Topper Collection

Comedy

Fantasy

Romance

Topper

Hal Roach Studios

United States of America

English

Constance Bennett

Cary Grant

Roland Young

Billie Burke

Alan Mowbray

Eugene Pallette

Arthur Lake

Hedda Hopper

Virginia Sale

Theodore von Eltz

J. Farrell MacDonald

Elaine Shepard

Doodles Weaver

Si Jenks

Irving Bacon

Lionel Belmore

Clem Bevans

Betty Blythe

Ward Bond

Hoagy Carmichael

Claire Du Brey

Bess Flowers

Pat Gleason

Kenneth Harlan

Grace Hayle

George Humbert

Syd Saylor

Martha Tilton

Lana Turner

Russell Wade

Ruth Warren

Claire Windsor

Ernie Alexander

Marvin Bailey

Davison Clark

Dona Dax

Vince Degen

Eddie Fetherston

Tom Herbert

Shep Houghton

William Irving

Eddie Kane

Harold Miller

Frank O'Connor

Bill Seckler

Walter Walker

Billy Wayne

Harry Wilson

Harry Adams

Marie Barde

Ralph Brooks

James Carlisle

Eddy Chandler

Dick Cherney

Dorothy Christy

Lester Dorr

Tom Ferrandini

Sam Flint

Kay Garrett

Anita Garvin

Dick Gordon

Herschel Graham

Robert Haines

Max Hoffman Jr.

Sheldon Jett

Crauford Kent

Carl M. Leviness

Leota Lorraine

Jack Mulhall

Jack Perry

Alexander Pollard

Jack Raymond

Cyril Ring

Art Rowlands

Scott Seaton

Eric Wilton

Eric Hatch

Milton H. Bren

Norman Z. McLeod

Jack Jevne

William H. Terhune

Samuel Lange

Eddie Moran

Hal Roach

Thorne Smith

William Stevens

Norbert Brodine

Marvin Hatley

Arthur I. Royce

Irene

Jovial ghosts in pleasant purgatory. 

George & Marion Kerby like to live life to the max, they party hard and pursue the good time with carefree abandon. During one devil may care drive home fuelled with excess, they crash into a tree and are instantly killed, yet strangely their spirits are still on earth, and it would seem they need to achieve something of value before they can hit the big house in the sky. Enter regimental prig Cosmo Topper, a friend and colleague of the Kerby's, and someone who is about to become their pet make over project!

Based on Thorne Smith's novel, "The Jovial Ghosts", this is a truly delightful picture, it steams along at a fair old clip, and clocking in at just one and half hours in length, it never outstays its welcome. It would have been very sad if this had become a one joke movie, I mean just how many ghost gags can you pull off before it gets tiresome? Thankfully the makers of this breezy romp have pulled it all together to consistently tickle the ribs. The spooky effects for 1937 certainly hold up well, for sure they are far from perfect, but with the tone of this particular piece being one of mirth and cheekiness, one finds that the effects carry a decidedly uplifting charm.

The film boasts a wonderful turn from Roland Young as Cosmo Topper, as he lurches from one incredulous situation to another, he carries the film with consummate ease. As the Kerby's we get the bright Constance Bennett and the irrepressible comic talent of Cary Grant, with Bennett only bagging the role of Marion when the already cast Jean Harlow sadly passed away a month before the shoot. Grant stepped into the role of George after W.C. Fields vacated it, and we can only guess what sort of picture we would have got with the original cast choices. Yet I simply can't envisage the film being improved upon because Grant & Bennett literally do bounce of each other with cracking results.

From one spooky set up to the next, Topper is a cure for the blues, be it fisticuffs with cops, or turning a hotel inside out, it is quite simply a delicious piece of 30s comedy pie. 8/10

CinemaSerf

Though Cary Grant and Constance Bennett take top billing, this film definitely belongs to Roland Young. He’s the fastidious and rather henpecked boss of a bank who has to look after the interests of his wastrel shareholders “George” (Grant) and his wife “Marion” (Bennett). One day, though, his luck might just have changed when they wrap their car around a tree! Sadly for him, the come back to haunt him. Not in a terrifying way, indeed he becomes quite used to their ethereal presence, but more in a manner that will get him to lighten up a bit and start to let what’s left of his hair down with his loving but prudish wife  (Billie Burke). Alan Mowbray’s butler “Wilkins” makes up the quintet who keep this enjoyable story rolling along entertainingly the right side of slapstick. Of course, this mischievous pair use their powers to embarrass and annoy their quarry and the simple visual effects work quite well as we see a man manoeuvred skilfully whilst putting up quite a formidable struggle. There is plenty of fun from the writing and with Burke also turning in a charmingly flighty performance, this showcases Young as a capable foil for comedic antics and dialogue and in many ways has the spirit of something “Blithe”!

Topper (1937) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

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Topper

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Cast

Constance Bennett

Cary Grant

Roland Young

Billie Burke

Alan Mowbray

Eugene Pallette

Arthur Lake

Hedda Hopper

Virginia Sale

Theodore von Eltz

Box office

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