SimonJack This sequel came out four years after the original "Topper" of 1937. The original Kerby's and their ghosts – George and Marion, played by Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, are long gone now. Joan Blondell gets the lead female role here as Gail Richards, sans a counterpart for Grant. But, the focus of this story is on Topper himself, and his wife. And, for those roles, Roland Young and Billie Burke return.I actually enjoyed "Topper Returns" more than the original. Grant's role wasn't that prominent in the earlier film, and neither he nor Bennett had any particularly witty or funny dialog. Mostly, it was about the appearance and disappearance of the two spirits and some clever scenes with special effects that supposedly showed an invisible woman dressing. This film has a much meatier plot with mystery and murder mixed in with comedy. It also has a nice role for Eddie "Rochester" Anderson who plays the chauffeur to the Toppers.There is a lesser bit of romance between a cab driver, Bob, played by Dennis O'Keefe, and Carole Landis who plays Ann Carrington. But the action and humor is mostly with Gail Richards, Topper, Eddie and Mrs. Topper. And, Billie Burke really shines as the birdbrained Mrs. Topper. Nobody in the golden age of Hollywood could play a matronly birdbrain role better than Billie Burke; and she excels in her part in this film. She's hilarious. One other character adds some to the humor. Donald MacBride plays on overly stupid and overly acted incompetent policeman, Sgt. Robert.The rest of the cast are mostly along for the ride. The director and camera operator give occasional flashes of one or another of the support characters giving a gratuitous glance or a sinister look of mischief. Carole Landis's part was a minor role in this film. She was an attractive and talented actress who was just breaking out of bit parts into some finer roles and films. But she had a troubled personal life (she married five times to four husbands) and in 1948 committed suicide with a drug overdose. She was just 29 years old.

classicsoncall Now I'm sorry I haven't watched this picture sooner. It's entertaining on a number of different levels, but I particularly got a kick out of Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson proclaiming that he's going back to Jack Benny! And this, in 1941! Along the same lines, taxi driver Bob (Dennis O'Keefe) makes reference to an Orson Welles radio broadcast, and later brings up the name of Charlie Chan. All the name dropping is very cool if you like these old flicks from the Forties, allowing you, the viewer, to be on the inside of all the clever references.Before the picture got under way, I was surprised to see Joan Blondell's name above the title character in the credits. You would think Roland Young as Topper would be top billed, but you get to see why once the story unfolds. Blondell's Gail Richards is murdered in a case of mistaken identity in the story, and returns as a ghost seeking out Topper's help to solve the crime. I probably shouldn't have been so incredulous that Cosmo recognized Gail as a ghost following her death, since this wasn't the first picture in the series. But I haven't seen the others, and I wondered how he could be so nonchalant about it.The picture is backed up with a fine cast of supporting players, with Carole Landis as the heir to the Carrington estate, Billie Burke as Mrs. Topper, Patsy Kelly her maid, and George Zucco in a bit of a red herring role as the creepy Dr. Jeris. Close your eyes when Clara Topper speaks and you'll swear she's channeling one of the munchkins from Oz, which wouldn't be too far off considering she was the Good Witch from that earlier classic. Even the animals get into the act, with a comical magpie landing on Rochester's shoulder at one point, and a sea lion pushing him back into the water after each fall from the rigged chair. That actually got a little annoying after a while, but Rochester seemed up to the challenge.But, and this is a big but - what's with the huge disconnect at the end of the story with the Henry Carrington impersonator (H.B. Warner)? He killed Gail Richards, and attempted to kill Ann Carrington, but after he died in the car crash and became a ghost himself, his character pooh-poohed his role in the story as if nothing happened? I just didn't get that, and neither I think, will you.NOTE*** After seeing this picture last night, I watched a Roy Rogers Western this morning whose plot went like this - A young woman about to turn twenty one the next day arrives to collect her inheritance. Her father died in a mine cave-in twenty years earlier, and the dead man's partner then faked his identity to take control of the estate. The picture, from 1948, is "Night Time in Nevada". The young woman even has a girl friend who accompanies her on the trip. She doesn't die, but is suddenly dropped from the story without mention. You have to love this stuff.

Stanley Strangelove Most of the film takes place in a spooky mansion with secret doors, hidden passageways and a creepy knife-wielding killer lurking in the shadows.Roland Young reprises his role as Cosmo Topper, the straight-laced, bespectacled banker. In the original, Cary Grant and Constance Bennet were the ghosts who only Topper could see. This time it's Joan Blondell who is accidentally murdered.Billie Burke is the hysterical and somewhat dotty Mrs. Topper. Donald MacBride is a flustered police sergeant straight out of keystone cops.Check out Joan Blondell's friend, Carole Landis, as the rich girl who was the intended murder victim. Landis was in her early 20's and committed suicide at 29. She was an absolutely gorgeous woman who, unfortunately, is not remembered.The actor who steals the film is Eddie "Rochester" Anderson as the chauffeur. He played Jack Benny's sidekick Rochester on radio and TV. He has the movie's best lines and was an extremely talented comedian.This was the final film in the series after TOPPER (1937) and TOPPER TAKES A TRIP (1939). If you want to see one of the original haunted house mysteries with lots of darkness, sound effects and screams this is it.

blanche-2 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.