Brilliant and touching
I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
View MoreThere's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.
View MoreStrong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
View MoreThis is not as good as the first movie, simply called "Topper," mainly because of the absence of Cary Grant. He helped make the first movie a big success, and without him this movie simply wasn't as good. Grant granted permission to re-run of scene of his from the first film to help set up viewers who hadn't seen the original.Roland Young as "Topper" keeps this film alive and makes it an acceptable sequel. He is very funny at times and without him, the film would have bombed big-time. Young provides most of the entertainment. Constance Bennett is still the slinky, attractive and well-meaning "Marion Kirby" while Billie Burke, as Topper's wife, is stupid, extremely affected and annoying.I saw a colorized VHS version of this and it was weak. I'm sure the black-and-white DVD version looks better.
View MoreAfter creating enough mayhem in the life of Cosmo Topper in the first Topper film, Marian Kerby comes back from the afterlife to do a little more damage than before. She means well of course and by chance things do work out in the end.Roland Young as Topper, Constance Bennett as Marian, and Billie Burke as the ditzy but patient Mrs. Topper are back again. Cary Grant as George Kerby is here too, but only in a flashback from the original Topper movie. The flashback occurs when Topper is on the witness stand in a divorce case as Billie Burke is filing for divorce. Topper takes the stand and tries to explain that wasn't a real woman in his room, just an other world spirit.Judge Spencer Charters won't grant a divorce, but come back the next day he might sign some commitment papers. So Billie Burke and her friend Verree Teasdale are off to France. Now it becomes clear what Marian Kerby is back on terra firma for.Connie and Roland are off to France where they have to deal with fussy hotel managers and pretentious gigolos like Franklin Pangborn and Alexander D'Arcy. Best scenes in the film, in the casino with Paul Porcasi as the manager and in the bar with Paul Hurst as bartender.It's not as good as the original Topper film, but still has a lot of laughs left in the old spirit.
View More"Topper Takes a Trip" is a nice follow-up to "Topper," and has the same cast but no Cary Grant as George. He's shown in the beginning as the film goes over how George and Marion got to be ghosts in the first place. Alas, Grant's ghostly presence hangs over the entire film and puts a big hole in this movie.Constance Bennett is her usual gorgeous self as Marion. She is compelled to come back without George and soon realizes that she's there to help Cosmo once again - though the Kerby's idea of helping Topper leaves much to be desired. This time, though, she discovers a dog, Atlas, in spirit also and brings him along. Mrs. Topper (Billie Burke) learning that Cosmo was with a woman in a hotel has sued for divorce. At the trial, Cosmo claims the woman was the late Marion and begs to tell his story.The judge understandably gets too confused and throws the case out. Mrs. T sails for France and Cosmo, Marion, and Atlas follow. One of the best scenes takes place in a casino where Cosmo just can't help winning, thanks the ball landing on one number and then mysteriously jumping to another thanks to guess who.Very cute, with another fine performance by Roland Young as Cosmo. The special effects are still marvelous
View MoreTopper Takes a Trip just never gets going. It's an OK comedy sequel to the 1937 smash hit but without Cary Grant. That leaves Marion (Constance Bennett) alone to hound Topper (Roland Young) but the film is missing the marital sparring that made the first one so good.Mrs. Topper (Billie Burke) is seeking a divorce because Topper and Marion had stayed at a hotel together in the first film. Slim plot device then has the Mrs. heading to France for a quickie divorce where she falls among thieves: her "friend" and a phony baron. Topper and Marion head to France to stop the divorce and foil the setup.Roland Young is still very good with his blank face and funny body movements (when the invisible Marion is prodding him). But there's just too much talk in this one. Bennett is as always beautiful and breezy. Burke is hilarious as the dithery Mrs. Topper in a way that no one else could copy. Alan Mowbray is back in the thankless butler role as is Spencer Charters as the judge. Verree Teasdale plays the acid friend, Alex D'Arcy the faux baron, and Franklin Pangborn is the French hotel manager. Grant appears via flashback from the original film, but his absence is not well explained. Asta (the dog) is funny too.Not a bad film but it could have been funnier.
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