ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

atlasmb "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.

Case This is definitely still a worth-to-watch film if you are into the comedies from this era, but while the first Topper movie was a true classic, this is not much more than a lovely little time-passer. But what makes it really different from the first two Topper films is that, instead of doing another romantic comedy, this time they ventured into murder mystery territories. With mixed results.The plot is simple: Carole Landis, a girl in her early twenties returns from the Far East where she grew up, to meet his father for the first time and to inherit the family fortune. Which, of course makes her a target for a mysterious killer, who, after two failed attempts finally kills... her friend Gail (Joan Blondell) who accompanied her on the trip and switched rooms with her for the night. After this, her ghost approaches Mr. Topper, whom they met on their way to the mansion and they team up to figure out who the killer is. And then the usual madness ensues, which just gets even crazier when the police and Mrs. Topper shows up at the scene as well.But by this time the story is already a mess and it isn't getting any better later. We don't even really know why Gail goes to Mr. Topper's house right after she was murdered and that's just the first of the many things that doesn't get explained properly (or at all). Including the end. Which has a great, really unexpected twist, which could easily save the movie if played out well, but instead it just disappoints and actually leaves more questions open than what it solves.But despite all these gaping plot holes and the very routine and seemingly very rushed mystery script, there are several things that still makes this fun to watch. First of these are the great effects, that sometime really makes you wonder about who they managed to do them. And then, there is the great set of character actors: Joan Blondell as the lively American city girl (who, obviously doesn't seem to care much that she was just killed and remains almost disturbingly cheerful), George Zucco as the suspicious friend-of-the-family, Donald MacBride doing a great job as usual as the dumb police sergeant, and Eddie Anderson (as the Toppers' chauffeur) doing the Mantan Moreland part, getting scared and trying to run away all the time, but eventually taking an active part in solving the case. And the best of all, Billie Burke as Mrs. Topper, who, while a total airhead, is still by far the most lovable character of all and serves some of the best jokes as well. And that's the other thing that saves the movie: the great jokes and the comedy parts.And actually that is why I think, that (while I just love murder mysteries) the Topper series should stayed what it was: pure comedy. As the movie shines when we get to the fun parts, but the mystery part of he story is so half assed that it does not add anything to the whole, just distracts and annoys the viewer.

annmason1 I like ghost movies and such, and I do watch "Topper Returns" when I am in the mood. BUT it is getting more difficult, as the rampant racism is increasingly tough to stomach. "Rochester" was a pleasant memory from my youth; a valued cohort of Jack Benny. I didn't like to see him denigrated in this film. I tell myself that all of these fine actors did their best in denigrating roles, but Rochester more so than the others.And Joan Blondell! How irritating can one person get? I know this was the age of the "give as good as she got" female, but she utters not one humorous thing and grates on one's nerves.This movie is a waste of fine talent. It does, however, have redeeming virtues. The black and white photography is perfect for the effects it wishes to create. I think the scene of the "spirit" leaving the mansion to find Topper, is spectacular. The light and motion of the scene is better than I have ever seen in movies.I couldn't get into the ghost's still having a "body" capable of climbing into bed with Topper, getting drunk, getting her toe stepped on, etc.Carol Landis was beautiful and somehow managed to get through this turkey. Another waste of talent- and beauty.If you haven't seen this flick, you must do so if only to experience the eye movements of the doctor- the Boris Karloff wannabe. It is a queasy-creating performance...eee gads.But my dissatisfaction boils down to this: did the studio run out of money, or what? The end drops you off a cliff; so what was the whole scheme and how were the assorted nuts in the castle involved, and did Dennis O'Keef ever get his $26 dollars, and why in the heck do I care? Well, I don't, so I'm going to make some coffee.

Jay Raskin 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.