''Topsy-Turvy'' is a 1999 British

musical Musical is the adjective of music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact def ...

period drama film written and directed by

Mike Leigh Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English film and theatre director, screenwriter and playwright. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and further at the Camberwell School of Art, the Central School of Art and Design ...

, starring Allan Corduner as Sir

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 operatic collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinafore'', '' The Pirates of Penzance ...

and

Jim Broadbent James Broadbent (born 24 May 1949) is an English actor. He won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his supporting role as John Bayley in the feature film '' Iris'' (2001), as well as winning a BAFTA TV Award and a Golden Globe for ...

W.S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most ...

, along with

Timothy Spall Timothy Leonard Spall (born 27 February 1957) is an English actor and presenter. He became a household name in the UK after appearing as Barry Spencer Taylor in the 1983 ITV comedy-drama series ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet''. Spall performed in '' ...

Lesley Manville Lesley Ann Manville (born 12 March 1956) is an English actress known for her frequent collaborations with Mike Leigh, appearing in the films ''Grown-Ups'' (1980), '' High Hopes'' (1988), '' Secrets & Lies'' (1996), '' Topsy-Turvy'' (1999), ''A ...

and

Ron Cook Ronald G. Cook (born 1948) is an English actor. He has been active in film, television and theatre since the 1970s. Early and personal life Cook was born in 1948 in South Shields, County Durham, England, the son of a school cook and a car w ...

. The story concerns the 15-month period in 1884 and 1885 leading up to the premiere of

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which '' H.M.S. ...

's ''

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, where it ran at the Sa ...

''. The film focuses on the creative conflict between playwright and composer, and their decision to continue their partnership, which led to their creation of several more

Savoy opera Savoy opera was a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which ...

s. The film received very favourable reviews, film festival awards and two

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for design. While it is considered an artistic success as an in-depth illustration of British life in the theatre during the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edward ...

, the film did not recover its production costs. Leigh cast actors who did their own singing in the film, and the singing performances were faulted by some critics, while others lauded Leigh's strategy.

Plot

On the opening night of ''

Princess Ida ''Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant'' is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was their eighth operatic collaboration of fourteen. ''Princess Ida'' opened at the Savoy Theatre on 5 January 1884, for a ru ...

'' at the

Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy Pal ...

in January 1884, composer Sir

( Allan Corduner), ill from

kidney The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; bloo ...

disease, is barely able to make it to the theatre to conduct. He goes on a holiday to Continental Europe hoping that the rest will improve his health. While he is away, ticket sales and audiences at the Savoy Theatre wilt in the hot summer weather. Producer

Richard D'Oyly Carte Richard D'Oyly Carte (; 3 May 1844 – 3 April 1901) was an English talent agent, theatrical impresario, composer, and hotelier during the latter half of the Victorian era. He built two of London's theatres and a hotel empire, while also estab ...

(

) has called on Sullivan and the dramatist

(

) to create a new piece for the Savoy, but it is not ready when ''Ida'' closes. Until a new piece can be prepared, Carte revives an earlier Gilbert and Sullivan work, ''

The Sorcerer ''The Sorcerer'' is a two-act comic opera, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan. It was the British duo's third operatic collaboration. The plot of ''The Sorcerer'' is based on a Christmas story, ''An Elixir of Lov ...

''. Gilbert's idea for their next opera features a transformative magic potion, which Sullivan feels is too similar to the magic lozenge and other magic talismans used in previous operas and mechanical in its reliance on a supernatural device. Sullivan, under pressure from the British musical establishment to write more serious music, says he longs for something that is "probable", involves "human interest", and is not dependent on magic. Gilbert sees nothing wrong with his libretto and refuses to write a new one, resulting in a standoff. The impasse is resolved after Gilbert and his wife visit a popular exhibition of Japanese arts and crafts in

Knightsbridge Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End. Toponymy Knightsbridge is an ancient ...

, London. When the

katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...

sword he purchases there falls noisily off the wall of his study, he is inspired to write a libretto set in exotic Japan. Sullivan likes the idea and agrees to compose the music for it. Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte work to make ''

'' a success, and many glimpses of rehearsals and stressful backstage preparations for the show follow: Cast members lunch together before attempting to negotiate their salaries. Gilbert brings in Japanese girls from the exhibition to teach the ladies' chorus how to walk and use fans in the Japanese manner. The principal cast react to the fittings of their costumes designed by C. Wilhelm. The cast objects to Gilbert's proposed cut of the title character's Act Two solo, "A more humane Mikado," persuading the playwright to restore it. The actors face first-night jitters in their dressing rooms. Finally ''The Mikado'' is ready to open. As is usual for him, Gilbert is too nervous to watch the opening performance and paces the streets of London. Returning to the theatre, he finds that the new opera is a resounding success.

