Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Flyerplesys Perfectly adorable

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

BoardChiri Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Antonius Block '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.

irishm I really wanted to like this, and I expected to. I like Cary Grant. I like lots of comedies of the same period. What happened? Unfortunately, the George and Marion characters don't come off as likable. They seem painfully self-involved and completely unconcerned about anyone else except themselves. They drive to endanger (not funny), they drive drunk (not funny), they make it a game to inconvenience someone who appears to be a friend of theirs who owns a tavern and wants to go home when it's well past closing (who can blame him?), they hand a police officer an empty milk bottle when they're parked where they shouldn't be and tell him to dispose of it… sorry, but I don't like people who act like that. I don't find it charming. I thought one of the biggest pains in the butt in cinema history was the supposedly quirky Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", and George and Marion give me just about the same vibe. Nothing about them appeals to me.Their "good deed" in getting Topper to let his hair down only succeeds in embarrassment and consternation for the poor guy, for the most part. It seems to end "well", I suppose, but it's awkward and uncomfortable to watch. Apparently it was a hit in its day, so I can't argue with that, but personally I didn't care for it at all.

mark.waltz Champagne swilling Constance Bennett has been out all night partying with her husband (Cary Grant), and when he stops into the bank (but doesn't come back to their limousine right away), Bennett saunters right into the office of Cosmo Topper (Roland Young), with one of the clerks saying my above comment to a co-worker to hilarious delight. Marian and George Kirby are a fun-loving Nick and Nora type who probably couldn't hold down day jobs, but in spite of their free-for-all lifestyle, you can't help but love them. Tragedy occurs one day when the speeding George ends up crashing their car, killing them instantly. Having lead a frivolous life, they find that they are "left behind" and must perform some good deeds to move onto the after life. They are definitely not bad people, so it is obvious where they are going, but their mission on earth has not been completed, hence their remaining around in limbo.One day, naive Cosmo Topper crashes through the newly replaced fence which George and Marian had previously crashed through. "Would you take your hand off my wife's leg?", Grant's voice bellows to Young, sitting on a log, as he reappears so only Young can see him, soon afterwards followed by his wife. It comes their duty to help reconcile Cosmo and his suspicious, jealous wife (Billie Burke), and that's what occurs in the next 90 minutes as Grant and Bennett do their best to perform one good deed to move on. Special effects had been used in science fiction or fantasy movies before, but this was perhaps the first comedy to utilize it so wonderfully. Ironically, the very same year, Young had his own dramatic fantasy with "The Man Who Could Work Miracles", but his light-hearted character here is obviously having much more fun even though he's extremely perplexed by being befriended by two ghosts.The first of three "Topper" movies (and one of half a dozen pairings of Billie Burke and Roland Young as flibberty-gibbit spouses) is one of the classic screwball comedy's of all time. Grant and Bennett appear to be having a perfectly marvelous time as they seem more alive as ghosts than some live people do on a normal basis. However, it is Young's performance, reacting to everything around him, that wins attention here, with Burke a close second. She's not the bird-like stereotype that she would be in the last film or her many other roles (just see her in "Dinner at Eight" to see her being truly dramatic as a downright ridiculous woman), and for those who know her only from "The Wizard of Oz" will be delighted to see her out of her good witches' uniform and in some wonderful gowns. She has a great chemistry with droll Alan Mowbray who would play her butler and companion in the first two films. The screenplay is practically perfect, the art deco sets fantastic to look at, and the pace delightfully speedy.

SmileysWorld This is the film that got the ball rolling for Cary Grant in all of those screwball comedies we loved him for throughout the late 30's and into the 40's.There is typical Cary Grant charm throughout,though the show is nearly stolen from him by Roland Young,who,despite the fact that he plays the title character,is listed as a supporting player rather than star.This story of a recklessly irresponsible rich couple meeting their fate in an auto accident and trying to earn their way to the pearly gates by adding flair to the dull life of another is a charmer worth revisiting again and again.A must see for fans of Cary Grant and the comedy genre.