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Topper Returns 1942 1:28:00



Topper is once again tormented by a fun-loving spirit. This time, it's Joan Blondell, who was accidentally murdered while vacationing at the home of her wealthy friend, Ann Carrington (Landis), the intended victim. With Topper's help, Joan sets out to find her killer with the expected zany results.
Cosmo TOPPER RETURNS and this time he's involved with murder!
Hal Roach Studios presents one more look at the continued supernatural adventures of Cosmo Topper. The Old Dark House routine is trotted out as our hero finds himself in a spooky cliff-top mansion replete with strange disappearances, hidden passageways and a fiendish knife-wielding killer. Roland Young & Billie Burke are back one final time as the Toppers and they remain a delight--Mr. Young owl-like & serious in the scariest of situations and Miss Burke forever sweetly vague and befuddled. They are joined by vivacious Joan Blondell (who actually snags top billing) as a ghostess intent on forcing poor Topper into discovering who's just murdered her.
More new costars are on hand to help liven things up: lovely Carole Landis as a rich girl in much need of protection; Dennis O'Keefe as a taxi driver willing to provide that protection; gaunt H.B. Warner as Miss Landis' invalid father; menacing George Zucco as his sinister doctor; Rafaela Ottiano as a frightened housekeeper; Donald MacBride as a moronic cop; and the delightful Patsy Kelly, underused as the Toppers' tough maid. Best of all is Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson,' more or less playing himself (he even makes a gag about returning to 'Mr. Benny') who rivals Miss Burke in getting the best lines in the picture.
Contemporary references to Orson Welles' radio plays and the Alfred Hitchcock movie REBECCA (1940) should amuse cognoscenti. The serious viewer must not expect to have all the mysteries solved by film's end; indeed, most of the loose ends remain resolutely untied. Just sit back and enjoy the comedic chills served-up by this group of very fine performers.
This was the third of a 3-film series, coming after TOPPER (1937) and TOPPER TAKES A TRIP (1939).
In the film, Eddie (played by Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson) says that he's going back to "Mr. Benny", an in-joke reference to the fact that Anderson played Rochester, the valet, on Jack Benny's radio program and later TV show.
Revealing mistakes: When Cosmo, Gail and Eddie are walking towards the house in the snow, Eddie stops walking putting Gail to Cosmo's left (she grabs his arm). In the next shot a tree branch on Cosmo's right moves as if Gail moves it, but Cosmo still has his left arm raised as if Gail was holding his arm.
Continuity: When Gail gets up to close the window, she puts on a robe. After she's murdered, she goes to Cosmo Topper's house. When she enters Cosmo's house she has a scarf in her hair that she wasn't wearing when she went to bed.
Continuity: When Bob the cab driver goes after Ann's attacker on the balcony, his hair is messed up by the wind, but when he comes back in and confronts Lillian the housekeeper, his hair is neatly combed.
Continuity: After falling into the water numerous times, Eddie should be soaked to the skin. Yet, even with his full length fur coat and chauffeurs uniform, he's often dry a few scenes later.
Continuity: When Gail is driving the Toppers' car with Eddie sitting prominently in the back seat, he is missing in the long shots and some close-ups.