Cast

as W. S. Gilbert * Allan Corduner as Sir

as Lucy "Kitty" Gilbert, Gilbert's wife *

, owner of the

* Eleanor David as the American socialite Fanny Ronalds, Sullivan's mistress * Wendy Nottingham as Helen Lenoir, Carte's indispensable assistant *

as Richard Temple, who plays the Mikado * Vincent Franklin as Rutland Barrington, who plays Pooh-Bah * Martin Savage as George Grossmith, who plays Ko-Ko *

Dexter Fletcher Dexter Fletcher (born 31 January 1966) is an English film director and actor. He has appeared in Guy Ritchie's '' Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'', as well as in television shows such as the comedy drama ''Hotel Babylon'' and the HBO ser ...

as Louis, Sullivan's valet * Dorothy Atkinson as

Jessie Bond Jessie Charlotte Bond (10 January 1853 – 17 June 1942) was an English singer and actress best known for creating the mezzo-soprano soubrette roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. She spent twenty years on the stage, the bulk of the ...

, who plays Pitti-Sing * Shirley Henderson as Leonora Braham, who plays Yum-Yum * Kevin McKidd as

Durward Lely Durward Lely (2 September 1852 – 29 February 1944) was a Scottish opera singer and actor. Although he had an extensive opera, concert and acting career, he is primarily remembered as the creator of five tenor roles in Gilbert and Sullivan's comi ...

, who plays Nanki-Poo * Louise Gold as Rosina Brandram, who plays Katisha * Cathy Sara as Sybil Grey, who plays Peep-Bo * Michael Simkins as

Frederick Bovill Frederick Bovill was an operatic baritone of the late Victorian era. In his short career, he created the roles of Pish-Tush in Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera hit ''The Mikado'' (1885) and the Squire in Sullivan's romantic opera ''Ivanhoe'' ...

, who plays Pish-Tush *

Andy Serkis Andrew Clement Serkis (born 20 April 1964) is an English actor, director, and producer. He is best known for his performance capture roles comprising motion capture acting, animation, and voice work for computer-generated characters such as Go ...

as John D'Auban, choreographer * Nicholas Woodeson as Mr. Seymour * Naoko Mori as Miss "Sixpence Please", a tea seller at the

Japanese Village, Knightsbridge The Japanese Village in Knightsbridge, London, was a late Victorian era exhibition of Japanese culture located in Humphreys' Hall, which took place from January 1885 until June 1887. The exhibition employed around 100 Japanese men and women in ...

Sukie Smith Sukie Smith (born 23 September 1964) is a British actress and musician. Her credits include the role of Rachel Branning in '' EastEnders'' in 2006, as well as appearances in '' Peak Practice'' and '' Doctors''. She also appeared in several film ...

as Clothilde, Sullivan's maid * Kenneth Hadley as Mr. Pidgeon, Gilbert's butler * Kate Doherty as Mrs. Judd, Gilbert's house-keeper and cook * Keeley Gainey as Gilbert's maid * Charles Simon as Mr. William Gilbert, Gilbert's father * Theresa Watson as Maude Gilbert, Gilbert's youngest sister * Lavinia Bertram as Florence Gilbert, Gilbert's middle sister * Eve Pierce as Mrs. Anne Gilbert, Gilbert's mother * Ashley Jensen as Miss Tringham, a member of the chorus * Mark Benton as Mr. Price, a member of the chorus * Steve Speirs as Mr. Kent, a member of the chorus * Nicholas Boulton as Mr. Conyngham, a member of the chorus * Sam Kelly as Richard Barker, the stage manager *

Jonathan Aris Jonathan Aris is a British actor who has appeared in films, television and the theatre. He has narrated three TV documentaries produced and aired by the National Geographic Channel, and appears as Philip Anderson in the BBC television series ...

as C. Wilhelm, the costumer designer * Alison Steadman as Madame Leon, the wardrobe mistress * William Neenan as Cook, Grossmith's attendant * Adam Searles as Shrimp, backstage messenger-boy *

Katrin Cartlidge Katrin Juliet Cartlidge (15 May 1961 – 7 September 2002) was an English actress. She first appeared on screen as Lucy Collins in the Channel 4 soap opera '' Brookside'' (1982–1983), before going on to win the 1997 Evening Standard Film ...

