Mr. Topaze

Mr. Topaze aka I Like Money was Peter Sellers directorial debut in 1961. Starring Sellers, Nadia Gray and Leo McKern, as well as Herbert Lom who quarrelled with Sellers Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies. His son Michael Sellers plays in the film in the role of Gaston.

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 Martita Hunt. 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.

Source: Wikipedia