Topsy-Turvy (1999)

The critic calls the film superb and a masterpiece, praising Leigh for turning the musical biopic on its head with a hilarious, tender, intimately detailed and passionately humane portrait of life. Broadbent's central performance as Gilbert is singled out as magnificent, alongside the ensemble's vivid vignettes of theatrical life and creativity.

Leigh revisits the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership with excited admiration and intelligence, turning the story of their creative process into an extraordinary portrait of how lasting art is made. The film honors the discipline, brilliance and emotional depth of their work while paying tribute to Victorian theatrical culture.

Mike Leigh's grandly entertaining film mixes erudition, pageantry and fine acting in a robust look at Gilbert and Sullivan's partnership and the making of The Mikado. It presents the duo's contrasting personalities with knowing humor and a leisurely pace that highlights their creative turnaround.

Though a seeming departure, Topsy-Turvy is very much a Leigh project focused on the mysterious intricacies of the creative process behind Gilbert and Sullivan's partnership and The Mikado. Superlative production values and deep performances, especially by Broadbent and Corduner, make it a stylish inquiry into how art is fashioned.

Mike Leigh's first costume film details the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership and the making of The Mikado with entertaining acting, barbed wit and lavishly staged numbers, though it tends to lose dramatic focus in historical detail. A consistently persuasive cast and high craftsmanship keep it alive despite the weight of research.

The review finds Topsy-Turvy a surprising but ultimately authentic Mike Leigh film despite its lavish period trappings and departure from contemporary settings. It praises the rich staging, judicious balance of heartbreak and farce, and sharp social observations beneath the surface.

The critic praises Mike Leigh's ambitious musical epic about Gilbert and Sullivan as a departure from his usual style, highlighting its excellent design and superb performances from the large cast. It is seen as an ironic yet intimate portrait that inhabits the Edwardian psyche with skill and forces a fresh look at the musical partnership.

Leigh's first period film is seen as a radical but coherent departure that retains his core concerns with inner lives versus public faces. It singles out the immersive rehearsals and the superb cast for particular praise in this bighearted celebration of the entertainer's world.

The critic praises Leigh's focus on the human endeavour and theatre-making process behind Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado rather than period trappings. Standout performances from Jim Broadbent and Timothy Spall, along with nuanced direction of rehearsals and character interactions, are highlighted as strengths.