Arthur Simon Simpson is a small-time crook biding his time in Greece. One of his potential victims turns out to be a gentleman thief planning to steal the emerald-encrusted dagger of the Mehmed II from Istanbul's Topkapi Museum.
Direction
Jules Dassin invented the modern heist film here.
Acting
Ustinov's sweaty, desperate everyman is masterful.
Cinematography
Istanbul locations shot like a travel fever dream.
Director
Jules Dassin
Melina Mercouri
Elizabeth Lipp
Peter Ustinov
Arthur Simon Simpson
Maximilian Schell
Walter Harper
Robert Morley
Cedric Page
Jess Hahn
Hans
Gilles Ségal
Giulio
Akim Tamiroff
Gerven the Cook
Titos Vandis
Harback
Senih Orkan
First Shadow
Danyal Topatan
Second Shadow
Joe Dassin
Joseph
Despo Diamantidou
Voula
Faik Coşkun
Tavla Player at Hilton (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The famous wire-walking sequence inspired Tom Cruise's Langley heist in Mission: Impossible decades later.
Dassin was blacklisted in Hollywood and rebuilt his career in Europe; this film's joy feels like defiance.
US
