I often watch films like this with a real sense of detachment. It isn't that I don't enjoy them; it's that they seem dated and irrelevant to me. The cast of this film doesn't let that happen. First of all, everything is played tongue-in-cheek. Except for the bad guys, who are themselves parodies of humorlessness and the leading lady, everyone is a viable character. From Topper to his wife (Billie Burke, the good witch in "The Wizard of Oz; she is wonderful as the flighty matriarch); from Joan Blondell, the ghost, seeking the reason for her death; to Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who actually makes a reference to working for Mr. Bennyand keeps finding himself falling down a well where there is a sea lion; to the terrific slow burns of the police detective. It all works wonderfully. I know it's not one of the great comedies of the century, but I laughed out loud several times, even though I was watching alone. This is a delight and not to be missed.
Review of Topper Returns
