmond Theatre  thanks
• Royal Academy of Music  thanks
• Royal College of Music  thanks
• Salon Productions  editing equipment
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Savoy Theatre  thanks
• Sir Arthur Sullivan Society  thanks
• Studios CTS  music studio
• The Arts Council of England  supported by the National Lottery through
• Theatre Museum, Covent Garden  thanks
• Victoria and Albert Museum  thanks
• W.S. Gilbert Society  thanks
• Westaway & Co.  solicitors

Also Known As:

Mike Leigh Untitled (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for a scene of risque nudity.

Runtime:

160 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French | German | Italian | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:11 (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/12 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:R | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Goldwyn Films

Trivia:

Most modern recordings and performances of the Mikado's solo, "A More Humane Mikado" feature a bloodthirsty laugh between the verses. This touch was added by Darrel Fancourt, a D'Oyly Carte performer from 1920-1953, and has been copied ever since - which is why the laugh is not performed by Richard Temple (Timothy Spall).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Gilbert sarcastically suggests that Sullivan, wanting to write a more serious opera, might try to collaborate with "Mr. Ibsen in Oslo." At the period in which the movie is set, the city was named Christiania.

Quotes:

Mrs. Judd, Gilbert's Maid: I've made you some beef tea, Mr. Gilbert.
Gilbert: Take it away.
Mrs. Judd, Gilbert's Maid: You've not had anything since yesterday afternoon, sir.
Gilbert: Take it away.
Mrs. Judd, Gilbert's Maid: You can't work on an empty stomach.
Gilbert: I can't work at all, Mrs. Judd, if I'm being constantly pestered by interfering women with hot beef tea, cold compresses, mustard poultices, and excessive attacks of philanthropic zeal.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "British Film Forever: Corsets, Cleavage and Country Houses: The Story of British Costume Drama (#1.4)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

A More Humane Mikado

fascinating, funny, and true as gold

I loved this film, yet I have a hard time understanding many of the comments other viewers have made. I never liked G&S all that much, thought they were rather light weight stuff. Never liked the late Victorian era much either. Kind of a dull time, I thought. Musicals are definitely not my thing.

Yet this movie struck me as one of the greatest I have ever seen, right up there with Greed and Citizen Kane and all that lot. I suppose it's because I like period pieces, and I think it's damned difficult for anyone to draw an accurate -- or even an evocative -- picture of any time that is not their own. This movie does that, and it never even appears to strain so much as a single hair to do so.

In the end, this movie is deeply *humane.* Like many another Mike Leigh epic, the characters here are drawn in the round, flaws and talents all on view, just like real human beings. And he likes them all, even the stinkers. Likes them well enough to paint them as they are, not as cardboard figures.

If you like your characters pre-digested and redrawn larger than life and your plots full of twists and turns, you might find this movie tame. If you like people, you'll find it fascinating, funny, and true as gold.

And why do I rate it so highly? Because it hangs together so perfectly, all of a piece. It's luscious to look at, delightful to hear, and sweet as candy without ever once becoming saccharine or cheap.

Some reviewers complained you had to "already know" something to enjoy this movie: the music, the time, the language, the whatever. I say, all you have to know is human beings. If you find them interesting, you'll love this movie.