Mr. Topaze (Peter Sellers) is an unassuming school teacher in an unassuming small French town, who is honest to a fault. He is fired when he refuses to give a passing grade to a bad student, the grandson of a wealthy baroness. Castel Benac (Herbert Lom), a government official who runs a crooked financial business on the side, is persuaded by his mistress, Suzy (Nadia Gray), a musical comedy actress, to hire Mr. Topaze as the front man for his business. Gradually, Topaze becomes a rapacious financier who sacrifices his honesty for success and, in a final stroke of business bravado, fires Benac and acquires Suzy in the deal. An old friend and colleague, Tamise (Michael Gough) questions him and tells Topaze that what he now says and practices indicates there are no more honest men.
Herbert Lom | Castel Benac |
Peter Sellers | Auguste Topaze |
Leo McKern | Muche |
Michael Gough | Tamise |
John Neville | Roger |
Martita Hunt | Baroness |
Nadia Gray | Suzy |
Anne Leon | Mrs. Tamise |
Billie Whitelaw | Ernestine |
Joan Sims | Colette |
John Le Mesurier | Blackmailer |
Pauline Shepherd | Lilette |
Thomas Gallagher | Policeman (uncredited) |
Ray Freeborn | Third Assistant Director |
Pamela Cornell | Set Decoration |
Terry Knight | Draughtsman |
Georges Van Parys | Music |
John Wilcox | Cinematography |
Geoffrey Foot | Editor |
Donald M. Ashton | Production Design |
Peter Murton | Art Direction |
Michael Sellers | Gaston |