USA, 1937
97m
35mm film, black and white, 1.37:1
mono, English
An American fantasy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod.
Plot Summary
Killed in a car crash, the fun-loving Kerbys, Marion and George, return as ghosts. They’re trapped in limbo because they’ve done neither good nor bad deeds and are keen to move on to Heaven. They decide that the need to rehabilitate Topper, a dull and boring bank president. But when Marion takes a personal interest in Topper, George becomes jealous…
Credits
* = uncredited
Crew
Directed by: Norman Z. McLeod
Copyright MCMXXXVII [1937] by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [logo]. Hal Roach presents
Producer: Hal Roach *
Associate Producer: Milton H. Bren
Screen Play by: Jack Jevne, Eric Hatch, Eddie Moran
Based on the Novel by: Thorne Smith
Assistant Director: Earl Rettig *
Photography: Norbert Brodine
Film Editor: William Terhune
Musical Direction: Marvin Hatley
Music Arrangements: Arthur Morton
Sound: William Randall
Gowns: Samuel M. Lange
Photographic Effects: Roy Seawright
Art Direction: Arthur I. Royce
Set Decorations: W.L. Stevens
Driver: Harvey Parry *
Cast
Constance Bennett (Marion Kirby)
Cary Grant (George Kirby)
Roland Young (Mr Topper)
Billie Burke (Mrs Topper)
Alan Mowbray (Wilkins)
Eugene Pallette (Casey)
Arthur Lake (elevator boy)
Hedda Hopper (Mrs Stuyvesant)
Virginia Sale (Miss Johnson)
Theodore von Eltz (hotel manager)
J. Farrell McDonald (policeman)
Elaine Shepard (secretary)
Doodles Weaver, Si Jenks (rustics)
Three Hits and a Miss (themselves)
Links
Sequels
Topper Takes a Trip (1939)
Topper Returns (1941)
Topper (1953-1955)
Topper (1979)
Extracts included in
The 56th Annual Academy Awards (1984)
AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America’s Funniest Movies (2000)
See also
Beetlejuice (1988)
Heart and Souls (1993)
New York at the Movies (2002)
References
Books
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.498 – credits
- Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Film Sequels, Series, and Remakes by Kim R. Holston and Tom Winchester p.488-489
- The Stop-motion Filmography by Neil Pettigrew p.698
Other sources
- BFI Southbank Guide p.16 – illustrated listing