as the madame of a Paris brothel * Julia Rayner as Mademoiselle Fromage, a singing prostitute at the brothel * Bríd Brennan as a mad beggar woman

Depiction of Victorian society

Film professor Wheeler Winston Dixon wrote that the film "uses the conventions of the biographical narrative film to expose the ruthlessness and insularity of the Victorian era, at the same time as it chronicles, with great fidelity, the difficulties of a working relationship in the creative arts. ... ''Topsy-Turvy'' is an investigation into the social, political, sexual and theatrical economies of the Victorian era". While the film deals primarily with the production of ''The Mikado'', it depicts many aspects of 1880s British life and society, some based on historical episodes. Scenes show George Grossmith's use of

morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies ('' Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a pain medication, and is also commonly used recreationally, or to make other illicit opioids. Ther ...

; Leonora Braham's alcoholism and single motherhood;

's health issues, including an abscess on her leg that does not heal; Sullivan's visit to a French brothel and his relationship with his longtime mistress, Fanny Ronalds, implying that she obtains an abortion; three actors' discussion of the destruction of the British garrison at

Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...

by the

Mahdi The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad w ...

; a private salon concert; a conversation about the use of nicotine by women; and Gilbert being accosted outside the theatre on opening night by an elderly prostitute. The film also depicts the Savoy Theatre as having electric lighting; it was the first public building in Britain, and one of the first of any kind, to be lit entirely by electricity. Another scene shows an early use of the telephone. During costume fittings, the actors protest at having to perform without their corsets for the sake of accuracy.

Production

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...

took place at

3 Mills Studios 3 Mills Studios is a centre for film, television and theatre production near Stratford in East London. The site of a former distillery in Three Mills became a dedicated centre for television and film production work with the establishment in the ...

in London beginning 29 June 1998 and completed shooting on 24 October."''Topsy-Turvy'' (1999): Miscellaneous notes"

Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of ...

, accessed September 21, 2017 Location shooting took place in London and Hertfordshire, and scenes which took place at the Savoy Theatre were filmed at the Richmond Theatre in

Richmond, London Richmond is a town in south-west London,The London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended) categorises the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames as an Outer London borough. Although it is on both sides of the River Thames, the Boundary Commiss ...

. The film's budget was $20,000,000.

Release

Box office

In the United Kingdom, the film grossed £610,634 in total and £139,700 on its opening weekend. In the United States, the film grossed $6,208,548 in total, and $31,387 on its opening weekend.

Critical reception

The film received very positive reviews from critics. On

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...

, the film has a 90% "Fresh" score based on 88 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The site's consensus states: "Dressed to the nines in exquisite production value and buoyed by Mike Leigh's sardonic wit, ''Topsy-Turvy'' is rich entertainment that is as brainy as it is handsome."

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

reports a 90 out of 100 rating based on 31 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

Janet Maslin Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' found ''Topsy-Turvy'' "grandly entertaining", "one of those films that create a mix of erudition, pageantry and delectable acting opportunities, much as ''

Shakespeare in Love ''Shakespeare in Love'' is a 1998 romantic period comedy-drama film directed by John Madden, written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard, and produced by Harvey Weinstein. It stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, ...

'' did". She continued:

''Topsy-Turvy'' ... is much bigger than their story. Its aspirations are thrilling in their own right. Mr. Leigh's gratifyingly long view of life in the theatre (Gilbert has a dentist who tells him ''
Princess Ida ''Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant'' is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was their eighth operatic collaboration of fourteen. ''Princess Ida'' opened at the Savoy Theatre on 5 January 1884, for a ru ...
'' could have been shorter) includes not only historical and biographical details but also the painstaking process of creating a Gilbert and Sullivan production from the ground up. The film details all this with the luxury of a leisurely pace, as opposed to a slow one.

Richard Schickel in ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, t ...

'' magazine described the film as "one of the year's more beguiling surprises" and a "somewhat comic, somewhat desperate, very carefully detailed" story given "heartfelt heft" in the way it depicts how rehearsing and putting on a comic opera "takes over everyone's life". According to

Philip French Philip Neville French OBE (28 August 1933 – 27 October 2015) was an English film critic and radio producer. French began his career in journalism in the late 1950s, before eventually becoming a BBC Radio producer, and later a film critic ...

in ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper Sunday editions, published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group, Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. ...

