Story of movie Topper Returns : Topper Returns is a 1941 film directed by Roy Del Ruth. It is the third and final entry in the initial series of supernatural comedy films inspired by the novels of Thorne Smith. It followed Topper (1937) and Topper Takes a Trip (1938).
| Topper Returns | |
|---|---|
theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Roy Del Ruth |
| Produced by | Hal Roach |
| Written by | Jonathan Latimer |
| Based on | Characters created by Thorne Smith |
| Starring | Joan Blondell Roland Young Carole Landis Billie Burke |
| Music by | Werner R. Heymann |
| Cinematography | Norbert Brodine |
| Edited by | James Newcom |
Production company | Hal Roach Studios |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
|
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
As in the prior films, Roland Young plays Cosmo Topper, a mousy banker who gets into trouble because of his ability to see and speak with ghosts, and Billie Burke plays his wife, who's constantly befuddled by his strange antics. The plot revolves around a murder mystery. Joan Blondell portrays a slain woman who seeks out the reluctant Topper and enlists his help in identifying her killer and saving her friend, played by Carole Landis. Most of the action takes place in a spooky mansion filled with eccentric characters, trapdoors and secret passages.
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Special Effects (Roy Seawright and Elmer Raguse) and Best Sound Recording (Elmer Raguse).
A TV series of Topper premiered in 1953 and ran for two seasons. A pilot called Topper Returns (1973) was later made for a proposed TV series. There was also a made-for-TV remake of the original film Topper in 1979.
In 1969, "Topper Returns" entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.
Screenplay
- Joan Blondell as Gail Richards
- Roland Young as Cosmo Topper
- Carole Landis as Ann Carrington
- Billie Burke as Clara Topper
- Dennis O'Keefe as Bob
- Patsy Kelly as Emily
- H. B. Warner as Henry Carrington
- Eddie "Rochester" Anderson as Eddie
- George Zucco as Dr. Jeris
- Donald McBride as Police Sergeant Roberts
- Rafaela Ottiano as Lillian
- Trevor Bardette as Rama
- List of ghost films
