Topper Returns

"Topper's having girl trouble again!"

1941 1h 28m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 61

ComedyFantasyMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Topper is once again tormented by a fun-loving spirit. This time, it's Gail Richards, accidentally murdered while vacationing at the home of her wealthy friend, Ann Carrington, the intended victim. With Topper's help, Gail sets out to find her killer with the expected zany results.

“Topper's having girl trouble again!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

fuboTVSubscription

MGM+ Amazon ChannelSubscription

PhiloSubscription

BrewSubscription

MGM PlusSubscription

Pure FlixSubscription

FlixFlingSubscription

CineverseSubscription

Great American Pure Flix Amazon ChannelSubscription

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, the Maid
H.B. Warner
Mr. Carrington
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson
Edward ("Eddie"), the Chauffeur

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Roy Del Ruth
Writers: Jonathan Latimer, Gordon Douglas
Languages: English, Italian
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

RUNTIME

Did you know

88 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

85 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Roy Del Ruth, shot by Norbert Brodine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Werner R. Heymann. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor James E. Newcom shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Joan Blondell and Roland Young and Carole Landis carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Roy Del Ruth directs. Norbert Brodine behind the camera. Werner R. Heymann scores. James E. Newcom cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

188 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
285 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.
4Part of the "Topper Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Roy Del Ruth, shot by Norbert Brodine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Werner R. Heymann. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor James E. Newcom shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Joan Blondell and Roland Young and Carole Landis carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Topper's having girl trouble again!".
10IMDB entry: tt0034303 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 61 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Norbert Brodine
Original score: Werner R. Heymann
Editing: James E. Newcom
Costume design: Royer
Runtime: 88 min · 1h 28m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Topper Returns (1941)

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

Roy Del Ruth

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-06-25
★ 6/10
Joan Blondell ("Gail") is staying with her friend "Ann Carrington" when she is murdered. Her ghost alights on next door neighbour "Cosmo Topper" (Roland Young) to help her get to the bottom of it all. This is actually quite a witty little comedy thriller; Billie Burke is suitably over-the-top as "Mrs. Topper" and Rochester Anderson as the chauffeur brings his usual cheeky charm to the proceedings. The actual whodunnit it almost irrelevant: this is a film about characters and with a bit of menace added by George Zucco ("Dr. Jeris") and Donald MacBride as the pretty hapless, hopeless, "Detective Roberts" we get a decent, quickly paced, drama with all the haunted-house secret passages, moving bookcases and trap doors to keep us guessing and some good writing that swipes at almost everything/everyone.. It's way too long - could easily lose half an hour to tighten it all up but It's still a bit of a laugh to watch.

Production companies