Peter Sellers as “Mr. Topaze.” Photo courtesy of Film Movement.
“Mr. Topaze,” a long lost film from 1961 and Peter Seller’s directorial debut was a one-off. Although maintaining a controlling hand in many of his features, this was his sole feature credit as a director. Watching the film, you will understand why.
Originally written in 1928, “Mr. Topaze” was a highly regarded stage play, the first solo work of Marcel Pagnol who would become famous with his
Fanny trilogy. Starring Frank Morgan (the wizard in “The Wizard of Oz”), the English language version opened on Broadway in early 1930 and had a limited run.