Topper

"90 ROARING MINUTES OF LAUGHS!"

1937 1h 37m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

🍅

88%

FRESH

⭐

7.2

IMDB

★6.7TMDB · 141🍅88%Rotten Tomatoes★7.2IMDB · 8,583

ComedyFantasyRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Madcap couple George and Marion Kerby are killed in an automobile accident. They return as ghosts to try and liven up the regimented lifestyle of their friend and bank president, Cosmo Topper. When Topper starts to live it up, it strains relations with his stuffy wife.

“90 ROARING MINUTES OF LAUGHS!”

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Cast

Constance Bennett
Marion Kerby
Cary Grant
George Kerby
Roland Young
Cosmo Topper
Billie Burke
Mrs. Topper
Alan Mowbray
Wilkins
Eugene Pallette
Casey
Arthur Lake
Elevator Boy
Hedda Hopper
Mrs. Stuyvesant

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Norman Z. McLeod
Writers: Eddie Moran, Eric Hatch, Jack Jevne
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

89 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Topper Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Norman Z. McLeod, shot by Norbert Brodine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Marvin Hatley. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor William H. Terhune shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Constance Bennett and Cary Grant and Roland Young carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "90 ROARING MINUTES OF LAUGHS!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Norman Z. McLeod directs. Norbert Brodine behind the camera. Marvin Hatley scores. William H. Terhune cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $0.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
289 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Topper Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Norman Z. McLeod, shot by Norbert Brodine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Marvin Hatley. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor William H. Terhune shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Constance Bennett and Cary Grant and Roland Young carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "90 ROARING MINUTES OF LAUGHS!".
9IMDB entry: tt0029682 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Norbert Brodine
Original score: Marvin Hatley
Editing: William H. Terhune
Costume design: Samuel Lange
Runtime: 97 min · 1h 37m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $500,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Topper (1937)
Rotten Tomatoes: 88% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 7.2/10 · 8,583 votes
MPAA: Approved

Awards

Nominated for 2 Oscars. 2 nominations total

Part of

Topper Collection

Topper (1937) is an American supernatural comedy film starring Constance Bennett and Cary Grant and featuring Roland Young, which tells the story of a stuffy, stuck-in-his-ways man, Cosmo Topper (Roland Young) who is haunted by the ghosts of a fun-loving married couple. Topper was followed by the sequels Topper Takes a Trip (1938) and Topper Returns (1941).

Also by

Norman Z. McLeod

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2020-02-04
★ 8/10
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
CinemaSerf2025-07-02
★ 7/10
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”!