First off, you don't need to have seen the previous two Topper films in order to enjoy this rather sparkling entry in the Old Dark House genre. It's more of a spin-off than a sequel. All you really need to know is that Roland Young plays a slightly stuffy, middle-aged banker who, through no fault of his own, seems to attract the attentions of witty, interfering spooks (the Squawking Dead, if you will). It happened in the original Topper (1937) when the haunters were Constance Bennett and Cary Grant, and it happened in Topper Takes a Trip (1938) when Bennett returned without Grant but with an equally deceased dog in tow. In Topper Returns, the spookster role is occupied by a delightfully hilarious Joan Blondell who, for reasons we'll come to, has been bumped off and, not unreasonably, wants to know why.
Blondell plays Gail Richards, the best friend of Ann Carringon (Carole Landis) who's travelled from China to meet, for the first time, her American father. As per the conditions of her mother's will, she's due to inherit Carrington Hall the following day, her 21st birthday... That is, if she can survive the night. Creepy Dr Jeris (George Zucco) informs her that her poor old Dad is in poor health, while creepy housekeeper Lillian (Rafaela Ottiano) is busy monologuing about the 'charms' of the old mansion: "It's the waves... Day after day, night after night, they beat with savage fury against the black rocks below. For twenty years they've been calling, calling, calling to someone who never answers!" ("Just like the Pot o' Gold programme," quips Gail.)
That night, after swapping bedrooms with Ann, Gail is shockingly murdered in a shocking case of mistaken murderdentity. Clearly, the killer had designs on soon-to-be-rich Ann, but room-swapping Gail has thrown a spanner in the works, receiving a dagger in the heart. That's when the ghostly business begins, as Gail's soul rises from her body and pops over to the neighbours' house for help. And who would that neighbour be? Why, Cosmo Topper, of course - plus his chauffeur (Mantan Moreland), wife (Billie Burke) and maid (Patsy Kelly), all of whom end up next-door at the manor for various reasons for a night of mystery and mirth.
With its busy ensemble cast and inventively silly perils, Topper Returns plays like an early forerunner of 80s cult classic Clue, as the talented actors juggle the laughs without leaving anyone out of the fun. (Even the deadpan Zucco gets an amusing bit involving a hidden trapdoor.) It's possibly also the only Old Dark House film to culminate in a car chase - or at least the only one featuring a ghost at the wheel.
There's no time to get bored along the way, as the action shifts between rooms, rooftops, a giant icebox, underground caverns and even an offshore boat, with detailed sets infusing these with a sense of heightened reality unusual in the genre. A superbly scary moment (one of the only real jolts, to be honest) sees a crashing chandelier plunge one character into a pool of darkness that leaves her fate unknown. Like almost everything here, from the quickfire dialogue to smooth camerawork and Invisible Man-style special effects, you get the sense the stunt was meticulously planned.
There are some hurdles to jump - the era's dated attitudes providing most of these - but, when it comes to entertainment, this Topper tops most.
RATING: 🕸🕸🕸🕸
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