Ich suche meinen Mörder

Unusual among films in the "old dark house" style for being about a ghost who comes back to solve her own murder. Disguised as a Topper film, and with Roland Young and Billie Burke again cast as Mr and Mrs Topper, this is really a clever murder mystery in reverse, a sort of "why he done it". Praise must be lavished on the script, co-written by murder-mystery novelist Jonathan Latimer (who also wrote some of the better Peter Falk Columbo episodes in the 1970s) and on the playing of Young, Burke and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who steal the film from headliners Carole Landis and Joan Blondell -- it is Topper's film after all. More inspired by the late Thorne Smith's characters than based on anything he wrote, the film nonetheless will appeal to fans of this extraordinary novelist's humorous works. A must for anyone who like horror send-ups, Topper or Smith!

I agree with the comments that this 1941 "sequel" to the 1937 classic is actually a better film despite the absence of Cary Grant. This movie is loaded with talented people - Joan Blondell, Roland Young, Carole Landis, Billie Burke, George Zucco, Patsy Kelly, Eddie Anderson, Dennis O'Keefe, Rafela Ottiano, all of whom have their moments to shine. Blondell is the only bona fide major movie star in the group but it's very much an ensemble cast picture in a way you don't often see in movies from the period. Mainly a slapstick comedy, it works as a mystery too, I was surprised by the murderer's identity. Anderson and Burke are particularly funny and Blondell is a delight, very sassy and very sexy, she looks a few pounds heavier than in her 1930's Warner Bros. films but those extra curves look sensational on her, making her more Mae West-like than ever.

Thorne Smith is just now beginning to be taken seriously as a writer. Often brushed off as just another pulp fiction fabricator, Smith's works are filled with satirical, humorous jibes at American culture concealed in well-written stories of fantasy. Though all three Hollywood versions of one of his best character creations leave out much of the satire they are each highly entertaining romantic comedies with many sexual innuendos considered bawdy when released in the late 30's and early 40's. This third film adds an element of mystery, suspense and chills to the comedy. Even the humor comes faster than in the first two Topper's. Billie Burke as Mrs. Cosmo Topper is given more clever lines this go around. Being one of the best actresses around, she knows exactly how to use the lines for ultimate comedic effect.

Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson was one of the funniest men around at the time. Mainly a radio comedian and sidekick to the inimitable Jack Benny, he stands out in every movie role he was given. He was one of the few African-Americans of his day who was able through sheer talent to rise above the racist Hollywood stereotyping rampant in the media at the time. Later during the civil rights movement Jack Benny told Rochester to do an errand for him. He replied, "Mr. Benny, we don't do that anymore." There's one scene in "Topper Returns" involving Rochester that's a gem when the raven flies to his shoulder and he gives a double take. Don't miss it. I don't know whose idea it was to have him wear a fur coat but that one prop adds tremendously to the fun.

So much has already been said by IMDb reviewers about the sensational Joan Blondell who deservedly got top billing in this film. She was a multi-talented actress who could play any role given her better than anyone else. She was also a topnotch comedienne as she shows in this outing when she somewhat assumes the role played by Constance Bennett in the first two outings. Donald MacBride as the police sergeant in charge of investigating the murders plays the part of a dumb policeman (typical for Hollywood in those days) in such a lofty comic manner than his stupidity is actually believable and this time funny. Adding to the creepiness of this truly scary comedy is the performance of Rafaela Ottiano as the housekeeper. She would frighten the pants off Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre. The rest of the cast made in heaven is just as effective.

Special note should be given to the special effects which were nominated for an Oscar. The man behind them, Roy Seawright, had also been in charge of the special effects for the first two Topper's. I've read that he had a hand in doing the special effects for the 1933 horror classic "The Invisible Man," although he is not credited with that in his profile.

Roland Young is for many viewers the definitive Topper but the later TV Topper, Leo G. Carroll, did a fine job too. Plus the later TV series added a ghost St. Bernard named Neil who just happened to be an alcoholic. Except for this the three movie versions are superior. The made for TV "Topper Returns" actually deals with Cosmo Topper Jr. and though OK is nowhere near the caliber of this "Topper Returns."

Since both films were on my DVD I watched both of them tonight. I found this film more charming than the Cary Grant film (and that is saying something!) Not only was Joan Blondell a barrel of fun but the house was great. There were secret staircases, chairs that tuned into secret hallways. I found Jack Benney's sidekick (Chester, I believe) a total riot. This man did not mind playing this role I am sure. (Jack Benney for all his "stingy" ways was not stingy in real life, especially with this man.) The other character that was completely zany and filled with great fun was Billie Burke. She did not carry the same personality over from the first film. In the original "Topper" she played a snobbish upper crust lady who had no fun in her. For "Topper Returns" she plays a zany character so much like Gracie Allen you would think that George Burns was "Topper" and Gracie his wife. Anyway, it was a very funny, delightful film.

This film may not have been one of the "greats", but if you just want to laugh--have a go at this one.

Sexy, wise-cracking Joan Blondell, who has accompanied her best friend back to her stately home to meet her father after many, many years, mysteriously is knifed after having traded rooms with Carole Landis - the intended victim. In true Topper fashion, her ghost finds the next-door neighbor who had given them both a lift earlier, one Cosmo Topper. He sees dead people all the time, way before it became quite so fashionable in The Sixth Sense. Topper Returns is the third and last of the Topper series, all of which starred Roland Young as the lead and Billie Burke as his annoying wife. Young plays the role to perfection again and Burke is equally up to the challenge. Lots of support in this one for Young and Burke as the old, spooky haunted house genre serves as primary backdrop when Topper goes to the scene of the crime and then we get mixed identities, hidden panels, scores of red herrings pointing out everyone's guilt except for the killer but generously dosed with lots of amusing quips from Young, wise-cracking one-liners from Blondell in ghostly form, by-play between Burke and her maid, the underrated Patsy Kelly, and chauffeur/fraidy cat Eddie "Rochester" Anderson basically playing himself and hamming it up as only he can. Anderson is easily the brightest spot in the film for me, even at one point making reference to former employer Jack Benny! But the cast also has the eerie likes of George Zucco, H. B. Warner, Donald MacBryde, and Rafaela Ottiano playing one creepy housekeeper. While definitely not as polished a production as the original Topper, Topper Returns is a whole lot more fun in Hal Roach fashion. It is my favourite of the three Topper films as it mixes comedy with horror rather well for its time.