Topsy Turvy. (15.)
Directed by Mike Leigh. 1999.
Starring Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Lesley Manville, Eleanor David, Ron Cook, Timothy Spall, Kevin McKidd, Martin Savage, Shirley Henderson, Dorothy Atkinson, Wendy Nottingham, Jonathan Aris and Alison Steadman. Out on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection on Oct 19th. 154 mins.
Indulgence. An ugly word, but it does you good to have a bit of a fling occasionally. After three decades of working on low budget Play For Todays and movie portraits of the British class system, including numerous classic pieces such as Abigail's Party, Nuts in May, Meantime, Naked, Secret and Lies, Mike Leigh had probably earned the right to blow £20 million and 160 minutes on a film about Gilbert and Sullivan.
In an art form where the bottom line is always the bottom line, his working methods - getting the cast to prepare and research their roles, and improvise scenes for six months prior to shooting - are already inherently indulgent. That they are effective is clear from the many fine films Leigh has overseen but it is incredibly risky, even when you're making it in North London. Trying to recreate late 19th century London in this way seems hair raising.
Leigh drops in on the pair between the opening of Princess Ida and the premiere of The Mikado. Sullivan (Corduner) is a randy libertine who threatens to break up the relationship to write some serious music. Gilbert (Broadbent) is a grumpy priggish taskmaster. When Ida becomes a bit of a flop, the pair have a falling out over their next move. Sullivan is fed up with Gilbert's use of magic conceits in his plots, thinks they are repeating themselves. Gilbert, stubborn as ever, refuses to budge.
(Interestingly, as I read it, the film infers that Gilbert is the real genius of the pair and his lyrics more than Sullivan's music are the reason that their work is still popular and widely performed a century later.)
Leigh's methods rarely produce strong narratives and this is like a fly on the costume-drama-wall piece, an observation of the process of creation. It is surprisingly effective. There's considerable humour to it, great humanity and enormous scope. Just when you think you have the measure of it some new familiar face will pop up. Some of the film's most effective scenes are Gilbert's frumpy late-night visits to his wife's bed. While they talk over and review the day's events she (Manville) tries subtly to her husband that she longs for some of the joys of matrimony but he always disappears off to his own bedroom, leaving her alone again, naturally.
I can't say watching Topsy Turvy excited any great desire to explore the work of Gilbert or Sullivan, but it did seem to me to be among Leigh's best films. It opened up a new avenue for him with further historical pieces - Vera Drake, Mr Turner and Peterloo - all to follow. There are so many wonderful performances in it, though later you may find yourself wondering about the fairness of Leigh's approach. Imagine spending all that time fleshing out your backstory and researching how your character would have lived over a hundred years ago, just to play a servant.
Extras
Audio commentary featuring director Mike Leigh
Directed by Mike Leigh. 1999.
Starring Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Lesley Manville, Eleanor David, Ron Cook, Timothy Spall, Kevin McKidd, Martin Savage, Shirley Henderson, Dorothy Atkinson, Wendy Nottingham, Jonathan Aris and Alison Steadman. Out on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection on Oct 19th. 154 mins.
Indulgence. An ugly word, but it does you good to have a bit of a fling occasionally. After three decades of working on low budget Play For Todays and movie portraits of the British class system, including numerous classic pieces such as Abigail's Party, Nuts in May, Meantime, Naked, Secret and Lies, Mike Leigh had probably earned the right to blow £20 million and 160 minutes on a film about Gilbert and Sullivan.
In an art form where the bottom line is always the bottom line, his working methods - getting the cast to prepare and research their roles, and improvise scenes for six months prior to shooting - are already inherently indulgent. That they are effective is clear from the many fine films Leigh has overseen but it is incredibly risky, even when you're making it in North London. Trying to recreate late 19th century London in this way seems hair raising.
Leigh drops in on the pair between the opening of Princess Ida and the premiere of The Mikado. Sullivan (Corduner) is a randy libertine who threatens to break up the relationship to write some serious music. Gilbert (Broadbent) is a grumpy priggish taskmaster. When Ida becomes a bit of a flop, the pair have a falling out over their next move. Sullivan is fed up with Gilbert's use of magic conceits in his plots, thinks they are repeating themselves. Gilbert, stubborn as ever, refuses to budge.
(Interestingly, as I read it, the film infers that Gilbert is the real genius of the pair and his lyrics more than Sullivan's music are the reason that their work is still popular and widely performed a century later.)
Leigh's methods rarely produce strong narratives and this is like a fly on the costume-drama-wall piece, an observation of the process of creation. It is surprisingly effective. There's considerable humour to it, great humanity and enormous scope. Just when you think you have the measure of it some new familiar face will pop up. Some of the film's most effective scenes are Gilbert's frumpy late-night visits to his wife's bed. While they talk over and review the day's events she (Manville) tries subtly to her husband that she longs for some of the joys of matrimony but he always disappears off to his own bedroom, leaving her alone again, naturally.
I can't say watching Topsy Turvy excited any great desire to explore the work of Gilbert or Sullivan, but it did seem to me to be among Leigh's best films. It opened up a new avenue for him with further historical pieces - Vera Drake, Mr Turner and Peterloo - all to follow. There are so many wonderful performances in it, though later you may find yourself wondering about the fairness of Leigh's approach. Imagine spending all that time fleshing out your backstory and researching how your character would have lived over a hundred years ago, just to play a servant.
Extras
Audio commentary featuring director Mike Leigh
- New video conversation between Leigh and musical director, Gary Yershon
- Leigh’s 1992 short film A Sense of History, written by and starring actor Jim Broadbent
- Deleted scenes
- Featurette from 1999 including interviews with Leigh and cast members
- Theatrical trailer and TV spots
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Amy Taubin