'', "''Topsy-Turvy'' is not a conventional biographical film. ... tis an opulently mounted, warm-hearted celebration of two great artists and of a dedicated group of actors, backstage personnel and front-of-house figures working together." French also calls the film "a rare treat, thanks to Dick Pope's photography,

Eve Stewart Eve Stewart (born 1961) is a British production designer. She grew up in Camden Town and later trained in film, originally working in theatre. She later became a set designer, starting with ''Naked'' in 1993. In 1999, she received a nomination ...

's production design and

Lindy Hemming Lindy Hemming (born 21 August 1948) is a Welsh costume designer, who won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for the 1999 film ''Topsy-Turvy''. Hemming's name is an example of an aptronym. Career After she studied at the Royal Academy of ...

's costumes", with "great music orchestrated by

Carl Davis Carl Davis, (born October 28, 1936) is an American-born conductor and composer who has lived in the United Kingdom since 1961. He has written music for more than 100 television programmes, but is best known for creating music to accompany si ...

." For

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

, it was "one of the year's best films." ''Topsy-Turvy'' ranks 481st on ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

''s 2008 list of the 500 greatest films of all time.

Awards and honours

At the

72nd Academy Awards The 72nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1999 and took place on March 26, 2000, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / ...

, ''Topsy-Turvy'' received the

Academy Award for Best Costume Design The Academy Award for Best Costume Design is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for achievement in film costume design. The award was first given in 1949, for films made in 194 ...

and the Academy Award for Best Makeup, and was nominated for

Best Art Direction The Academy Award for Best Production Design recognizes achievement for art direction in film. The category's original name was Best Art Direction, but was changed to its current name in 2012 for the 85th Academy Awards. This change resulted fro ...

and Best Original Screenplay. The film also won Best Make Up/Hair at the

53rd British Academy Film Awards The 53rd British Academy Film Awards, given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on 9 April 2000, honoured the best in film for 1999. Sam Mendes's '' American Beauty'' won the award for Best Film (and previously won the Academy Aw ...

and was nominated for

Best British Film Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...

Best Actor in a Leading Role Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...

(Jim Broadbent), Best Supporting Actor (Timothy Spall) and Best Original Screenplay. Broadbent also won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the

56th Venice International Film Festival The 56th annual Venice International Film Festival was held between 1 and 11 September 1999. The Golden Lion was awarded to '' Yi ge dou bu neng shao'' directed by Zhang Yimou. Jury The following people comprised the 1999 jury: * Emir Kusturica ...

, and the film was nominated for the Golden Lion at the same festival. ''Topsy-Turvy'' won the Best British Film Award at the

Evening Standard British Film Awards The Evening Standard British Film Awards were established in 1973 by London's ''Evening Standard'' newspaper. The Standard Awards is the only ceremony "dedicated to British and Irish talent," judged by a panel of "top UK critics." Each ceremony ...

, Best Film (shared with

Spike Jonze Adam H. Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze, is an American filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes commercials, film, music videos, skateboard videos and television. Jonze began his ca ...

's '' Being John Malkovich'') and Best Director at the 1999 National Society of Film Critics Awards, and

Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

and Best Director at the

1999 New York Film Critics Circle Awards 65th New York Film Critics Circle Awards January 9, 2000 ---- Best Picture: Topsy-Turvy The 65th New York Film Critics Circle Awards, honoring the best in film for 1999, were announced on 16 December 1999 and presented on 9 January 2000 by t ...

Home media

A digitally restored version of the film, released on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...

and

Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of s ...

The Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cine ...

in March 2011, includes an

audio commentary An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...

featuring director Leigh; a new video conversation between Leigh and musical director Gary Yershon; Leigh's 1992

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

''A Sense of History'', written by and starring actor

; deleted scenes; and a featurette from 1999 including interviews with Leigh and cast members.Criterion Collection Essay
by Amy Taubin, accessed 8 May 2012

Notes

References

External links

*
"Mike Leigh on ''Topsy Turvy'': 'I wouldn't direct a Gilbert and Sullivan opera'"
''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'' (1999)
''Topsy-Turvy: Great Performances''
an essay by Amy Taubin at the

Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home video, home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scho ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Topsy-Turvy 1999 films 1990s biographical drama films British biographical drama films British musical drama films Films about composers Films about opera Films directed by Mike Leigh Films set in London Films set in the Victorian era Films set in the 1880s Films that won the Academy Award for Best Makeup Films that won the Best Costume Design Academy Award 1990s musical drama films Works about Gilbert and Sullivan BAFTA winners (films) 1999 drama films National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film winners Films set in the 19th century 1990s English-language films 1990s British films