Topper Returns (1941)

"Topper Returns" is a parody of whodunits and reminds one of other pseudo-scary comedies, like "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein." The story revolves around the ghost of a murdered woman (Joan Blondell) who seeks to discover who murdered her. She recruits the help of a neighbor, Cosmo Topper (Roland Young), who reluctantly assists.The real focus of the film are the special effects (by Roy Seawright), which create the illusion of the invisible ghost interacting with people and props. In fact, the filmmakers concentrate so much on injecting these effects that the film eventually becomes a mere vehicle for their display. This sometimes happens with 3-D films, also.Some of the actors who are at home in silly films like this one are Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who plays Topper's chauffeur, Donald MacBride, who plays the long-suffering police sergeant, and Billie Burke, the wife of Topper, who is as flighty as Gracie Allen. All three portray similar roles in other films.The film is filled with ridiculous happenings, but that is par for parodies. It's best to just enjoy the effects, which are remarkable for their day, and acknowledge the multiple references to other films in the comedy and horror genres.

This is my favorite film of the "Topper" series. Nothing against Constance Bennett (or Cary Grant), but Joan Blondell as the wisecracking ghost who takes off where Ms. Bennett left off after the second film is so much fun. She is surrounded by an excellent cast of comics, ghoul men and the returning Roland Young and Billie Burke (as Mr. and Mrs. Topper). First seen very much alive (like Bennett and Cary Grant were at the beginning of the first film), Ms. Blondell is murdered after switching bedrooms with heiress Carole Landis after Ms. Landis meets her ailing father (H.B. Warner) who left her to be raised in the far east per her late mother's wishes. Who raised her there is never broached, but it doesn't spoil the mystery surrounding the murder with Landis as the intended victim.This is more of a spoof than other old dark house comedies (1939's "The Cat & the Canary", 1939's "The Gorilla", and 1942's "The Black Cat") in that there are subtle references to other films and radio shows of the time. Eddie Anderson's chauffeur makes a threat to go back to work for Mr. Benny (Jack, that is), while Rafaela Ottianos' housekeeper, Lillian, is a parody of Judith Anderson's Mrs. Danvers in "Rebecca". In fact, she is once referred to as "Rebecca" by a dimwitted investigator. Watch Ottiano's out of the blue reference to the waves after dramatically opening Landis's bedroom window. It highly spoofs Anderson's scene in "Rebecca" where she keeps telling Joan Fontaine to "listen to the sea". There's also a gag lifted straight out of "It Happened One Night" that has a hilarious outcome.While some may guess the identity of the villain long before it is revealed, it is still fun to watch everything going on, particularly Anderson's constant plunge into a murky water filled cave where he encounters a playful seal. Then, there are Billie Burke's scenes with maid Patsy Kelly (screaming much like she did in "The Gorilla") as she goes to the spooky old house to find her missing husband who has been coerced by the ghostly Blondell to help her solve her own murder. All of these great comics make the romance of Landis and cab driver Dennis O'Keefe seem secondary. Add on mysterious servants of the old dark house and a spooky doctor (George Zucco), and there's plenty to entertain you. The special effects are extremely good, particularly in a scene where the ghostly Blondell actually gets drunk while drinking champagne, makes herself disappear to Topper in various ways, and when she encounters the darkly cloaked killer in panels behind the mansion wall.While the character of Cosmo Topper remains the same from the previous two films, I found that Mrs. Topper (Billie Burke) was altered to reflect Ms. Burke's typecasting of a scatterbrained bird-like matron who is filled with Gracie Allen like observations that offer both laughs and groans. Gracie's observations somehow made sense in spite of the silly way she explained herself. Burke's are down right dimwitted, something she avoided in the first two films in spite of the character's flightiness. Those who look at film series for consistencies will notice this right off, although she is still amusing. Easy to find on video because of its public domain status, "Topper Returns" is a film worth purchasing because it deserves repeat viewings. Even with the public domain status, the print I found on DVD on an obscure label at a $.99 store was actually quite good.

This is a ghost comedy wrapped in a murder mystery. It works because of the funny ensemble cast. Billie Burke (Mrs. Topper), Eddie Anderson (the chauffeur), Donald McBride (the police detective) and Joan Blondell (the ghost) produce a nice steady stream of laughs. Roland Young (Topper) and Carol Landis (Ann Carrington) play it straight and that provides a nice balance, so the comedy does not overwhelm the mystery.The film won an academy award for special effects. They were nice, but they were similar and not much better than 1933's "Invisible Man." I haven't seen "Topper" or "Topper Takes a Trip," so I cannot compare them. I was a fan of the 1950's "Topper" television show as a child. It seems to me that that show set the formula for "Bewitched," ""My Favorite Martian" and "I Dream of Jeannie," three of the best supernatural comedies of the 1960's.

You can't beat a movie where Billie Burke is afraid some other woman will run off with Roland Young! Roland Young reprises his role as "Topper," that poor man who sees ghosts, in this third "Topper" movie; the TV show would have Leo G. Carroll in the title role. I remember it well - I'd like to say I remember it from syndication but alas, I think it was the original series. I'm that old.This time around, George and Miriam Kerby have finally passed over and aren't bothering Topper anymore, but he's still attracting ghostly presences. This time it's (ail Richards (Joan Blondell). Topper gives her and her friend Ann Carrington (Carol Landis) a ride to the Carrington estate. There Ann will be seeing her very ill father for the first time in many years, as she was raised in France. As Ann is to inherit everything, it's no surprise when a chandelier nearly beams her. Later that night, she switches rooms with Gail, who is enamored with the elaborate suite that Ann has, and Gail is murdered. She does what every person in Topper's world does when they die - she contacts him to help her find out whodunnit.This is your typical haunted house mystery with a very witty and clever script. It's great fun - lots of darkness, sound effects, screams, and slapstick performed by a talented cast. Carol Landis was a gorgeous woman who didn't quite make it to big stardom and died at the age of 29, possibly realizing her time had passed. She's about 22 here, beautiful and with a graceful presence. Joan Blondell is top notch, pretty and funny. She just sailed through films like this. Roland Young is great as the befuddled, nervous Cosmo who just doesn't know how he gets into these situations. Billie Burke is back as his heartbroken wife who fears she's losing her husband to yet another blonde. No one can say "Oh, Cosmo, Cosmo" like Burke. When she sees him drive by with Blondell on his lap, she's appalled and reads him out. "You could have at least waved," she sobs. "How could I?" he responds."She was on my lap!" Sometimes these films are uncomfortable because of racism. In this film, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson is the chauffeur. While Anderson's part is somewhat stereotypical in that he acts terrified at times, his character seems to have a nice give and take with Topper. And let's face it - Eddie isn't the only one scared here. Anderson was a well-known personality, thanks to his wonderful association with Jack Benny. He was a very funny and talented man who never seemed particularly subservient. "Coffee," Benny would say. "No, thanks, I've had some," he'd answer. He brings a lot to "Topper Returns," and not in a way that's demeaning.Recommended for its good script and great cast.