Topper (1937)

Until it came up on YouTube, the only time I'd heard of this movie was when the American Film Institute's list of 100 funniest U.S. movies included it at #60. That was not one of the more respected AFI lists, since humor is highly subjective, so I took the placement with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, I was in the mood for an oldie.

Bank stockholder George Kerby (Cary Grant) and his wife, Marion (Constance Bennett), lead fun-loving, irresponsible lives that end abruptly in a car crash -- sort of. They persist as ghosts, evidently a fate for the morally neutral. When bank manager Cosmo Topper (Roland Young), an acquainted fellow aristocrat, stumbles on the scene of the crash, the Kerbys think of a posthumous good deed that might get them into heaven: guiding Cosmo to more joy than his strict wife, Clara (Billie Burke), has allowed him. They make their presence known to him and both engage in and encourage the same kind of behavior as before, with predictable risks.

Unlikely cosmology aside, this depiction of ghosts is pretty unusual. They feel fully alive and still enjoy food and drink. They never float, pass through walls, or possess anyone. They can be invisible, transparent, or completely solid at will, but they somehow know they have a finite amount of ectoplasm, which they expend while visible.

Of course, the Kerbys often have other reasons to disappear, ranging from fear of recognition to pranks. A large chunk of the comedy, other than quips and reactions, relies on antics not fully seen. Indeed, Young got an Oscar nod largely for his ability to look like he isn't the only one moving himself, as when Cosmo gets so drunk that the Kerbys have to help him walk.

That said, the ghosts really ought to take more care not to frighten innocent bystanders, lest they lead to more deaths. Frankly, I find George and Marion nigh insufferable in the few minutes we see them before their accident, and they don't learn a thing from it. I'm unconvinced that they end up doing more good than harm.

I read a brief summary of the immediate sequel, Topper Takes a Trip. It features Marion but not George, implying that only one of them made it to heaven at the end of the first flick (and perhaps that Grant didn't feel like reprising his role). I'm not too surprised Marion's the guiltier of the two, because she spends a lot of time flirting with Cosmo, making both George and Clara jealous. I suppose the applicability of "till death do us part" is debatable on Marion's side, but not on Cosmo's.

Clara strikes me as abusive, albeit mildly enough not to counter many laughs. She does mean well for Cosmo and claims credit for advancing his career, standing, and health. She doesn't seem to get angry at his perceived defiance, just shocked and sad. But she openly holds a much higher opinion of her intellect than his, and even Catherine Parr didn't try to control her husband's life this much. That's the only reason I remotely approve of the Kerbys' influence on Cosmo and eventually on her.

On the subject of abuse, no part of Topper has aged more poorly than George and Cosmo talking about beating their wives for discipline. There's no sign that either of them ever actually did it, but the mere fact that they thought it potentially justifiable merits my "politically incorrect" tag.

As problematic as the ethics get, I was relieved that they didn't turn out worse. At least the ghosts don't become callous killers like in Blithe Spirit. Nor do the Toppers abandon all regard for law, manners, or personal safety. They might just reach a happy medium.

Topper is not my idea of top-100 material. I'll skip TTaT and probably Topper Returns, and I don't expect to come across the popular TV series. But I can see why they exist. The premises are quaint at worst, and the performances even by lesser-known actors hit the mark.