Topper Returns (1941)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Thorne Smith (characters)
Jonathan Latimer (original screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 March 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Mystery | Romance | Comedy

Tagline:

Topper's having girl trouble again!

Plot:

Topper is once again tormented by a fun-loving spirit. This time, it's Joan Blondell, who was accidentally...

Plot Keywords:

Housekeeper | Sniper | Doctor | Estate | Chauffeur

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Joan Blondell	...	Gail Richards
Roland Young	...	Cosmo Topper
Carole Landis	...	Ann Carrington
Billie Burke	...	Mrs. Clara Topper
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Bob
Patsy Kelly	...	Emily - Maid
H.B. Warner	...	Mr. Henry Carrington
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Eddie - Chauffeur
George Zucco	...	Dr. Jeris
Donald MacBride	...	Police Sgt. Roberts
Rafaela Ottiano	...	Lillian
Trevor Bardette	...	Rama - Butler

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #6963) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:6 | Sweden:15

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Trivia:

In the film, Eddie (played by Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson) says that he's going back to "Mr. Benny", an in-joke reference to the fact that Anderson played Rochester, the valet, on Jack Benny's radio program and later TV show.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gail is driving the Toppers' car with Eddie sitting prominently in the back seat, he is missing in the long shots and some close-ups.

Quotes:

Clara Topper: Trying to make these policemen understand something is harder than doing it yourself.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Penny Dreadful (2005)

Very Clever

I often watch films like this with a real sense of detachment. It isn't that I don't enjoy them; it's that they seem dated and irrelevant to me. The cast of this film doesn't let that happen. First of all, everything is played tongue-in-cheek. Except for the bad guys, who are themselves parodies of humorlessness and the leading lady, everyone is a viable character. From Topper to his wife (Billie Burke, the good witch in "The Wizard of Oz; she is wonderful as the flighty matriarch); from Joan Blondell, the ghost, seeking the reason for her death; to Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who actually makes a reference to working for Mr. Bennyand keeps finding himself falling down a well where there is a sea lion; to the terrific slow burns of the police detective. It all works wonderfully. I know it's not one of the great comedies of the century, but I laughed out loud several times, even though I was watching alone. This is a delight and not to be missed.