Topper

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Topper

1937,

1h 37m,

Comedy

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Watchlist

87%

15 Reviews

Tomatometer

80%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

George (Cary Grant) and Marion Kerby (Constance Bennett) are a young, happy-go-lucky couple who love to party. But after a car accident kills them both, they discover that they haven't done enough good deeds to earn a trip to heaven. To remedy this problem, they decide to help their old uptight boss, Cosmo Topper (Roland Young), live a little. While Topper begins to take their ghostly advice and enjoy life for a change, his controlling wife finds her husband's laid-back behavior infuriating.

Variety Staff

Variety

Sep 17, 2008

Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, as the reincarnated Kerbys, do their assignments with great skill.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Jun 24, 2006

Too gentle and leisurely to survive as a solid classic, though there's pleasure to be found in the cast's graceful way with comedy and their smooth ensemble playing.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Jan 1, 2000

Cary Grant and Constance Bennett are Thorne Smith's continental ghosts, haranguing tired businessman Roland Young in arch screwball style.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Jul 30, 2020

3/10

Despite the originality of the premise, there's a slowness to the introduction of the supernatural elements, as well as with Topper's reception of his ghostly tutors.

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

Jul 23, 2019

It's the old story of the turning worm, and while it's handled briskly here, most of the entertainment is in the ingenious camera trickery.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Jul 28, 2012

B+

Boasting strong performances from Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, this sophisticated screwball comedy was so popular that it led to two sequels (without Grant).

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Luke S

Nov 29, 2017

'Topper' is a fun and playful movie which has several things going for it, starting with Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, who play a sophisticated married couple who enjoy staying out all night carousing. They are both delightful. Grant gets a little too reckless behind the wheel of his expensive sports car, and they end up ghosts, but there's no sadness here, and the only difference seems to be that they can now become invisible. They still have appetites (e.g. for alcohol) and can make physical contact with things. Does that make sense? I don't know, but who cares. The film works as a romantic comedy and relationship film, as Grant and Bennett are contrasted by a wealthy banker (Roland Young) who is stifled by his prim wife (Billie Burke), who has him on a tight leash and schedule. She needs to loosen up, and he needs to assert himself, and Grant and Bennett help that along in their own odd ways. There are solid performances all around, and you'll recognize Burke from her role as Glinda the Good Witch in 'The Wizard of Oz'. The special effects are nice, including seeing Grant and Bennett fade in and out, and float various objects in the air (the tire changing scene is brilliant). It's also nice to see Hoagy Carmichael perform a catchy song, 'Old Man Moon'. Don't overthink it, and you'll enjoy this one.

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Luke W

Jan 2, 2017

Cute romantic comedy involving ghosts.

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Norman Z. McLeod

Director

Cary Grant

George Kerby

Constance Bennett

Marion Kerby

Roland Young

CosmoTopper

Billie Burke

Mrs. Topper

Alan Mowbray

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Synopsis

George (Cary Grant) and Marion Kerby (Constance Bennett) are a young, happy-go-lucky couple who love to party. But after a car accident kills them both, they discover that they haven't done enough good deeds to earn a trip to heaven. To remedy this problem, they decide to help their old uptight boss, Cosmo Topper (Roland Young), live a little. While Topper begins to take their ghostly advice and enjoy life for a change, his controlling wife finds her husband's laid-back behavior infuriating.

Director: Norman Z. McLeod
Producer: Hal Roach
Screenwriter: Eric Hatch, Jack Jevne, Eddie Moran, Thorne Smith
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., Film Classics Inc.
Production Co: Hal Roach Studios Inc.
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 16, 1937, Wide
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Mono

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